CLEVELAND — The Indians will avoid a dubious distinction — at least for now.
On a 10-game losing streak entering the series opener with Tampa Bay on Thursday night, Cleveland drubbed the Rays
13-2 in front of 22,665 fans at Progressive Field to win the first of a four-game set that will take the Indians into the All-Star break.
The win ensured that the last-place Indians would not reach the franchise’s longest losing streak of 12 games, set in 1931.
“You could definitely tell we were on a 10-game skid,” said Indians starter Aaron Laffey, who won for the first time in five starts, allowing two runs on four hits over six innings. “To come out big like this, especially against the best team in the majors, is big.”
To end the futility, Cleveland had to overcome the majors’ best team in Tampa Bay and a surging starting pitcher with area ties in Wadsworth High graduate Andy Sonnanstine.
The Indians accomplished both with a rare display of offense that included four home runs — three of them off Sonnanstine, who entered his 19th start of the year owning a 10-3 record and 4.31 ERA and a 6-1 mark following a Rays loss. The 25-year-old right-hander hadn’t allowed a homer since May 21. Tampa Bay, which has dropped 10 consecutive games in Cleveland, has lost a season-high four straight.
The Indians batted around twice, scoring 12 of their runs in the fifth and eighth innings, while getting multihit games from Grady Sizemore, Ben Francisco, Jhonny Peralta, Shin-Soo Choo and Casey Blake. Everyone in the lineup had a hit except second baseman Jamey Carroll.
The seven-run outburst in the eighth matched a season high for runs in an inning.
“We had some real good at-bats up and down the lineup,” said manager Eric Wedge, whose team outhit the Rays 15-5. “I respect the way they got going and kept it going.”
It looked as though it would be slim pickings against Sonnanstine, who shut out Cleveland on two hits through the first four innings before crumbling in the fifth.
After recording the first out of the inning, Sonnanstine allowed hits to six of the next seven batters, including a pair of two-run homers to David Dellucci and Francisco, with the Indians erasing a 2-0 deficit to lead 5-2.
Laffey (5-5, 3.45) offered up another quality start, allowing a two-run homer in the third as his only blemish. He didn’t allow a hit over the first two innings and blanked the Rays on two hits over his final four innings. The left-hander retired the last five batters he faced.
“Laffey set the tone,” Wedge said. “I thought he did a real good job.”
So did Laffey.
“This is the best command I’ve had in my last five starts,” he said. “I’m real pleased with how I threw the ball.”
Wedge held a team meeting prior to the game, clearing the air on the CC Sabathia trade and dictating the direction he’d like his team to take over the second half of the season.
The Indians took a positive step after Wedge conveyed what he called a “positive but firm” message.
“That streak was unbelievable,” said Blake, one of the few veteran leaders left in the Cleveland clubhouse. “I’ve never been a part of anything like that, and I’m sure none of the rest of these guys have either.
“A lot of positive things happened tonight. It was a good team effort. If we do that more often, it makes things a lot more fun.”
At this point, that’s all the Indians are playing for.
Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.

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