The Indians’ fourth straight loss and seventh in nine games kept Cleveland a game behind Detroit in the AL Central. Cleveland had a chance to gain a share of first-place with Detroit in the AL Central for the first time since before games of July 8 The slumping Tigers have lost eight of 10.
Ramon Vazquez lined a single to center to open the 10th against Lewis (0-1), who then fielded a bunt by Frank Catalanotto and threw too late to second to get the lead runner.
After pitching coach Carl Willis visited the mound, Lewis grabbed another bunt by Ian Kinsler. The right-hander, in his eighth outing since being called up from Triple-A Buffalo on July 13, stumbled as he went to throw to third, then fired the ball into the dirt at first for an error, letting Vazquez score to go-ahead run.
Michael Young was intentionally walked and Jason Botts, recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma before the game, scored Catalanotto with a sacrifice fly. Marlon Byrd followed with an RBI single, finishing Lewis and making it 9-6.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, in his first game since being acquired from Atlanta on Tuesday for Mark Teixeira, started at first base for Texas and had a two-run single while going 1-for-5.
Joaquin Benoit (5-3) pitched 2 2-3 innings and C.J. Wilson ended the game by striking out Kenny Lofton with two runners on for his second save. The Texas bullpen held Cleveland to three hits over the final 5 2-3 innings.
Catalanotto’s two-run double off Rafael Betancourt tied it at 6 for Texas in the seventh after both teams got some impressive relief work in the middle innings.
Cleveland broke a 4-all tie in the fifth on an RBI single by Casey Blake and run-scoring double by Travis Hafner off Rangers starter John Rheinecker.
With runners on second and third, however, right-hander Willie Eyre struck out Franklin Gutierrez and Jason Michaels to end the threat.
Indians left-hander Rafael Perez was even better in the sixth. After the Rangers loaded the bases against starter Paul Byrd with one out, Perez struck out Botts and Marlon Byrd on six pitches.
Catalanotto opened the game with a double to start Texas on a three-run first inning. Young had an RBI single and Saltalamacchia followed with his first hit for his new team.
Michaels hit a solo homer and Blake a two-run shot in a four-run second inning that put Cleveland ahead 4-3.
An error by first baseman Ryan Garko, who misplayed a grounder hit by Vazquez, enabled Marlon Byrd to score from second in the third to tie it at 4.
Rheinecker allowed six runs and eight hits over 4 1-3 innings in his third appearance and second start since being recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma on July 23.
Notes:@ Botts, a 6-foot-5, 250-pounder, hit .320 with 13 homers and 78 RBIs to earn his recall. ... Indians 2B Josh Barfield got a pregame visit from his father Jesse, the former All-Star outfielder. ... Catalanotto is 2-for-5 with a double, homer and five RBIs in his career against Betancourt. ... Indians C Kelly Shoppach went 0-for-4 to extend his slump to 1-for-26 (.038). ... Vazquez is 5-for-9 in the first two games of the series. He went 9-for-34 (.265) all last season at Jacobs Field as a utility infielder for the Indians.
