Travis Hafner provided a big boost to the Cleveland Indians’ offense in his return.
Hafner doubled home a run and helped get his team’s sluggish offense in gear for a 5-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates last night in Cleveland.
“It proves that even a rehabbing Hafner can help our lineup,’’ manager Manny Acta said after the designated hitter was activated from the disabled list and delivered his key hit in a three-run eighth inning.
Cleveland went 10-18 while Hafner was sidelined with a strained right oblique muscle.
“I just tried to be a presence in the middle of the order,’’ Hafner said. “It was a fun night.’’
Acta argued that Hafner’s double should’ve been a three-run homer and the umpires turned to instant replay, which showed the ball hitting the yellow line atop the right-field wall. It must go over the line to be a homer.
Carlos Santana had three hits, including a home run for Cleveland, which opened a six-game interleague homestand. He broke a 2-for-26 slump by hitting his eighth homer, a solo shot off Kevin Correia (8-6) that made it 2-0 in the fourth. He also had a bases-loaded RBI single in the eighth.
Rays 5, Marlins 1 — Sean Rodriguez and Kelly Shoppach homered, Wade Davis pitched six solid innings, and Tampa Bay beat Florida in St. Petersburg.
Rodriguez finished with four RBIs. He put the Rays ahead with a two-run homer during the second inning off Brad Hand (0-3), and added a two-run double in the eighth.
Shoppach made it 3-0 on a third-inning solo shot.
Blue Jays 3, Reds 2 — Adam Lind homered for the fourth straight game, hitting a tiebreaking two-run shot in the seventh inning, and visiting Toronto held off Cincinnati.
Jo-Jo Reyes (3-5) gave up a pair of solo homers, including Drew Stubbs’s inside-the-park dash off a misplayed fly.
Twins 6, Padres 5 — Danny Valencia welcomed Joe Mauer back to Minnesota with a three-run home run in the first inning, helping to hold off visiting San Diego.
Mauer played for the first time since April 12, the leg problems finally behind him. Greeted with a standing ovation before his first at-bat, Mauer hit an RBI single, but he later grounded into a double play and left five men on base.
Rangers 6, Braves 2 — Righthander Colby Lewis recovered from two ugly losses, Nelson Cruz drove in three runs with two doubles, and Josh Hamilton hit a two-run homer to lead visiting Texas over Atlanta.
Royals 5, Cardinals 4 — First baseman Albert Pujols’s fielding error with two outs in the eighth allowed the tiebreaking run to score from second base and visiting Kansas City handed St. Louis its seventh straight loss.
