Twins fail in bid to sweep Indians with Sunday's 8-3 loss

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Cameron Cairncross and Justin Speier made things easy for the Cleveland Indians.

Travis Fryman and Omar Vizquel both homered as the Indians spoiled Minnesota manager Tom Kelly's return with an 8-3 victory Sunday, snapping a four-game losing streak in the bargain.

But Cairncross and Speier, both relievers, played equally big roles.

"Those guys saved me today," said Dave Burba, the winner.

With the Indians clinging to a 4-3 lead in the sixth, Cairncross entered the game with the bases loaded and one out.

Up came pinch-hitter Denny Hocking. Cairncross, in just his third big league game, struck Hocking out swinging.

Marcus Jensen came up as a pinch-hitter and Speier, who has appeared in 22 games this season, fanned him as well.

"It certainly was a big moment," Cleveland manager Charlie Manuel said. "But I like the way those guys throw. They go right at guys."

The Indians, the five-time AL Central Division champions, went on from there and picked up a game on first place Chicago. They still trail the White Sox by 10 1/2 games.

"Can you figure this one out?" Manuel asked. "We win one of three games and it's against their ace pitcher (Brad Radke). But it was a game we absolutely had to have."

"We need to stay in the race for either the division or the wild card," said reliever Steve Karsay, who pitched a scoreless ninth inning. "With the talent in this room, we need to show management we can win games. It doesn't matter how you get into the playoffs."

The Twins were bidding to sweep a series from the Indians for the first time since May 1993.

Burba (10-4) allowed three runs, five hits and five walks in 5 1-3 innings. He struck out seven to reach double figures in wins for the fifth straight year.

But Burba couldn't make it out of the sixth. Ron Coomer and David Ortiz singled with one out and walks to Corey Koskie and pinch-hitter Midre Cummings cut the lead to 4-3.

"I just lost my focus," Burba said. "I tried to pick a bit and got into trouble. I hated the bases-loaded walk but I guess it could have been worse."

It was Burba's first win in three starts against the Twins.

"I pitched better in those other games," Burba said of his no-decision efforts. "Worst game I pitched against them and I get a win."

Fryman's two-run homer, his 15th, gave the Indians a 3-2 lead in the fourth inning. Manny Ramirez doubled off Radke (7-11) before Fryman hit his first homer since June 16.

The Indians added to their lead in the sixth when Minnesota left fielder Matt Lawton misjudged Ricky Ledee's line drive and it went off the fence for a double. Richie Sexson's RBI single made it 4-2.

"Jacque (Jones, center fielder) and I looked at each other and said, 'Where is it?" Lawton said. "I saw it off the bat and then I lost it totally."

The Indians had Radke in trouble most of the day, getting a runner in scoring position in five of his six innings. They scored in the third when Einar Diaz tripled and came home on Vizquel's RBI single.

Kelly had been in Florida since the All-Star break tending to his ailing father. Ron Gardenhire, the team's third base coach, served as interim manager and posted a 6-4 record.

"Brad pitched a pretty good game," Kelly said. "But we didn't see the one ball and it cost us. A couple of our guys had tough days against Burba. The game drifted away from us in the seventh."

In that inning, Travis Miller replaced Radke for Minnesota and loaded the bases. Hector Carrasco relieved and allowed a two-run single to Ramirez and a sacrifice fly to Fryman.

Coomer, who had four hits in Saturday's 10-6 Minnesota victory, gave the Twins the early lead with his 12th homer of the season, a two-run shot in the first inning. It was his first homer since hitting one off Burba on July 1.

Vizquel, whose 95-game errorless streak at shortstop ended Saturday, homered with two outs in the top of the ninth. He had three hits on the day and has hit in seven straight games.

Notes: Diaz's triple was just the second of his 192-game career. ... Burba moved into fifth place in strikeouts in the AL with 121. ... Ledee's ball wasn't the only adventure in the Metrodome Sunday. Two foul balls struck speakers, changed direction and fell harmlessly to the ground. ... The Twins recalled left-hander J.C. Romero from AAA Salt Lake City and placed righthander Mike Lincoln on the 15-day disabled list. Lincoln left Saturday's game with a sore elbow. Romero, who was with the team in spring training, had a 4-2 record in 65 1-3 innings with the Buzz. He appeared in 17 games there, 11 as a starter.