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Indians Able To Close Out Angels

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The Associated Press

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 18, 2008

Updated: 08/18/2008 12:11 am

CLEVELAND - Jensen Lewis pitched like Francisco Rodriguez to make sure Los Angeles' closer never got a chance.

Lewis worked out of a ninth-inning jam for his third save to help the Cleveland Indians beat the Angels 4-3 in the deciding game of a three-game series Sunday.

It was the Angels' first series loss to an AL opponent since a three-game sweep in Tampa Bay from May 9-11. They hadn't lost any series since dropping two of three interleague games to the Los Angeles Dodgers from June 27-29.

"You set the standard so high and you lose one series and ask 'what's wrong,'"Angels outfielder Torii Hunter said. "That's what we're saying. We've been riding the wave so long. We have to get another wave."

One key to the Angels having baseball's best record (76-46) has been Rodriguez. The right-hander has 47 saves and is on track to shatter the record of 57 by Bobby Thigpen of the Chicago White Sox in 1990.
Jeremy Sowers gave up eight hits but only two earned runs over 62/3 innings for his first win in five starts. He again struggled in the first inning, allowing two runs.

"We got timely hitting and good relief work," Sowers said after earning his first home win in 13 starts at Progressive Field since beating Detroit on Aug. 25, 2006.

The left-hander has his former Vanderbilt teammate to thank for it.

"This was just like college," Lewis said. "Jeremy would start and I would finish. I told him during the anthem, 'I'm going to come in and save it for you.'

"But if he doesn't pitch like he did, we don't have the chance to win. He did a great job."

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