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  Friday, Aug. 4 7:05pm ET
Indians outlast Angels
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME LOG

CLEVELAND (AP) -- Jim Thome returned Cleveland's late-inning magic to Jacobs Field with one big swing.

Thome hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Indians to an 11-10 victory over the Anaheim Angels on Friday night. "I was sitting on that pitch," Thome said. "It was a high breaking ball around my eyes. I just wanted to hit it hard."

Jim Thome
Jim Thome watches his game-winning, two-run home run off Angels pitcher Troy Percival in the ninth inning Friday.

Thome hit a 2-2 pitch from Troy Percival (4-5) into the bleachers in right center for his 29th homer. "I was trying to bounce it in the dirt," Percival said. The reliever said he will go on the disabled list Saturday with an inflamed elbow. The Angels did not announce a roster move after the game.

"I don't have a feel for any or my pitches," said Percival, who had offseason surgery on his right shoulder. "I can throw hard, that's about it. I'm guarding my shoulder and throwing with my elbow."

Manny Ramirez drew a one-out walk in the ninth and was replaced by pinch-runner Bill Selby. Thome then delivered against Percival, who fell to 0-7 with an 8.72 ERA in his career against Cleveland.

"It is just one of those things," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "Troy saved a big game for us the last time we were here."

Bob Wickman (1-1) was the winner despite yielding a go-ahead single to Adam Kennedy in the top of the ninth.

"We scored nine on them and I thought that was going to be enough," Indians manager Charlie Manuel said. "We needed more."

Cleveland's third straight victory extended Anaheim's losing streak to three. Thome and Travis Fryman drove in three runs apiece and Sandy Alomar and Jolbert Cabrera each hit two-run homers for Cleveland. Darin Erstad and Kevin Stocker had two RBIs for Anaheim.

Cleveland scored four runs on five hits, one error, a wild pitch and a passed ball to take a 4-1 lead in the first inning. Kenny Lofton began the rally with a bunt single and later scored on a single by Ramirez. Thome followed with a run-scoring single and Fryman singled in two more with two outs.

The Angels scored four in the second to regain the lead. After two walks, Erstad hit a two-run triple made it 4-3. Erstad scored on a double by Stocker and Mo Vaughn followed with an RBI single.

Fryman tied the score with a sacrifice fly in the third. Alomar followed with a two-run homer, his sixth, for a 7-5 lead. Cabrera hit his first major league homer, a two-run shot, later in the inning to make it 9-5.

Anaheim scored single runs in the fourth and fifth and tied it with a two-run seventh on an RBI single by Troy Glaus and a sacrifice fly by Molina.

Anaheim starter Seth Etherton allowed eight runs and 10 hits in 2 2-3 innings. Indians starter Steve Woodard yielded five runs and five hits in three innings.

Game notes
Lofton's bunt single snapped an 0-for-12 slide. The Indians' center fielder got a standing ovation in the third when he took an extra-base bit from Glaus with a leaping catch against the wall. ... Erstad leads the majors with 57 multi-hit games. ... Tim Salmon's first-inning double was his seventh consecutive hit, one short of the Angels record last done by Chili Davis in 1995. ... Indians shortstop Omar Vizquel left with flu-like symptoms for the second straight game.
 


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