CLEVELAND — It isn’t often that one of the worst offensive clubs in the majors is also one of the best in clutch situations. But that has been the Indians’ modus operandi this season.

Scoring runs as a whole has been a struggle for Cleveland all year. Scoring them with two outs? Not so much.

Such was the case again Tuesday night at Progressive Field, with the Indians scoring four two-out runs to propel them to a 5-4 victory over the Blue Jays. Cleveland has won three straight.

Of the Indians’ 316 runs, nearly half of them (139) have come with two outs.

“Two-out hits are big,” said designated hitter Travis Hafner, who scored once and drove in a run in the situation Tuesday. “The defense is one out away from getting out of the inning. It’s still the same amount of runs but it seems like it takes some of the air out of the other team.”

The only Indians run that didn’t come with two outs was a one-out solo home run from Matt LaPorta, but it still loomed large.

Toronto had cut into a 4-0 deficit with two runs in the sixth when LaPorta sent a fastball an estimated 422 feet to left-center that gave Cleveland a run back in the bottom of the inning.

More photos below.

“The most important thing was LaPorta’s home run,” said manager Manny Acta. “That got us right back. He hit a ball where not too many right-handed hitters hit it out of the park. That was a shot.”

LaPorta, brought back from Triple-A Columbus after the Indians traded slugger Russell Branyan, is expected to play first base on a regular basis over the remainder of the season.

“The pressure is off but you still have to go out there and produce,” LaPorta said. “I think I’m up to it.”

For the most part, Indians starter Fausto Carmona was up to the challenge as well, allowing three earned runs on six hits over 6 1/3 innings.

The right-hander didn’t allow a run and only two hits through the first five innings before surrendering four runs over the next two — one unearned run in the seventh when right fielder Shin-Soo Choo dropped a flyball with two outs after Carmona had departed.

“I thought Fausto threw the ball well,” Acta said. “He gave us a chance.”

Carmona’s sinker was on target for much of his outing, with just one of the outs leaving the infield over the first five innings. He fielded four groundballs back to the mound, including an inning-ending double play in the fourth.

“When you keep the ball down, you see what happens. They hit groundballs,” Carmona said. “I have to be ready for anything that comes to me.”

The Indians got another positive effort from the bullpen, which preserved a one-run lead over the final two innings against one of the American League leaders in home runs and slugging percentage.

Rafael Perez, who has turned things around after a miserable start to the season, retired the side in order in the eighth inning before turning it over to closer Kerry Wood.

Wood, who has also struggled for much of the year, converted his third save in as many days, striking out two. It appears the veteran right-hander has found a groove.

“Everybody wants to downplay spring training but it’s very important and he missed all of it,” Acta said of Wood, who sustained a strained lat muscle shortly into the exhibition season and began the year on the disabled list. “Hopefully he continues to do this for us. The most deflating thing is to lose a game that you’re leading after eight innings.”

The Indians arrived home a deflated bunch after losing seven of nine games on an interleague road trip. They have begun a seven-game homestand with two wins.
“It’s important to play well and get out of that rut,” Hafner said. “I think we’ve done that.”

Tonight

• Who: Cleveland vs. Toronto
• Time: 7:05
• Where: Progressive Field
• Pitchers: Laffey (0-2, 6.37 ERA) vs. Litsch (0-2, 8.78)
• TV/radio: SportsTime Ohio; WEOL 930-AM, WTAM 1100-AM

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.

CLEVELAND — Though the squeeze play worked wonders for his team in a 2-1 victory over the Blue Jays on Monday, Indians manager Manny Acta would prefer not to employ the strategy on a regular basis.

“I would rather have nine guys hit .340 with a .540 on-base percentage,” Acta said. “On-base percentage and slugging percentage, that kills quicker. If you’re loaded with that, you can put (the squeeze) play on the back burner.”

Oddly enough, Acta did just that during his tenure in Washington, claiming that he never called a squeeze play in his two-plus seasons as manager of the Nationals despite playing in the bunt-laden National League. He’s called three already in his first year in Cleveland, two of them successful endeavors, the other a foul ball that nixed the play.

“Baseball revolves so much these days around power, especially in the American League,” Acta said. “Plus, it’s a risky play. It’s very exciting but it’s risky. When it doesn’t work, there’s about 15 different ways you can second-guess it.”

No one was second-guessing Acta on Monday, when the manager called for Jayson Nix to lay down a bunt with Travis Hafner on third and one out in the sixth inning. Nix got the bunt down and Hafner scored easily with the game-winning run.

Not only did the play lead to Cleveland’s second straight win, it also provided the Indians with their first win of the season when scoring two runs or fewer — the last big league club to accomplish as much this year.

Prior to Monday, the Indians were 0-20 when they scored two runs or fewer this season and had not won a game of that caliber since Aug. 6 of last year, going 0-38 since then.

Two for one

Renowned hand specialist and orthopedic surgeon Dr. Thomas Graham will be in Cleveland today for a routine check-up of Asdrubal Cabrera’s fractured left forearm. Cabrera took groundballs and made throws to first prior to Tuesday’s game. According to Acta, Graham will determine when Cabrera can begin swinging a bat.

Graham will also examine infielder Jason Donald, who missed his fourth straight game with a jammed left wrist. Donald took pregame fielding and batting practice.

“We’re just being cautious with him,” Acta said. “We just want to make sure the kid’s OK.”

Rest and relaxation

Slumping outfielder Austin Kearns — .170 (9-for-53) last 14 games — got the night off.

“We’ve rode Kearns pretty hard so far,” Acta said of the outfielder, who has started 60 of Cleveland’s 76 games. “Last year, he didn’t have many at-bats with all those injuries.”

A thumb injury limited Kearns to just 80 games (174 at-bats) last year for the Nationals.

Financial assistance

The Indians and Browns have teamed up to offer a discount ticket package.

Fans can purchase two tickets to Indians games on July 27 (Yankees) and Aug. 14 (Mariners), and two tickets to Browns games on Sept. 19 (home opener vs. Chiefs) and Nov. 28 (Panthers), for a total of $90.

Beginning Friday, the Indians will offer a “Choo Crew Combo” for the remainder of their home games, which includes a Shin-Soo Choo T-shirt and lower reserved ticket for $30. On student ID nights, the price drops to $15.

Minor details

• Triple-A Columbus right-hander Josh Tomlin continued his hot streak since joining the Clippers’ rotation from the bullpen, allowing two runs on six hits over eight innings of a 4-3 loss to Gwinnett on Monday. Tomlin, a 19th-round draft pick in 2006, is 6-1 with a 2.39 ERA in his last 12 starts.
• Double-A Akron outfielder Jerad Head was named Eastern League Player of the Week after hitting .563 (9-for-16) with a home run and four RBIs over a five-game span. Head, Tomlin and Akron’s Beau Mills were recently charged with felonious assault, stemming from a bar fight in Akron earlier this month.

Roundin’ third

• The Indians have been losing lots but have taken it well, entering Tuesday as the only team in the majors without an ejection.
• Cleveland entered Tuesday turning a major league-high 93 double plays.
• Mitch Talbot’s 2.39 ERA on the road ranked third among AL pitchers through Monday. The right-hander’s ERA at home is 5.64.

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.

CLEVELAND – Though the squeeze play worked wonders for his team in a 2-1 victory over the Blue Jays on Monday, Indians manager Manny Acta would prefer not to employ the strategy on a regular basis.

“I would rather have nine guys hit .340 with a .540 on-base percentage,” Acta said. “On-base percentage and slugging percentage, that kills quicker. If you’re loaded with that, you can put (the squeeze) play on the back burner.”

Oddly enough, Acta did just that during his tenure in Washington, claiming that he never called a squeeze play in his two-plus seasons as manager of the Nationals despite playing in the bunt-laden National League. He’s called three already in his first year in Cleveland, two of them successful endeavors, the other a foul ball that nixed the play.

“Baseball revolves so much these days around power, especially in the American League,” Acta said. “Plus, it’s a risky play. It’s very exciting but it’s risky. When it doesn’t work, there’s about 15 different ways you can second-guess it.”

No one was second-guessing Acta on Monday, when the manager called for Jayson Nix to lay down a bunt with Travis Hafner on third and one out in the sixth inning. Nix got the bunt down and Hafner scored easily with the game-winning run.

Not only did the play lead to Cleveland’s second straight win, it also provided the Indians with their first win of the season when scoring two runs or fewer – the last big league club to accomplish as much this year.

Prior to Monday, the Indians were 0-20 when they scored two runs or fewer this season and had not won a game of that caliber since Aug. 6 of last year, going 0-38 since then.

Two for one

Renowned hand specialist and orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Thomas Graham, will be in Cleveland today for a routine check-up of Asdrubal Cabrera’s fractured left forearm. Cabrera took ground balls and made throws to first prior to Tuesday’s game. According to Acta, Graham will determine when Cabrera can begin swinging a bat.

Graham will also examine infielder Jason Donald, who missed his fourth straight game with a jammed left wrist. Donald took pregame fielding and batting practice.

“We’re just being cautious with him,” Acta said. “We just want to make sure the kid’s OK.”

Rest and relaxation

Slumping outfielder Austin Kearns — .170 (9-for-53) last 14 games — got the night off. 

“We’ve rode Kearns pretty hard so far,” Acta said of the outfielder, who has started 60 of Cleveland’s 76 games this season. “Last year, he didn’t have many at-bats with all those injuries.”

A thumb injury limited Kearns to just 80 games (174 at-bats) last year for the Nationals.  

Financial assistance

The Indians and Browns have teamed up to offer a discount ticket package.

Fans can purchase two tickets to Indians games on July 27 (Yankees) and Aug. 14 (Mariners), and two tickets to Browns games on Sept. 19 (home opener vs. Chiefs) and Nov. 28 (Panthers), for a total of $90.

Beginning Friday, the Indians will offer a “Choo Crew Combo” for the remainder of their home games, which includes a Shin-Soo Choo t-shirt and lower reserved ticket for $30. On student ID nights, the price drops to $15.    

Minor detail

Triple-A Columbus right-hander Josh Tomlin continued his hot streak since joining the Clippers’ rotation from the bullpen, allowing two runs on six hits over eight innings of a 4-3 loss to Gwinnett on Monday. Tomlin, a 19^th-round draft pick in 2006, is 6-1 with a 2.39 ERA in his last 12 starts. … Double-A Akron outfielder Jerad Head was named Eastern League Player of the Week after hitting .563 (9-for-16) with a home run and four RBIs over a five-game span. Both Head and Tomlin and Akron’s Beau Mills were recently charged with felonious assault, stemming from a bar fight in Akron earlier this month.       

Roundin’ third

The Indians have been losing lots but have taken it well, entering Tuesday as the only team in the majors without an ejection. … Cleveland entered Tuesday turning a major league-high 93 double plays. … Mitch Talbot’s 2.39 ERA on the road ranked third among AL pitchers through Monday. The right-hander’s ERA at home is 5.64. … Tonight, 7:05, STO/WTAM 1100-AM/WEOL 930-AM. Aaron Laffey (0-2, 6.37) vs. Jesse Litsch (0-2, 8.78).

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.

CLEVELAND – It isn’t often that one of the worst offensive clubs in the majors is also one of the best in clutch situations. But that has been the Indians’ modus operandi this season.

Scoring runs as a whole has been a struggle for Cleveland all year long. Scoring them with two outs? Not so much.

Such was the case again Tuesday night at Progressive Field, with the Indians scoring four two-out runs to propel them to a 5-4 victory over the Blue Jays – Cleveland’s third straight victory.

Of the Indians’ 316 runs this season, nearly half of them (139) have come with two outs.

“Two-out hits are big,” said Cleveland designated hitter Travis Hafner, who scored once and drove in a run in the situation Tuesday. “The defense is one out away from getting out of the inning. It’s still the same amount of runs but it seems like it takes some of the air out of the other team.”

The only Indians run that didn’t come with two outs was a one-out solo home run from Matt LaPorta, but it still loomed large in the outcome.

Toronto had cut into a 4-0 deficit with two runs in the sixth when LaPorta clouted a one-out solo shot an estimated 422 feet to left-center that gave Cleveland a run back in the bottom of the inning.

“The most important thing was LaPorta’s home run,” said Indians manager Manny Acta. “That got us right back. He hit a ball where not too many right-handed hitters hit it out of the park. That was a shot.”

LaPorta, brought back from Triple-A Columbus after the Indians traded slugger Russell Branyan, is expected to play first base on a regular basis over the remainder of the season.

“The pressure is off but you still have to go out there and produce,” LaPorta said. “I think I’m up to it.”

For the most part, Indians starter Fausto Carmona was up to it as well, allowing three earned runs on six hits over 6 1/3 innings.

The right-hander didn’t allow a run and only two hits through the first five innings before surrendering four runs over the next two – one unearned run in the seventh when right fielder Shin-Soo Choo dropped a fly ball with two outs after Carmona had departed. 

“I thought Fausto threw the ball well,” Acta said. “He gave us a chance.”

Carmona’s sinker was on target for much of his outing, especially through the first five innings, with just one of his outs leaving the infield over the span. He fielded four ground balls back to the mound, starting an inning-ending double play in the fourth.

“When you keep the ball down, you see what happens. They hit ground balls,” Carmona said. “I have to be ready for anything that comes to me.”

The Indians got another positive effort from the bullpen, which preserved a one-run lead over the final two innings against one of the American League leaders in home runs and slugging percentage.

Rafael Perez, who has turned things around after a miserable start to the season, retired the side in order in the eighth inning before turning it over to closer Kerry Wood.

Wood, who has also struggled for much of the year, converted his third save in as many days, striking out two of the three hitters he faced in the ninth inning. It appears the veteran right-hander has found a groove.

“Everybody wants to downplay spring training but it’s very important and he missed all of it,” Acta said of Wood, who sustained a strained lat muscle shortly into the exhibition season and began the year on the disabled list. “Hopefully he continues to do this for us. The most deflating thing is to lose a game that you’re leading after eight innings.”

The Indians arrived home a deflated bunch after losing seven of nine games on an interleague road trip. They have begun a seven-game homestand with two wins.

“It’s important to play well and get out of that rut,” Hafner said. “I think we’ve done that.”

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.