Cleveland rocks slumping Rays

Francisco's bat helps halt Indians' slide

Newly minted All-Star Evan Longoria couldn't get a handle on this first-inning grounder. Longoria's Rays have lost four straight. (Aaron Josefczyk/Reuters)

Ben Francisco drove in a career-high four runs last night in Cleveland to help the Indians snap a 10-game losing streak with a 13-2 victory over Tampa Bay that extended the Rays' skid to four.

Cleveland last dropped 10 in a row in 1979 and avoided its longest streak in 77 years by hitting four home runs to overcome a 2-0 deficit. The last time the Indians lost 11 straight was 1931, on the way to a team-record 12 consecutive losses.

Francisco and David Dellucci hit two-run homers in a five-run fifth against Andy Sonnanstine (10-4). Casey Blake hit a solo shot in a seven-run eighth off Gary Glover.

Aaron Laffey (5-5) earned Cleveland's first win since recently traded C.C. Sabathia shut out the Cincinnati Reds, 6-0, June 27. Laffey allowed two runs and four hits over six innings, winning for the first time in five starts since June 12.

Tampa Bay's lead in the AL East is down to 1 1/2 games over the idle Red Sox.

Pirates 4, Yankees 2 - Nate McLouth hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh, and Paul Maholm allowed two runs over eight innings as host Pittsburgh halted New York's five-game winning streak.

The last game of interleague play this season was the makeup of a June 26 rainout. Maholm (6-5) started that game, giving up extra-base hits to the first four batters as the Yankees took a 3-0 lead, only to have all statistics wiped out by a heavy rain.

Maholm had a five-hit shutout going with two outs and none on in the seventh before the Yankees tied it on Bobby Abreu's two-run single. He gave up seven hits and walked one in eight innings. Damaso Marte finished for his fourth save.

Jack Wilson walked ahead of McLouth's 18th homer off reliever Jose Veras (2-1).

Mets, 7 Giants 3 - Fernando Tatis homered, doubled twice, and drove in four runs and surging New York won its sixth straight game, beating San Francisco at Shea Stadium.

Best known as the only major leaguer to hit two grand slams in an inning, Tatis delivered the first three-extra-base-hit performance of his career, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

The Mets' winning streak is their longest since a seven-game string in August 2006. The Giants ended their scoreless streak at 21 innings, but lost their fourth in a row.

Phillies 4, Cardinals 1 - Ryan Howard homered twice and drove in three runs to help host Philadelphia beat St. Louis.

Howard lined a two-run shot to left-center off Braden Looper (9-7) in the first and connected again in the sixth. He leads the National League with 27 homers and 83 RBIs.

Brewers 11, Rockies 1 - Dave Bush had a career-high 13 strikeouts and Corey Hart celebrated making the All-Star team with his 15th homer as host Milwaukee cruised.

Bush (5-8) allowed one run over eight innings, improving to 4-2 with a 2.64 ERA at Miller Park. He retired 23 of 24 batters after allowing a first-inning run.

Diamondbacks 7, Nationals 5 - Stephen Drew hit a one-out RBI double and Chad Tracy added a run-scoring single with two outs for the decisive runs as Arizona, which blew a two-run lead in the ninth and a three-run lead in the 10th, hung on to beat host Washington in 11 innings.

Twins 7, Tigers 6 - Justin Morneau hit an 11th-inning home run, tying a career high with his fifth hit, and Minnesota overcame a four-run deficit to beat host Detroit.

Minnesota, which stopped a three-game losing streak, trailed, 6-4, in the ninth but tied the score against closer Todd Jones on two singles, an error, and Joe Mauer's sacrifice fly.

Reds 12, Cubs 7 - David Ross hit two of Cincinnati's seven homers, a long-ball barrage at Wrigley Field that included Ken Griffey Jr.'s 605th, and the Reds beat Chicago to avoid a three-game sweep.

Royals 4, White Sox 1 - Mark Teahen's inside-the-park home run capped a four-run rally in the eighth inning and powered Kansas City over visiting Chicago, avoiding a three-game sweep.

Blue Jays 6, Orioles 5 - Adam Lind drove in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning, and host Toronto rallied to beat Baltimore to complete a three-game sweep.

Athletics 3, Mariners 2 - Jack Cust and Kurt Suzuki hit solo homers in the ninth inning, and Emil Brown hit another solo shot in the 11th to help host Oakland rally past Seattle.

Angels 11, Rangers 10 - Maicer Izturis drove in the go-ahead run with a pinch single in the 11th, and Los Angeles survived a shaky three outs from closer Francisco Rodriguez in a victory over host Texas.

Marlins 5, Dodgers 4 - Hanley Ramirez homered with two out in the 11th, capping the first five-hit game of his career and helping visiting Florida beat Los Angeles.