Tribe Turns Triple Play In Win Over Twins

Victor Martinez hit a two-run homer and Cleveland turned its first triple play in 15 years as the Indians downed the Minnesota Twins, 8-3, in the opener of a three-game series at Jacobs Field. Travis Hafner and Kelly Shoppach each drove in two runs while Grady Sizemore scored twice for the Indians, who have won three straight. Paul Byrd (13-5) got the win as he gave up three runs on six hits in six-plus innings of work for Cleveland, which maintained its 2 1/2 game lead over Detroit for first place in the AL Central. Jason Bartlett hit a solo homer while Mike Redmond also drove in a run for the Twins, who had won five straight coming into the game. Carlos Silva (10-13) got the loss as he gave up seven runs -- six earned -- on seven hits in just 3 2/3 innings of work. Holding a 7-3 lead heading into the seventh, Byrd got into a bit of trouble as he gave up a leadoff double to Michael Cuddyer and then walked Jason Kubel. Byrd then handed the ball to Rafael Perez. Perez killed the threat on one batter as he got Mike Redmond to hit a grounder to third and Minnesota turned a 5-4-3 triple play to end the inning. It was the first triple play ever at Jacobs Field and the first one for the Indians since August 7, 1992. The Tribe tacked on another run in the seventh as Kenny Lofton lofted a sacrifice fly to score Jhonny Peralta for an 8-3 lead. The Indians took a 1-0 lead in the first on a sacrifice fly from Peralta that scored Sizemore. Martinezs two-run homer in the third staked Cleveland to a 3-0 advantage. Cleveland added to its lead in the fourth. Casey Blake and Lofton led off with a singles and Franklin Gutierrez moved them up a base with a sac bunt. Shoppach then roped a two-bagger to left to plate both the runners. Sizemore worked a walk and, after Asdrubal Cabrera grounded out, Hafner punched a single to center to score Shoppach and Sizemore for a 7-0 advantage. The Twins got on the scoreboard with a pair of runs in the fifth. Redmond knocked a single to right to score Justin Morneau and a wild pitch from Byrd scored Kubel to make it a 7-2 game. Bartletts solo homer in the sixth cut Minnesotas deficit to 7-3. Game Notes Byrd has won his last three starts...Cleveland has won nine of 13 against Minnesota this season...Silva is 4-6 in 17 games, 16 of which have been starts, against Cleveland...Byrd is 10-3 lifetime versus Minnesota in 16 starts...Attendance was 23,178...The last time the Twins hit into a triple play was May 15, 2006 against the White Sox...It was the first triple play in the AL this season.