Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Carlos Santana finished 2-for-4 with three RBI, including his first career home run, and Fausto Carmona notched his second complete game of the season as Cleveland topped Washington, 7-1, in the second of three in this interleague set.
On Second Day, Carlos Santana Hits First Big League Home Run In Easy Indians Victory
Russell Branyan went 3-for-4 with a solo homer and scored twice for the Indians, who have won two in a row in the series and four straight overall. Shin-Soo Choo, Travis Hafner and Luis Valbuena each added an RBI.
Carmona (5-5) evened his record by scattering three hits and one run, fanning seven without a walk to post his first victory since May 12.
“It was the most dominant performance from one of our pitchers,” said Cleveland manager Manny Acta of Carmona. “One guy over the minimum (through seven), he threw over 70 percent of his pitches for strikes. He set the tone for us.”
J.D. Martin (0-2) was tagged in defeat for nine hits and seven runs -- six earned -- with three strikeouts in 7 2/3 frames.
Cleveland got a run in the first on Hafner’s sacrifice fly, then tacked on four more in the second.
Branyan started things with a leadoff single, and Jhonny Peralta followed with a double. Valbuena lofted a sac fly for a 2-0 game, then Jason Donald singled and two batters later Choo's base hit brought in Peralta. Santana kept the rally going with a two-run double for a 5-0 contest.
Santana began the fifth with his first career homer, a shot to right for a six-run Tribe edge.
“It felt good today, all the things I was able to do,” said Santana through an interpreter. “Yesterday I didn’t do what was expected (in his pro debut) but today I was glad I was able to help the team win.”
Carmona cruised along, allowing two hits through seven before Zimmerman’s leadoff shot to left in the eighth. Branyan countered with a solo homer in the home portion for a 7-1 Cleveland lead.
The Indians starter finished the game by retiring six in a row and 11 of the final 12 men he faced.
Carmona was 0-4 with a no-decision since his last win...These clubs hadn’t met in Cleveland since the start of interleague play in 1997...Montreal/Washington won both prior series in 2002 and 2007...Both teams wore throwback uniforms to the 1920’s, when Cleveland and the original Washington Senators franchise competed in the American League.
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