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MLB: Cleveland 9, Tampa Bay 3

Sat, 07/10/2010 - 09:24 by Pankaj Damin

St. Petersburg, Fla. -- Jhonny Peralta broke the game open with a three-run homer in the eighth Friday and Cleveland halted a three-game losing streak by downing Tampa Bay 9-3.

Jayson Nix hit one of Cleveland's three home runs, giving him six in his last seven games. Nix had hit 13 homers in 147 career games before going on his current rampage.

The Indians were clinging to a 3-2 lead when Peralta's home run highlighted a four-run eighth. Matt LaPorta had three of Cleveland's 13 hits and drove in a run. LaPorta has batted .382 with four homers in 10 games since being recalled from the minors June 27.

Fausto Carmona (8-7) allowed two runs on five hits in 6 2/3 innings to get the victory. It was his last start prior to joining his American League teammates for next week's All-Star Game.

Tampa Bay had won its six previous games.

James Shields (7-9) took the loss, giving up four runs on six hits in 6 1/3 innings. He has gone 2-8 in his last 10 games.

Copyright 2010 United Press International, Inc. (UPI).

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