BALTIMORE – Daniel Cabrera pitched seven innings of four-hit ball and Jay Gibbons capped a sixth-inning rally with a three-run homer, helping the Baltimore Orioles beat the Cleveland Indians 4-0 on Saturday.
Cabrera (6-7), who had been 0-3 in his last four starts, won for the first time since June 5 at Detroit. He walked two and struck out five, becoming the first Orioles starter to record a victory since Rodrigo Lopez on June 21.
Tim Byrdak pitched the eighth and B.J. Ryan worked the ninth, finishing the Orioles’ fifth shutout of the season.
Baltimore’s Rafael Palmeiro went 0-for-3 and remained eight hits shy of 3,000 for his career. Palmeiro is trying to join Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Eddie Murray as the only players in major league history with 3,000 hits and 500 home runs.
The Indians lost for just the seventh time in 25 games.
The Orioles, who had lost eight of nine, stole a season-high five bases. Miguel Tejada’s baserunning helped ignite a four-run rally against Kevin Millwood (3-6).
Tejada drew a one-out walk and stole second with Palmeiro batting. When Palmeiro walked on a 3-2 pitch, Tejada swiped third, then came home when second baseman Ronnie Belliard mishandled Eli Marrero’s grounder for a run-scoring error.
Gibbons followed by hitting his first pitch from Millwood over the center-field fence for a three-run shot – the Orioles’ only hit of the inning – and a 4-0 lead.
Millwood, who had won two of three June decisions, allowed four runs – three earned – and three hits over six innings. He walked five and struck out three.
Notes: Baltimore purchased the contract of Byrdak from Triple-A Ottawa on Saturday and designated RHP Rick Bauer for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster. … C Victor Martinez singled in the first, extending his hitting streak to 13 games, the longest by an Indians player this season. … Cleveland 3B Casey Blake, who was scratched from Friday’s lineup with a stiff neck, started Saturday but left in the second inning with the same injury. He was replaced by Aaron Boone.
AP-ES-07-02-05 1630EDT
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