CLEVELAND – It was good while it lasted for Justin Masterson. It just didn’t last that long.

After ending a lengthy losing skid with consecutive victories, Masterson was back on the wrong end of things again Tuesday night at Progressive Field, with the Indians dropping a 7-6 decision to the Mets in the opener of a three-game interleague series.

Masterson (2-6, 5.02 ERA) took the loss but the credit for it doesn’t go entirely to the right-hander, who was derailed by shoddy fielding from the Indians all night, especially in a disastrous fifth inning that tipped the scales in the Mets’ favor.

“I thought Justin threw the ball extremely well again tonight,” said Cleveland manager Manny Acta of Masterson, who allowed seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits over seven innings. “We just ended up beating ourselves in that inning by not making the plays. You’ve got to play defense. That inning cost us the ballgame.”

The Mets produced seven infield hits (two bunt singles) on the night, four alone in a five-run fifth inning that brought New York from a 4-1 deficit to a 6-4 advantage.

First baseman Russell Branyan misplayed a bunt single from Alex Cora that was followed by a throwing error from Masterson on another bunt single from Jose Reyes that scored two runs.

An RBI-infield single from David Wright that shortstop Jason Donald made the play on but threw late to first preceded a two-run homer from Ike Davis that capped the disastrous inning.

“It was definitely an interesting game, but I felt like I threw the ball pretty well,” said Masterson, who kept the ball on the ground for much of the night without the expected results. “We just had the one hiccup in the fifth inning. Other than that, I thought it went well.

“It’s kind of disappointing because you look at it and see what it is, but you wonder how it got there. I don’t know what it was but it didn’t do it for us.”

Donald was the culprit on the majority of Cleveland’s defensive shortcomings. He committed two of his team’s three errors and despite making a number of plays to his left and right, Donald was late with throws to first on too many occasions.

“They were beating the ball on the ground but it was to the right and to the left of the kid,” Acta said. “He had a bit of a rough night out there.”

“I take a lot of pride in my defense and I gave them extra outs,” Donald said. “With that lineup, you can’t do that. I put this one on me.”

The unorthodox offensive support was enough for Mets starter Johan Santana to snap his personal five-game losing streak against the Indians that was built during the left-hander’s final year in Minnesota in 2007. Cleveland beat Santana five times in six starts that season.

It appeared the former AL Cy Young award winner (2004, ’06) would extend his futility against the Indians when Cleveland scored four times over the first four innings.

A homer from Travis Hafner to lead off the second scored the Indians’ first run, with Trevor Crowe’s two-run single in the same inning making it 3-1. Donald’s RBI single in the fourth put the Indians in front by three runs.

But Santana got stingy after that. After Donald’s base hit, Santana retired 10 of the last 11 batters he faced.

“That’s what good pitchers do,” Acta said of Santana, who allowed four runs on seven hits over seven innings. “You have to get to them early and not let them get in a groove. He’s a veteran. Once he got the lead, he turned it up a notch.”

Pinch hitter Shelley Duncan’s two-run homer off Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez brought the Indians to within a run with two outs in the ninth, but Crowe flied out to left to end the game.

The Indians, who have ranked near the bottom of the league in the homer department all season, went deep for the fourth straight game. They have homered in eight of their last nine games with a total of 12 over the span.   

Shin-Soo Choo’s hitting streak came to an end at 11 games, Cleveland’s right fielder going 0-for-4 while lining out twice to outfielders.

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

CLEVELAND – Former Indians manager Eric Wedge was never a fan of interleague play. His successor has a different view.

“I’ve always liked interleague play,” said Cleveland manager Manny Acta. “It gives you the opportunity to see the great players from the other league and the parks you don’t get to see. It gets you out of the monotony of playing the same teams all the time.

“People will always find a reason to like it or dislike it.”

Wedge located plenty not to like. He wasn’t in favor of National League opponents interrupting his club’s American League schedule, and like many, felt the AL was at a disadvantage without its designated hitter in NL ballparks.

“I think every American League team has that disadvantage because the designated hitter is such an important part of our teams,” Acta said. “But, it’s the same thing when they come over here. Their designated hitter is just one extra guy off the bench.”

Acta is getting his first taste of interleague play from the AL side after spending five seasons as a third base/infield coach for the Expos and Mets (2002-06) before managing the Nationals from 2007-09.

Indians pitchers have been taking batting practice in preparation for upcoming interleague road trips to Pittsburgh (Friday-Sunday), Philadelphia (June 22-24) and Cincinnati (June 25-27).

“We have a few (pitchers) that are good athletes and can do some stuff,” Acta said, singling out David Huff and Jake Westbrook as his best-hitting pitchers.

Disabled duo

Though they are both sidelined with injuries, Acta said shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera and center fielder Grady Sizemore have been regular visitors to Progressive Field.

Sizemore is on crutches after undergoing season-ending surgery on his left knee, while Cabrera, whom the Indians hope to have back in late July or early August, is wearing a cast on his fractured left forearm.

“They miss being out there,” Acta said. “It’s not easy for them to watch us play, but they’re in good spirits.”

Sipp’s story

Acta said he plans on sticking with struggling reliever Tony Sipp, who had allowed 15 earned runs in his last 2 1/3 innings through Monday, and has minor-league options available.

“I think everything has its limits, but we’re not to that point right now,” said Acta, who plans on pitching Sipp in less critical situations in an effort to get him back on track.

With Sipp out of the late-inning mix, lefty Rafael Perez, who entered Tuesday without allowing a run in his last five games, is expected to see more opportunities.

Minor details

Aaron Laffey has made three starts – 0-1, 4.91 ERA — since being demoted to Triple-A Columbus, as the Indians attempt to stretch out the left-hander for a possible spot in the rotation in the future. “He’s thrown the ball OK down there,” Acta said. “He’s already up to 80 pitches.” Laffey began the season in Cleveland’s bullpen, going 0-1 with a 5.61 ERA in 20 appearances. … Advanced Class A Kinston Left-hander T.J. McFarland was named to the Carolina League All-Star team that will take on the California League All-Star team in Myrtle Beach, S.C., on Tuesday. McFarland is 7-1 with a 2.16 ERA in 12 games (seven starts) for the K-Tribe.  

Roundin’ third

The Indians have signed eight of their picks from the recent First-Year Player Draft after agreeing to terms Tuesday with shortstop Nick Bartalone (sixth round, Chabot College), OF Chase Burnette (18^th round, Georgia Tech), 2B Logan Thomson (33^rd round, Palm Beach State College), OF Brian Heere (41^st round, Kansas) and OF Henry Dunn (50^th round, Binghamton University). Thomson is the son of former big leaguer and current Cleveland special assistant to baseball operations, Robby Thomson. The Indians also signed non-drafted free agent Alex Kaminsky, a RHP out of Wright State. … Tonight, STO/WTAM 1100-AM/WEL 930-AM. Talbot (7-4, 3.59) vs. Niese (3-2, 3.61).

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

HENRIETTA TWP. — A man is dead following a vicious dog attack today in Henrietta Township.

Michael Winters, 30, died from hundreds of dog bites all over his entire body, according to Lorain County Coroner Paul Matus.

The coroner said it is the worst attack he has seen in his 30 years working in Lorain County.

Winters’ father, Michael Kywa, had left the home for about an hour and returned to find his son bloody in the driveway.

Listen to an interview with Matus and a Lorain County Sheriff’s Office sergeant:

Sheriff’s deputies and individuals from the Lorain County dog warden’s office searched the property with guns, looking for eight to 10 large, mixed breed dogs. Two dogs were shot as they searched. The rest of the dogs were caught andd were to be euthanized at the scene at Kywa’s request. It was unclear how many of the dogs participated in the attack.

As they searched, state Route 511 was closed between Baumhart and Quarry roads and neighbors were being advised to stay in their homes.

Kywa said his son knew the dogs well and frequently spent time with them.

A neighbor described the man as very nice and said he took good care of his animals and didn’t train them to be mean. The neighbor said the dogs were not vicious.

The dog warden at the scene said he has “never seen anything like this before.” He added that his office is familiar with this property and the dogs.

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MANSFIELD — City workers are a bit annoyed with a new dress code that bans flip-flops, excessive jewelry and prohibits loud nail polish, long sideburns on men and long bangs on women.

The policy that took effect Monday was a response to workers taking casual Fridays too far and then dressing down throughout the entire week, city officials said.

Some workers say the city is going to extremes. Police department employee Deb Phillips said no one should be able to tell her how to wear her hair if it doesn’t affect her job.

“I think it went a little overboard with the hair the nails and that kind of thing,” Phillips said. “I think it’s an infringement on people’s rights.”

The dress code says that bangs cannot fall within an inch of a woman’s eyebrows and sideburns cannot extend past a man’s earlobe. The policy also prohibits workers from wearing hats, scarves, or head wraps while working indoors.

Law Director Dave Remy said it will be up to city officials to enforce the rules in their departments.

Finance Director Kelly Blankenship said her employees dress appropriately, and she has more important issues to worry about.

The dress code covers more than 500 city workers and was in the works for almost a year.

In Marion, a city 40 miles southeast of Mansfield, Mayor Scott Schertzer said that while it is important to maintain a professional appearance, such a detailed dress code may go too far.

“It sounds like Mansfield may be a little excessive and micromanaging how people’s appearance should be,” he said.