AL: CLEVELAND (79-58) at MINNESOTA (69-69) <h3>Laffey takes hill for division-leading Indians</h3> <div class="pre">Cleveland (79-58) at Minnesota (69-69) 8:10 pm EDT</div> MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) - The Cleveland Indians look to furtherdistance themselves from the defending American League CentralDivision champion Minnesota Twins on Tuesday. C.C. Sabathia threw eight strong innings and Ryan Garko homeredas Cleveland posted a 5-0 victory in the series opener. The Twins trail the Indians by 10 1/2 games, the same marginthey were back of the Chicago White Sox on August 7 beforerallying to win the division last season. Rookie Aaron Laffey (2-1, 5.01 ERA) looks to do his part to makesure there is no miraculous rally this season. Laffey made hismajor-league debut against the Twins on August 14, allowingthree runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings of a 3-2 loss. Laffey will try and help the Cleveland beat Minnesota for the 13time in 17 meetings. Cleveland, which has won nine of its last 10 leads the DetroitTigers (73-64) by six games in the AL Central. Minnesota, which has lost six of eight, sends its own rookie tothe mound in the form of Kevin Slowey (3-0, 5.84). Therighthander is making his first start since allowing five runsand eight hits in 3 2/3 innings of a 3-2 loss to the New YorkYankees on July 5.
AL: CLEVELAND at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">CLEVELAND AT MINNESOTA -- LINEUPS CLEVELAND MINNESOTA AVG HR RBI AVG HR RBI Grady Sizemore CF .277 23 70 Alexi Casilla 2B .250 0 9 Asdrubal Cabrera 2B .301 2 10 Jason Bartlett SS .275 5 40 Travis Hafner DH .255 19 80 Torii Hunter CF .291 27 96 Victor Martinez C .303 21 97 Justin Morneau 1B .279 29 96 Ryan Garko 1B .299 15 51 Michael Cuddyer RF .277 13 72 Jhonny Peralta SS .271 18 65 Rondell White LF .148 2 12 Kenny Lofton LF .301 7 31 Jason Kubel DH .262 10 52 Franklin Gutierrez RF .275 10 27 Chris Heintz C .231 0 5 Casey Blake 3B .263 15 66 Luis Rodriguez 3B .202 2 9 Aaron Laffey LHP (2-1, 5.01) Kevin Slowey RHP (3-0, 5.84)</div>
AL: CLEVELAND at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">AL AT MINNESOTA WARMUPS: CLE - AARON LAFFEY (2-1, 5.01) MIN - KEVIN SLOWEY (3-0, 5.84) UMPIRES: HP - TED BARRETT 1B - JAMES HOYE 2B - MARK CARLSON 3B - ANGEL HERNANDEZ WEATHER: INDOORS</div>
AL: CLEVELAND at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">AL AT MINNESOTA STARTING BATS: CLE - AARON LAFFEY AND VICTOR MARTINEZ MIN - KEVIN SLOWEY AND CHRIS HEINTZ DUE UP FOR CLEVELAND: G SIZEMORE (.277, 23 HR, 70 RBI) A CABRERA (.301, 2 HR, 10 RBI) T HAFNER (.255, 19 HR, 80 RBI)</div>
AL: CLEVELAND at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">AL AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE SOLO HOME RUN BY TRAVIS HAFNER (20) TO RIGHT WITH 2 OUT IN THE 1ST OFF KEVIN SLOWEY. CURRENT SCORE: CLEVELAND 1, MINNESOTA 0 DUE UP FOR CLEVELAND: V MARTINEZ (.303, 21 HR, 97 RBI)</div>
AL: CLEVELAND at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - CLEVELAND 1 1 2 0 MINNESOTA 0 0 0 (BOT 1) CURRENT PITCHERS: CLE - AARON LAFFEY MIN - KEVIN SLOWEY DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: A CASILLA (.250, 0 HR, 9 RBI) J BARTLETT (.275, 5 HR, 40 RBI) T HUNTER (.291, 27 HR, 96 RBI)</div>
AL: CLEVELAND at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">CLEVELAND (1) VS MINNESOTA (0) - MID 1ST - IN PROGRESS CLEVELAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg G Sizemore cf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .276 A Cabrera 2b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .297 T Hafner dh 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .257 V Martinez c 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .304 R Garko 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .299 J Peralta ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .271 K Lofton lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .301 F Gutierrez rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .275 C Blake 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .263 Totals 5 1 2 1 0 1 1 BATTING: HR - T Hafner (20, 1st inning off K Slowey 0 on, 2 Out). RBI - T Hafner (81). 2-out RBI - T Hafner. Team LOB - 1. MINNESOTA ab r h rbi bb so lob avg A Casilla 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 J Bartlett ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .275 T Hunter cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .291 J Morneau 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .279 M Cuddyer rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .277 R White lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .148 J Kubel dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .262 C Heintz c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .231 L Rodriguez 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .202 Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. ---------------------------------------------------- CLEVELAND - 1 -- 1 MINNESOTA - -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- CLEVELAND ip h r er bb so hr era A Laffey 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5.01 MINNESOTA ip h r er bb so hr era K Slowey 1 2 1 1 0 1 1 5.92 Pitches-strikes: K Slowey 22-12. Ground balls-fly balls: K Slowey 1-1. Batters faced: K Slowey 5. UMPIRES: HP--Ted Barrett. 1B--James Hoye. 2B--Mark Carlson. 3B--Angel Hernandez. Weather: INDOORS.</div>
AL: CLEVELAND at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">AL AT MINNESOTA CONFIRMED STARTERS: CLE - AARON LAFFEY MIN - KEVIN SLOWEY</div>
AL: CLEVELAND at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - CLEVELAND 1 1 2 0 MINNESOTA 0 0 0 0 (TOP 2) CURRENT PITCHERS: CLE - AARON LAFFEY MIN - KEVIN SLOWEY DUE UP FOR CLEVELAND: J PERALTA (.271, 18 HR, 65 RBI) K LOFTON (.301, 7 HR, 31 RBI) F GUTIERREZ (.275, 10 HR, 27 RBI)</div>
AL: CLEVELAND at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">CLEVELAND (1) VS MINNESOTA (0) - END 1ST - IN PROGRESS CLEVELAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg G Sizemore cf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .276 A Cabrera 2b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .297 T Hafner dh 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .257 V Martinez c 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .304 R Garko 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .299 J Peralta ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .271 K Lofton lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .301 F Gutierrez rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .275 C Blake 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .263 Totals 5 1 2 1 0 1 1 BATTING: HR - T Hafner (20, 1st inning off K Slowey 0 on, 2 Out). RBI - T Hafner (81). 2-out RBI - T Hafner. Team LOB - 1. MINNESOTA ab r h rbi bb so lob avg A Casilla 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .248 J Bartlett ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .274 T Hunter cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .291 J Morneau 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .279 M Cuddyer rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .277 R White lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .148 J Kubel dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .262 C Heintz c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .231 L Rodriguez 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .202 Totals 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. ---------------------------------------------------- CLEVELAND - 1 -- 1 MINNESOTA - 0 -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- CLEVELAND ip h r er bb so hr era A Laffey 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 4.81 MINNESOTA ip h r er bb so hr era K Slowey 1 2 1 1 0 1 1 5.92 Pitches-strikes: A Laffey 16-9; K Slowey 22-12. Ground balls-fly balls: A Laffey 2-0; K Slowey 1-1. Batters faced: A Laffey 3; K Slowey 5. UMPIRES: HP--Ted Barrett. 1B--James Hoye. 2B--Mark Carlson. 3B--Angel Hernandez. Weather: INDOORS.</div>
AL: CLEVELAND at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">AL AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE ERROR BY LUIS RODRIGUEZ ALLOWED KENNY LOFTON TO SCORE. SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, F GUTIERREZ ON FIRST, 1 OUT CURRENT SCORE: CLEVELAND 2 MINNESOTA 0 TOP, 2ND DUE UP FOR CLEVELAND: C BLAKE (.263, 15 HR, 66 RBI)</div>
AL: CLEVELAND at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - CLEVELAND 1 1 2 3 0 MINNESOTA 0 0 0 1 (BOT 2) CURRENT PITCHERS: CLE - AARON LAFFEY MIN - KEVIN SLOWEY DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: J MORNEAU (.279, 29 HR, 96 RBI) M CUDDYER (.277, 13 HR, 72 RBI) R WHITE (.148, 2 HR, 12 RBI)</div>
AL: CLEVELAND at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">CLEVELAND (2) VS MINNESOTA (0) - MID 2ND - IN PROGRESS CLEVELAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg G Sizemore cf 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 .276 A Cabrera 2b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .297 T Hafner dh 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .257 V Martinez c 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .304 R Garko 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .299 J Peralta ss 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .270 K Lofton lf 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .303 F Gutierrez rf 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 .273 C Blake 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .263 Totals 10 2 3 2 0 2 3 BATTING: 3B - K Lofton (4, K Slowey). HR - T Hafner (20, 1st inning off K Slowey 0 on, 2 Out). RBI - T Hafner (81), F Gutierrez (28). 2-out RBI - T Hafner. Team LOB - 2. MINNESOTA ab r h rbi bb so lob avg A Casilla 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .248 J Bartlett ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .274 T Hunter cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .291 J Morneau 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .279 M Cuddyer rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .277 R White lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .148 J Kubel dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .262 C Heintz c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .231 L Rodriguez 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .202 Totals 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. FIELDING: E - L Rodriguez (4, ground ball). ---------------------------------------------------- CLEVELAND - 11 -- 2 MINNESOTA - 0 -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- CLEVELAND ip h r er bb so hr era A Laffey 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 4.81 MINNESOTA ip h r er bb so hr era K Slowey 2 3 2 2 0 2 1 6.00 Pitches-strikes: A Laffey 16-9; K Slowey 43-26. Ground balls-fly balls: A Laffey 2-0; K Slowey 1-3. Batters faced: A Laffey 3; K Slowey 10. UMPIRES: HP--Ted Barrett. 1B--James Hoye. 2B--Mark Carlson. 3B--Angel Hernandez. Weather: INDOORS.</div>
AL: CLEVELAND at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">AL AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE DOUBLE BY JASON KUBEL SCORED RONDELL WHITE. SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J KUBEL ON SECOND, 2 OUT CURRENT SCORE: CLEVELAND 2 MINNESOTA 1 BOTTOM, 2ND DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: C HEINTZ (.231, 0 HR, 5 RBI)</div>
AL: CLEVELAND at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - CLEVELAND 1 1 2 3 0 MINNESOTA 0 1 1 2 1 (TOP 3) CURRENT PITCHERS: CLE - AARON LAFFEY MIN - KEVIN SLOWEY DUE UP FOR CLEVELAND: A CABRERA (.297, 0-FOR-1) T HAFNER (.257, 1-FOR-1, HR, RBI) V MARTINEZ (.304, 1-FOR-1)</div>
AL: CLEVELAND at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">CLEVELAND (2) VS MINNESOTA (1) - END 2ND - IN PROGRESS CLEVELAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg G Sizemore cf 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 .276 A Cabrera 2b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .297 T Hafner dh 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .257 V Martinez c 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .304 R Garko 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .299 J Peralta ss 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .270 K Lofton lf 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .303 F Gutierrez rf 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 .273 C Blake 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .263 Totals 10 2 3 2 0 2 3 BATTING: 3B - K Lofton (4, K Slowey). HR - T Hafner (20, 1st inning off K Slowey 0 on, 2 Out). RBI - T Hafner (81), F Gutierrez (28). 2-out RBI - T Hafner. Team LOB - 2. MINNESOTA ab r h rbi bb so lob avg A Casilla 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .248 J Bartlett ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .274 T Hunter cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .291 J Morneau 1b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .280 M Cuddyer rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .276 R White lf 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 .146 J Kubel dh 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 .264 C Heintz c 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .222 L Rodriguez 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .202 Totals 8 1 2 1 0 1 3 BATTING: 2B - J Kubel (23, A Laffey). RBI - J Kubel (53). 2-out RBI - J Kubel. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - C Heintz 1. Team LOB - 1. FIELDING: E - L Rodriguez (4, ground ball). ---------------------------------------------------- CLEVELAND - 11 -- 2 MINNESOTA - 01 -- 1 ---------------------------------------------------- CLEVELAND ip h r er bb so hr era A Laffey 2 2 1 1 0 1 0 4.97 MINNESOTA ip h r er bb so hr era K Slowey 2 3 2 2 0 2 1 6.00 Pitches-strikes: A Laffey 31-18; K Slowey 43-26. Ground balls-fly balls: A Laffey 4-1; K Slowey 1-3. Batters faced: A Laffey 8; K Slowey 10. UMPIRES: HP--Ted Barrett. 1B--James Hoye. 2B--Mark Carlson. 3B--Angel Hernandez. Weather: INDOORS.</div>
AL: CLEVELAND at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - CLEVELAND 1 1 0 2 3 0 MINNESOTA 0 1 1 2 1 (BOT 3) CURRENT PITCHERS: CLE - AARON LAFFEY MIN - KEVIN SLOWEY DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: L RODRIGUEZ (.202, 2 HR, 9 RBI) A CASILLA (.248, 0-FOR-1) J BARTLETT (.274, 0-FOR-1)</div>
AL: CLEVELAND at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">CLEVELAND (2) VS MINNESOTA (1) - MID 3RD - IN PROGRESS CLEVELAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg G Sizemore cf 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 .276 A Cabrera 2b 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .293 T Hafner dh 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 .256 V Martinez c 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 .304 R Garko 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .299 J Peralta ss 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .270 K Lofton lf 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .303 F Gutierrez rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .273 C Blake 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .263 Totals 13 2 3 1 0 2 3 BATTING: 3B - K Lofton (4, K Slowey). HR - T Hafner (20, 1st inning off K Slowey 0 on, 2 Out). RBI - T Hafner (81). 2-out RBI - T Hafner. Team LOB - 2. MINNESOTA ab r h rbi bb so lob avg A Casilla 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .248 J Bartlett ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .274 T Hunter cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .291 J Morneau 1b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .280 M Cuddyer rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .276 R White lf 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 .146 J Kubel dh 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 .264 C Heintz c 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .222 L Rodriguez 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .202 Totals 8 1 2 1 0 1 3 BATTING: 2B - J Kubel (23, A Laffey). RBI - J Kubel (53). 2-out RBI - J Kubel. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - C Heintz 1. Team LOB - 1. FIELDING: E - L Rodriguez (4, catch). ---------------------------------------------------- CLEVELAND - 110 -- 2 MINNESOTA - 01 -- 1 ---------------------------------------------------- CLEVELAND ip h r er bb so hr era A Laffey 2 2 1 1 0 1 0 4.97 MINNESOTA ip h r er bb so hr era K Slowey 3 3 2 1 0 2 1 5.62 Pitches-strikes: A Laffey 31-18; K Slowey 59-37. Ground balls-fly balls: A Laffey 4-1; K Slowey 3-5. Batters faced: A Laffey 8; K Slowey 13. UMPIRES: HP--Ted Barrett. 1B--James Hoye. 2B--Mark Carlson. 3B--Angel Hernandez. Weather: INDOORS.</div>
AL: CLEVELAND at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">AL AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE DOUBLE BY JUSTIN MORNEAU SCORED LUIS RODRIGUEZ, JASON BARTLETT AND TORII HUNTER. SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, NONE ON, 2 OUT CURRENT SCORE: CLEVELAND 2 MINNESOTA 4 BOTTOM, 3RD DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: M CUDDYER (.276, 0-FOR-1)</div>
AL: CLEVELAND at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - CLEVELAND 1 1 0 2 3 1 MINNESOTA 0 1 3 4 4 1 (TOP 4) CURRENT PITCHERS: CLE - AARON LAFFEY MIN - KEVIN SLOWEY DUE UP FOR CLEVELAND: R GARKO (.299, 0-FOR-1) J PERALTA (.270, 0-FOR-1) K LOFTON (.303, 1-FOR-1)</div>
