CLEVELAND – The Indians are back on their American League schedule but they must have learned something during their recent interleague road trip.

Taking a page from its National League opponents Monday night at Progressive Field, Cleveland orchestrated a squeeze play to manufacture the winning run in a 2-1 victory over the Blue Jays.

With one out, runners on second and third and the game tied at 1 in the sixth inning, newly acquired infielder Jayson Nix dropped down a bunt in front of the pitcher’s mound and to the right of Jays starter Ricky Romero.

A diving Romero tried to field the ball and flip it to home plate in one motion with his glove, but the throw was errant and wouldn’t have been in time to get Travis Hafner, who slid in with the go-ahead run.

Though it was a surprising sight from an AL club, it wound up being the perfect approach on this night.

“It’s not a secret that we don’t have an offense like the team we’re playing against,” Indians manager Manny Acta said of Toronto, which entered the series ranked first in the league in home runs and second in slugging percentage. “We’ve struggled to score runs, so we went for it.”

It was the second successful squeeze of the season for the Indians, who hadn’t been able to accomplish the feat since 2003, and it led to their first win of the year when scoring two runs or fewer.

Cleveland used two unpredictable participants to pull it off in Nix and Hafner. Nix was playing in just his fourth game for the Indians after being claimed off waivers from the White Sox and said he had never executed a successful squeeze bunt on the major league level.

“The main thing is just getting it down,” said Nix, who did just that on an 0-1 fastball. “Anytime you get a sign like that, especially in a tight game with a new team and you wind up getting the job done, it’s a good feeling.”

With just two stolen bases since 2004, Hafner wasn’t exactly the ideal squeeze candidate, but according to Acta, maybe that’s why it worked.

“The best time to put a play on is when everyone thinks it’s a bad time,” he said.

“It’s all about speed,” joked Hafner. “You don’t want to go too early and tip your hand. When he starts going home, you take off. Nix put down a perfect bunt.”

The squeeze play made a winner of Jake Westbrook, who worked one of his finest outings of the season, allowing just a run on six hits over six innings.

Westbrook surrendered a run in the first but just three hits and a walk the rest of the way to earn his fifth win.

“I was able to settle down after the first inning and did a good job of keeping them off balance,” said Westbrook, who struck out four of the six hitters he faced over the second and third innings.

Westbrook and the Indians got a big lift from the bullpen, with a quartet of relievers – Joe Smith, Rafael Perez, Chris Perez and Kerry Wood – combining to shut out Toronto on three hits over the final three innings.

Wood, who has been shaky for much of the season, allowed a hit in the ninth inning but held the lead for his second consecutive save conversion and seventh of the year.

“The bullpen was unbelievable tonight,” Westbrook said. “They came in and shut it down.”

Staying with the surprise theme, Cleveland got rare production from the bottom of its lineup as the No. 7 (Nix) and No. 8 (Matt LaPorta) hitters collected four of their team’s nine hits.

In his second game back after a promotion from Triple-A Columbus, LaPorta had two hits and a walk. He just missed a homer on a drive into the wind to left field that went for a double in the eighth inning.

“We have high hopes for the kid,” Acta said of LaPorta. “We expect a lot of this kid. He’s going to get an opportunity here. He’s done it his whole life. There’s no reason he can’t do it here for us.”

There were a number of subplots but the story of the night was the successful squeeze.

“We didn’t play all that great tonight offensively, but we found a way to win,” Westbrook said. “We got the new guy (Nix) and our DH (Hafner) in there (on the squeeze). To win like that, that was great.”

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

TONIGHT

• WHO: Cleveland vs. Toronto
• TIME: 7:05
• WHERE: Progressive Field
• PITCHERS: Carmona (6-6, 3.64 ERA) vs. Morrow (5-5, 4.50)
• TV/RADIO: SportsTime Ohio; WEOL 930-AM, WTAM 1100-AM

CLEVELAND – The Indians are optimistic concerning the progress of injured shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera (fractured left forearm), but that hasn’t hastened the projected return date for the team’s leadoff hitter.

Because the Indians feel Cabrera will require a lengthy minor league rehab assignment before rejoining the big league club, he still isn’t expected back until late July or early August.

Acta said Cabrera has begun playing catch and is expected to begin taking groundballs by the end of the week.

“It’s going well,” Acta said. “I can’t put an exact date on (a rehab assignment) but we’re probably shooting for after the All-Star break. A nice, short rehab’s not going to do it. He’s missed too much time.”

Cabrera has been sidelined since May 18, with Acta saying he would need more than 15 rehab at-bats before being considered for activation from the disabled list.

“He needs enough (at-bats) to feel like he can play nine innings consistently for three or four days in a row and he’s not overmatched,” Acta said. “It’s just about him being able to swing the bat.”

Prior to the injury, Cabrera was batting .287 with a home run and seven RBIs in 33 games.

Long layoff

Though Acta is happy to return to American League play following a 2-7 interleague road trip, he is more pleased with the opportunity to play designated hitter Travis Hafner.

“That’s the main thing, getting Travis back in the lineup,” Acta said. “It was just completely unfair for him to go over there and have five at-bats in nine games. He can get five at-bats in one game here.”

Hafner was used strictly as a pinch hitter against three National League opponents, going 0-for-5 and getting hit by a pitch. He didn’t hit a ball out of the infield.

“We knew what the situation was going in on the interleague road trip,” said Hafner, who had begun to pick up pace at the plate prior to the trip. “I just didn’t swing the bat well.”

Coming soon?

Outfielder Michael Brantley and starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco are likely to be the next players promoted from Triple-A Columbus, as the Indians continue to instill more youth to their 25-man roster.

Brantley, Cleveland’s opening-day starter in left field, entered Monday batting .352 (31-for-88) with two homers, 13 RBIs and 14 runs in 21 games for the Clippers this month.

“He’s making a lot of progress,” Acta said. “He’s playing well. He’s close.”

Carrasco, who was acquired from the Phillies last year in the trade for Cliff Lee, is 6-3 with a 4.26 ERA in 14 starts for Columbus.

“We’re monitoring Carrasco,” Acta said. “He barely missed making the ballclub out of spring training, so he could be one of those guys (promoted).”

Minor details

Double-A Akron third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall and Class A Lake County catcher Chun-Hsiu Chen have been selected to play in the XM All-Star Futures Game. Chisenhall, Cleveland’s first-round draft pick (29th overall) in 2008, was hitting .280 with six homers and 27 RBIs in 54 games through Sunday, while Chen, who was signed as a minor league free agent, was at .315 with six homers and 37 RBIs in 54 games.

• Second baseman Jason Kipnis entered Monday with hits in 12 of his first 14 games since being promoted to Akron. Kipnis, a second-round draft pick last year, was batting .306 through Sunday with nine homers, 38 RBIs and 46 runs in 68 games with Akron and advanced Class A Kinston.

Roundin’ third

Infielder Jason Donald missed his third straight game with a jammed left wrist, but is expected to return to the lineup today. He took infield but not batting practice prior to Monday’s series opener with Toronto.

• Right-hander Shane Lindsay cleared waivers and was outrighted to Akron. Lindsay was claimed off waivers from the Yankees before being designated for assignment when infielder Jayson Nix was added to the 40-man roster.

• The Indians signed two more draft picks, agreeing to terms with outfielder Aaron Siliga, a 17th-round selection out of Oceanside High School (Calif.), and left-hander Kyle Petter, a 34th-round pick out of El Camino College (Calif.). Cleveland has signed 13 of its 50 draft choices, but none in the top 10.

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

CLEVELAND – The Indians are back on their American League schedule but they must have learned something during their recent interleague road trip.

Taking a page from its National League opponents Monday night at Progressive Field, Cleveland orchestrated a squeeze play to manufacture the winning run in a 2-1 victory over the Blue Jays.

With one out, runners on second and third and the game tied at one in the sixth inning, newly acquired infielder Jayson Nix dropped down a bunt in front of the pitcher’s mound and to the right of Jays starter Ricky Romero.

A diving Romero tried to field the ball and flip it to home plate in one motion with his glove, but the throw was errant and wouldn’t have been in time to get Travis Hafner, who slid in with the go-ahead run.

Though it was a surprising sight from an AL club, it wound up being the perfect approach on this night.

“It’s not a secret that we don’t have an offense like the team we’re playing against,” said Cleveland manager Manny Acta of his club’s foe, Toronto, which entered the series ranked first in the league in home runs and second in slugging percentage. “We’ve struggled to score runs, so we went for it.”

It was the second successful squeeze of the season for the Indians, who hadn’t been able to accomplish the feat since 2003, and it led to their first win of the year when scoring two runs or less.

Cleveland used two unpredictable participants to pull it off in Nix and Hafner. Nix was playing in just his fourth game for the Indians after being claimed off waivers from the White Sox and said he had never executed a successful squeeze bunt on the major league level.

“The main thing is just getting it down,” said Nix, who accomplished as much on an 0-1 fastball from Romero. “Anytime you get a sign like that, especially in a tight game with a new team and you wind up getting the job done, it’s a good feeling.”

With just two stolen bases since 2004, Hafner wasn’t exactly the ideal squeeze candidate, but according to Acta, maybe that’s why it worked.

“The best time to put a play on is when everyone thinks it’s a bad time,” he said.

“It’s all about speed,” joked Hafner. “You don’t want to go too early and tip your hand. When he starts going home, you take off. Nix put down a perfect bunt.”

The squeeze play made a winner of Jake Westbrook, who worked one of his finest outings of the season, allowing just a run on six hits over six innings.

Westbrook surrendered a run in the first but just three hits and a walk the rest of the way to earn his fifth win.

“I was able to settle down after the first inning and did a good job of keeping them off balance,” said Westbrook, who struck out four of the six hitters he faced over the second and third innings.

Westbrook and the Indians got a big lift from the bullpen, with a quartet of relievers – Joe Smith, Rafael Perez, Chris Perez and Kerry Wood — combining to shut out Toronto on three hits over the final three innings.

Wood, who has been shaky for much of the season, allowed a hit in the ninth inning but held the lead for his second consecutive save conversion and seventh of the year.

“The bullpen was unbelievable tonight,” Westbrook said. “They came in and shut it down.”

Staying with the surprise theme, Cleveland got rare production from the bottom of its lineup, the No. 7 (Nix) and No. 8 (Matt LaPorta) hitters collecting four of their team’s nine hits.

In his second game back after a promotion from Triple-A Columbus, LaPorta reached base in four trips to the plate — two hits and a walk. He just missed a homer on a drive into the wind in left field that went for a double in the eighth inning.

“We have high hopes for the kid,” Acta said of LaPorta. “We expect a lot of this kid. He’s going to get an opportunity here. He’s done it his whole life. There’s no reason he can’t do it here for us.”

There were a number of sub plots but the story of the night was the successful squeeze.

“We didn’t play all that great tonight offensively, but we found a way to win,” Westbrook said. “We got the new guy (Nix) and our DH (Hafner) in there (on the squeeze). To win like that, that was great.”

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

CLEVELAND – The Indians are optimistic concerning the progress of injured shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera (fractured left forearm), but that hasn’t hastened the projected return date for the team’s leadoff hitter.

Because the Indians feel Cabrera will require a lengthy minor league rehab assignment before re-joining the big league club, he still isn’t expected back until late July or early August.

Acta said Cabrera has begun playing catch and is expected to begin taking ground balls by the end of the week.

“It’s going well,” Acta said. “I can’t put an exact date on (a rehab assignment) but we’re probably shooting for after the All-Star break. A nice, short rehab’s not going to do it. He’s missed too much time.”

Cabrera has been sidelined since May 18, with Acta saying he would need more than 15 rehab at-bats before being considered for activation from the disabled list.

“He needs enough (at-bats) to feel like he can play nine innings consistently for three or four days in a row and he’s not overmatched,” Acta said. “It’s just about him being able to swing the bat.”

Prior to the injury, Cabrera was batting .287 with a home run and seven RBIs in 33 games.

Long layoff

Though Acta is happy to return to American League play following a 2-7 interleague road trip, he is more pleased with the opportunity to play designated hitter Travis Hafner.

“That’s the main thing, getting Travis back in the lineup,” Acta said. “It was just completely unfair for him to go over there and have five at-bats in nine games. He can get five at-bats in one game here.”

Hafner was used strictly as a pinch hitter against three National League opponents, going 0-for-5 and getting hit by a pitch. He didn’t hit a ball out of the infield.

“We knew what the situation was going in on the interleague road trip,” said Hafner, who had begun to pick up pace at the plate prior to the trip. “I just didn’t swing the bat well.”

Donald down

Infielder Jason Donald missed his third straight game with a jammed left wrist but is expected to return to the lineup today. He took infield but not batting practice prior to Monday’s series opener with Toronto.

Coming soon?

Outfielder Michael Brantley and starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco are likely to be the next players promoted from Triple-A Columbus, as the Indians continue to instill more youth to their 25-man roster.

Brantley, Cleveland’s opening-day starter in left field, entered Monday batting .352 (31-for-88) with two homers, 13 RBIs and 14 runs in 21 games for the Clippers this month.

“He’s making a lot of progress,” Acta said. “He’s playing well. He’s close.”

Carrasco, who was acquired from the Phillies last year in the trade for Cliff Lee, is 6-3 with a 4.26 ERA in 14 starts for Columbus.

“We’re monitoring Carrasco,” Acta said. “He barely missed making the ballclub out of spring training, so he could be one of those guys (promoted).”

Minor details

Double-A Akron third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall and Class A Lake County catcher Chun-Hsiu Chen have been selected to play in the XM All-Star Futures Game. Chisenhall, Cleveland’s first-round draft pick (29^th overall) in 2008, was hitting .280 with six homers and 27 RBIs in 54 games through Sunday, while Chen, who was signed as a minor league free agent, was at .315 with six homers and 37 RBIs in 54 games. … Second baseman Jason Kipnis entered Monday with hits in 12 of his first 14 games since being promoted to Akron. Kipnis, a second-round draft pick last year, was batting .306 through Sunday with nine homers, 38 RBIs and 46 runs in 68 games with Akron and advanced Class A Kinston.  

Roundin’ third

Right-hander Shane Lindsay cleared waivers and was outrighted to Akron. Lindsay was claimed off waivers from the Yankees before being designated for assignment when infielder Jayson Nix was added to the 40-man roster. … The Indians signed two more draft picks, agreeing to terms with outfielder Aaron Siliga, a 17^th-round selection out of Oceanside High School (Calif.), and left-hander Kyle Petter, a 34^th-round pick out of El Camino College (Calif.). Cleveland has signed 13 of its 50 draft choices, but none in the top 10. … Tonight, 7:05, STO/WTAM 1100-AM/WEOL 930-AM. Carmona (6-6, 3.64) vs. Morrow (5-5, 4.50).

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