CLEVELAND — The Indians are riding another streak, only this time it’s one they’d rather discuss.
Fresh off its longest win string (10 games) since 2002, Cleveland has dropped two straight after losing a 4-3 decision to the Mariners in 10 innings Saturday at Progressive Field.
You can’t win them all, but losing the first two games of a series to the worst team in the American League when you’re playing as well as you have all year, won’t be included on the DVD of 2008 season highlights.
The Indians lost the game when closer Jensen Lewis allowed two runs in the 10th, but there was a twist.
Seattle had already scored the go-ahead run on an RBI single from Raul Ibanez and had men on first and second with one out when Jose Lopez sent a grounder to shortstop Jhonny Peralta.
What appeared to be a double-play ball that would have ended the inning was deflected by Mariners baserunner Adrian Beltre, who stopped on his way to third, with the ball bouncing off his midsection and by Peralta into the outfield.
The umpires conferred before ruling that Beltre was out, but that wasn’t enough for Wedge, who was ejected by third base umpire Fieldin Culbreth after arguing emphatically that an automatic double play should have been called.
Umpires have the discretion to make that ruling if they feel a player intentionally makes contact with the ball. The Indians felt that’s what Beltre did, and it cost them when Seattle added another run after the call because they came back to score one of their own in the bottom of the 10th.
“He put his hand up,” Wedge said of Beltre. “If that’s the case, it’s an automatic double play. That’s what should have been called, but they didn’t see it that way.”
Peralta agreed with his manager, saying the Indians would have turned two had Beltre not interfered.
“I think the umpire needs to call a double play in that situation,” Peralta said. “I think (Beltre) tried to do it on purpose.”
The loss put a damper on another sparkling outing from Indians starter Anthony Reyes.
Reyes allowed just a run on Tug Hulett’s first career big league home run in the third, surrendering seven hits and striking out three through seven innings.
“Anthony was fantastic,” Wedge said. “He’s been very consistent for us.”
Since joining Cleveland’s rotation from Triple-A Buffalo after being acquired in a trade with the Cardinals, Reyes is 2-1 with a 2.01 ERA in five starts.
“It’s just like starting over again,” said Reyes, who reportedly butted heads with St. Louis manager Tony LaRussa and pitching coach Dave Duncan. “It’s been fun for me mostly.”
Reyes may have received a more deserving fate had he not been squaring off against Jarrod Washburn. Indian hitters couldn’t cope with the veteran left-hander all day, despite the 5-14 record and 4.93 ERA he brought into the game, not to mention the losses in his last five outings.
Washburn shut out Cleveland on just three hits, striking out eight through 6 2/3 innings. He allowed all of his hits in the first two innings, retiring 14 of the 15 batters he faced over a span from the third to seventh inning and struck out six of the seven hitters he faced at one point.
“That’s as good as I’ve seen Washburn in some time,” Wedge said. “He had good stuff. There was a lot of good pitching out there today.”
That didn’t include Lewis, who began the 10th inning ominously by walking the speedy Ichiro Suzuki, before blowing his first save in eight chances since assuming the full-time closer role.
Lewis was able to erase Suzuki on a fielder’s choice ground out, but consecutive singles from Beltre and Ibanez put Seattle in front 3-2. The disputed double-play ball followed before Lewis allowed an RBI single to pinch hitter Jamey Burke. 
“He was erratic today,” Wedge said of Lewis. “The last thing you want to do is walk the leadoff guy, especially when it’s Ichiro.”
The Indians have dropped two straight to a last-place team with the possibility of being swept in the finale today, but they’re still in the midst of their best stretch of the year, going 16-5 over their last 21 games.
Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.

TODAY

WHO: Cleveland vs. Seattle
TIME: 1:05 p.m.
WHERE: Progressive Field
PITCHERS: Jackson (0-0, 4.91 ERA) vs. Rowland-Smith (2-2, 3.84)
TV/RADIO: Channel 3; WEOL 930-AM, WTAM 1100-AM
 

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