CLEVELAND INDIANS

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A new member of the Indians' ever-changing starting rotation joined them late Saturday night and their old designated hitter was scheduled to arrive Sunday night.

The Indians promoted left-hander Scott Lewis on Sunday from Class AA Akron. He'll start against Baltimore on Wednesday in his big-league debut. DH Travis Hafner, who homered and drove in three runs for Akron on Saturday night as they advanced in the Eastern League playoffs, was scheduled to join the team in Baltimore. Hafner, whose 20-day rehab assignment ended Saturday, is expected to be activated Tuesday.

He's been on the disabled list since May 30 with a strained right shoulder.

Lewis, who will take injured Anthony Reyes' spot in the rotation, received a call late Friday telling him he'd been promoted. It came so late, he almost missed it.

"I was sleeping, but woke up for some reason," said Lewis. "Then I saw the red light blinking on the phone. The number had a 216 area code, so I figured I better call back."

Continue reading "Indians Insider: A coveted call-up for Lewis" »

Clubhouse confidential: With Indians starting pitchers going down left and right with injuries, it was not good to see Jeremy Sowers get hit on his pitching hand by a Joey Gathright liner that screamed into the dugout in the third inning Sunday. Sowers iced his left hand, but later in the game catcher Sal Fasano knocked down another foul ball headed for Sowers.

"Maybe I should just stay on the couch in the locker room," said Sowers, who starts against Baltimore on Tuesday.

Hands off: The Indians like what left-hander David Huff showed them this year, but they didn't call him up -- even though they need a starter for Saturday's doubleheader against Kansas City -- because he threw only 59 2/3 innings last year because of a strained left elbow.

This year Huff was a combined 11-5 with a 2.52 ERA at Class AA Akron and Class AAA Buffalo. He struck out 143 in 146 1/3 innings.

Stat of the day: The Indians are 28-19 since the All-Star break.

Kansas City, Mo. --- Cliff Lee won his 10th straight decision and 21st game of the season today as the Indians beat the Royals, 3-1, at Kauffman Stadium.

Lee is 10-0 with a 1.84 ERA in his last 11 starts.

Victor Martinez drove in all three of the Indians' runs with a two-run single in the first inning and a RBI double in the sixth off Zack Greinke (9-10, 3.70). Martinez, who played in two games in this series, reached base seven times in nine plate appearances.

Lee leads the big leagues with 21 victories and a 2.28 ERA. He held the Royals to one run on seven hits in 7 1/3 innings. He has not lost since July 6.

The Royals made it 3-1 in the sixth when Alberto Callaspo singled home Jose Guillen. The run ended Lee's scoreless inning streak of 16 2/3 innings.

Lee is 4-0 with a 2.70 ERA against the Royals this year. He's 11-4 in his career against them.

Rafael Perez, Rafael Betancourt and Jensen Lewis finished the game. Lewis worked the ninth for his eighth save in nine chances. The save was Lewis' first since Aug. 25.

Kansas City, Mo. --- The Indians lead the Royals, 3-1, today after six innings at Kauffman Stadium.

Big day for Vic: Victor Martinez, who drove in the Indians' first two runs in the first inning, doubled to left with one out in the sixth to take a 3-0 lead against Zack Greinke. Hot-hitting Shin-Soo Choo opened the inning with a double past first base. After Jhonny Peralta grounded out, Martinez sent a soft fly ball to left. Joey Gathright tried to deke Choo by pretending he was going to catch the ball, but slipped as the ball bounced past him for a double.

Bobbing and weaving: Cliff Lee, looking to improve his 10-4 lifetime record against the Royals, had to pitch out of some jams. Billy Butler and Mark Teahen singled consecutively in the fourth with one out. Lee struck out John Buck and retired Alberto Callaspo on a grounder to second. Esteban German opened the fifth with a double, but Lee struck out Gathright when he fouled off a two-strike bunt attempt. He retired David DeJesus on a fly ball and Mike Aviles on a grounder to third.

No shutout: Lee lost his shutout in the sixth on Callaspo's RBI single. Lee started the inning by hitting Jose Guillen. He retired the next two batters, but Buck singled Guillen to third and Callaspo's grounder between first and second scored him to make it 3-1.

He gone: Greinke was through after six innings. He allowed three runs on five his with two and eight strikeouts. He threw 105 pitches, 66 for strikes.

Duck, duck, goose: In the third, Gathright lined a pitch into the Tribe's dugout. It apparently hit Jeremy Sowers on his left hand, but no injury update was given.

Kansas City, Mo. --- The Indians lead the Royals, 2-0, today after three innings at Kauffman Stadium.

Good timing: On a 3-2 pitch, with two out and Shin-Soo Choo and Jhonny Peralta running on the pitch, Victor Martinez singled through the middle off Zack Greinke to give the Indians a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Choo scored from second and Peralta from first. The Indians have outscored the opposition, 91-68, in the first inning.

Rolling: Cliff Lee, trying to win his 10th straight decision, opened with three scoreless innings. He entered with a 3-0 record against the Royals this season.

Kansas City, Mo. --- After driving in three more runs for Class AA Akron Saturday night in the Eastern League playoffs, Travis Hafner was scheduled to join the Indians tonight in Baltimore and be activated on Tuesday.

Hafner has been on the disabled list since May 30 with a strained right shoulder. Hafner hit a two-run homer and drove in another run Saturday as Arkon eliminated Bowie, 5-1, in the first round of the playoffs. In Friday's victory, Hafner hit a grand slam.

"Travis says he feels as good as he's felt," said manager Eric Wedge, before the Indians played the Royals today at Kauffman Stadium. "He'll have a work day in Baltimore on Monday and potentially we could activate him on Tuesday."

Kansas City, Mo. --- Here are today's lineups for the Indians and Royals game at Kauffman Stadium.

Indians: CF Grady Sizemore, 3B Jamey Carroll, LF Shin-Soo Choo, SS Jhonny Peralta, DH Victor Martinez, 1B Ryan Garko, C Kelly Shoppach, RF Franklin Gutierrez, 2B Asdrubal Cabrera and LHP Cliff Lee.

Royals: RF David DeJesus, SS Mike Aviles, DH Jose Guillen, 1B Billy Butler, 3B Mark Teahen, C John Buck, 2B Alberto Callaspo, LF Esteban German, CF Joey Gathright, RHP Zack Greinke.

Umpires: HP Mike Estabrook, 1B Dale Scott, 2B Bill Hohn, 3B Dan Iassogna. Crew chief, Scott.

Kansas City, Mo. --- The Indians promoted Scott Lewis from Class AA Akron to take injured Anthony Reyes spot in the starting rotation. He'll make his big-league debut Wednesday in a start against Baltimore.

Lewis was a combined 8-4 with a 2.40 ERA at Akron and Class AAA Buffalo this season. He was currently pitching for Akron in the Eastern League playoffs.

Reyes left Friday's start against the Royals after three scoreless innings with a sore right elbow.

Lewis started the season in extended spring training because of a strained lat muscle. He went 6-2 with a 2.33 ERA at Akron and 2-2 with a 2.63 ERA at Buffalo.

The Indians drafted him out of Ohio State in the third round of of the 2004 draft. The Indians are carrying 32 players _ (17 pitchers, three catchers, seven infielders and five outfielders. The 40-man roster now stands at 39.

Get in-game updates and a complete recap after the game as the Indians and Royals close out their series in Kansas City.

Chat with other fans during the game in our Tribe Forum.

Game Info

What: Indians at Kansas City Royals.

When: 2:10 p.m.

Where: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Mo.

TV/radio: SportsTime Ohio; WTAM AM/1100.

Pitchers: LHP Cliff Lee (20-2, 2.32 ERA) vs. RHP Zack Grienke (10-9, 3.67).