CLEVELAND – If they were handing out Academy Awards at Progressive Field on Saturday night, Fausto Carmona would have won the Oscar for best performance in a lead role, while Carlos Santana would have taken home the trophy for best supporting actor.

Both players loomed large in a 7-1 victory over the Nationals that extended the Indians’ winning streak to a season-high four games, the home team winning for the sixth time in nine games.

Carmona pitched his second complete game of the season, limiting Washington to just a run on three hits, while striking out seven without a walk. Santana, who made his big league debut Friday, got his first career hit, RBI and home run.

It all added up to an eventful and entertaining night for the Indians and the 19,484 fans in attendance.

“It was our most dominating performance so far from a pitching standpoint,” said manager Manny Acta of Carmona’s scintillating start. “He was just flat-out dominant. It was just a terrific performance.

“Carlos Santana gave us a bit of a glimpse of what he can do with his bat. It was good to see in just his second game.”

In a groove like he hasn’t been in all season, Carmona faced one batter over the minimum, allowing a pair of singles before Ryan Zimmerman ruined the shut out with a solo homer to lead off the eighth inning.

“I kept the ball down and threw the first pitch for strikes and got ground balls,” said Carmona, who retired 14 of the first 15 hitters he faced, striking out the final four batters over the span. “I threw every pitch and I controlled it and threw it for a strike.”

After reaching on an error in his first at-bat in the opening inning, Santana, who hit third in the lineup, took care of a pair of firsts with one swing, doubling home two runs in the second. His first homer arrived in his next at-bat, Santana clouting a towering solo shot to right field off Nationals starter and former Cleveland minor leaguer J.D. Martin to put the Indians in front 6-0.

Both balls were retrieved for Santana, who said he planned on giving them to his mother Nuris Amador.

“It feels good what I was able to do today,” Santana said through an interpreter. “I didn’t do what I was expected to do (Friday in an 0-for-3 effort). I was able to help the team win and I felt good out there (tonight).”

When he returned to the dugout after the homer, his teammates gave the rookie the traditional silent treatment, failing to congratulate him.

“It’s part of the game. I’ve seen it before,” Santana said. “It gives me the motivation to keeping doing what I did.”

Santana’s contributions weren’t limited to his offensive production. According to Acta, Santana called the entire game for Carmona, who also tipped his hat to the young catcher in the department.

“The whole game, I never shook off a sign,” said Carmona, who snapped a four-game losing streak by winning for the first time since May 12 against the Royals. “Everything he said, I threw.”

“I had a good discussion with (Carmona) before the game,” Santana said. “We had a good game plan and it worked out pretty well.”

Nearly everything worked out well for the Indians, who have resembled a different team as of late.

Cleveland, which ranks near the bottom of the American League in the homer category, went deep for the fifth time in six games – Russell Branyan matching Santana’s long ball with a solo shot in the eighth inning.

The Indians’ scuffling offense has produced 33 runs over the last four games.

“I think we were due for that, weren’t we?” Acta said.

Of the nine players in the Cleveland batting order, six of them collected at least one hit, with Santana, Branyan and Shin-Soo Choo producing multi-hit performances.

The only negative on the night was an injury to center fielder Trevor Crowe.

Crowe fouled a pitch off his right knee in the second inning but remained in the game for another at-bat before being lifted for pinch hitter Shelley Duncan in the seventh. He is listed as day-to-day.

It is a blow to the Indians, who don’t have a legitimate center fielder or leadoff hitter on the roster to replace Crowe and might have to make a move, possibly bringing back Michael Brantley from Triple-A Columbus.

Both teams wore throwback uniforms, the Indians sporting 1920 garb to commemorate their first World Series title. The Nationals paid tribute to the 1924 world champion Washington Senators.

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

CLEVELAND – Don’t look now, but the Cleveland Indians are on a bona fide winning streak.

The Indians used another offensive barrage, mixed in a solid effort from starter Jake Westbrook and powered their way to a 7-2 interleague victory over the Washington Nationals on Friday night.

The Indians have scored 26 runs in the last three games – which include a pair of victories over the Boston Red Sox – and are showing the kind of offensive might many thought they’d have early in the season.

While Austin Kearns hit a pair of home runs and Travis Hafner added a towering solo blast – the Indians’ first three-homer game since July 3, 2009 – it wasn’t the usual suspects that got the praise for the Indians’ newfound success at the plate.

“The difference is the kids in the bottom of the lineup are contributing more than they have in the past,” Indians manager Manny Acta said. “It takes nine guys, and in the beginning we were playing almost six innings of offense because the guys in the bottom of the lineup were struggling so much.”

Happy to have the support, Westbrook barely needed it after a few rocky innings. The right-hander gave up hits to the first three batters and two more in the third, but settled down to face 13 straight batters without surrendering a hit.

“I definitely was a little erratic early on,” Westbrook said. “I felt like I made some decent pitches, but they got some good hits. Through the middle innings, I was able to get ahead in the count and got more consistent in the strike zone.”

Westbrook was also helped out of the gate by rookie catcher Carlos Santana, who was making his major league debut. After Nyjer Morgan led off with a single, he tried to steal second base on Westbrook’s first pitch to No. 2 hitter Ivan Rodriguez. Santana threw a perfect strike to gun down Morgan.

“That was huge considering I gave up three consecutive hits there,” Westbrook said. “That allowed us to hold it to one run that inning. If he didn’t do that, it’s certainly 2-0.

“He caught for me a couple times in spring training and last year at (Double-A) Akron. We were comfortable with each other and he was even coming up to me between innings and discussing how we were going to attack hitters in the next inning.”

While the Indians have said Santana’s defense has kept him in the minor leagues the past two seasons, the young catcher still didn’t expect the Nationals to test him so quickly.

“I was like, ‘Wow,’ when he went on the first pitch,” Santana said through an interpreter. “I knew this team liked to run and they were probably going to try to run against me. So I felt like I was prepared for anything.”

The team is so excited to see what Santana can do, he will catch for Fausto Carmona in tonight’s game against the Nationals, despite the fact backup Mike Redmond has been Carmona’s personal catcher all season.

“We’re very happy with what we saw on the first night,” said Acta, despite Santana’s 0-for-3 performance at the plate. “He called a great game for Jake and he made a lot of adjustments when Jake got out of the strike zone.”

Westbrook’s win Friday was his second over his last three starts, and Acta believes his ace is starting to show the consistency they had hoped for all season.

“Three of his last four starts have been very good,” Acta said. “In the beginning of the season he’d have a good start, then a decent one, then a bad one. Now, we feel confident that he’s going to go out there every five days and give us a chance to win.”

While Acta had plenty of praise for his battery, it was Kearns that he seemed happiest after the game. Acta had been Kearns’ manager in Washington the last two seasons, and both were excited about the left fielder’s performance against their former team.

“I can’t say enough about Austin Kearns,” Acta said. “The way he’s been playing for us … he’s been our most consistent hitter. He’s the ultimate pro. He’s a throwback guy who plays hard, stays professional and never gives a bat away. He deserves everything he’s getting right now after the rough time he’s had the last two years.”

Kearns’ first home run came in the first inning and gave the Indians a 3-1 lead, and his second made it 4-1 in the fourth. He finished 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and four RBIs.

The performance came in Kearns’ debut at the No. 5 spot in the order, which is where he was moved to make room for Santana at No. 3.

“Carlos is a good kid and deserves to be here,” Kearns said. “He’s probably going to be hitting third for a while in his career.”

Hafner continued his torrid pace at the plate with a 2-for-3 performance that included the solo homer in the sixth and a double in the first. His last five hits have gone for extra bases.

“We need Travis Hafner in the middle of the lineup,” Acta said. “He’s a patient hitter and he can give you a lot of good at-bats when he’s hitting like he is right now. That’s also important because he’ll protect a young hitter like Santana.”

Jhonny Peralta also had a pair of hits – including a double in the fourth – and Luis Valbuena, Trevor Crowe and Shin-Soo Choo all added singles.

“We’ve been hitting really well lately, including against Chicago (White Sox) and Boston,” Kearns said. “We’re hoping to keep it up, and we’re hoping that it’s something we can build on.”

Contact Shaun Bennett at 329-7137 or sbennett@chroniclet.com.

TONIGHT

• WHO: Cleveland vs. Washington
• TIME: 7:05
• WHERE: Progressive Field
• PITCHERS: Carmona (4-5, 3.49 ERA) vs. Martin (0-1, 2.31)
• TV/RADIO: SportsTime Ohio; WEOL 930-AM, WTAM 1100-AM

CLEVELAND – In one of the most anticipated moves in recent club history, the Indians called up top prospect Carlos Santana from Triple-A Columbus on Friday, placed the catcher in the starting lineup and batted him third.

“I was excited when I got the news,” Santana said through coach and interpreter Ruben Niebla. “I called my mom first and she was as happy as I was. She’s always supported me so she had to be my first call. But my agent and my uncle are going to be at tonight’s game.”

To make room for Santana on the 25-man roster, the Indians optioned catcher Lou Marson to the Clippers. Marson hit .191 with 15 runs, seven doubles, a home run and 12 RBIs in 45 games this season.

Cleveland acquired Santana from the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 26, 2008, as part of the trade for Casey Blake.

He was named the Eastern League MVP after batting .290 with 91 runs, 30 doubles, 23 homers and 97 RBIs with the Double-A Akron Aeros in 2009 – helping the Aeros win the league championship.

Before making his major league debut Friday night against the Washington Nationals, Santana had been on another hitting tear, batting .316 with 39 runs, 14 doubles, a triple, 13 homers and 51 RBIs in 57 games with the Clippers.

“He has the ability to work the count and can hit with power from both sides of the plate,” Indians manager Manny Acta said. “He’s not your prototype power hitter. He looks for pitches and he doesn’t overswing. I think he has a heck of a chance to be a very good hitter at this level.”

He is 6-for-6 on stolen base attempts and has thrown out nine of 31 runners (22.5 percent) attempting to steal.

“His bat dictated awhile ago that he was probably ready to make the transition to the major leagues,” Indians general manager Mark Shapiro said. “His defense, with the challenges we’ve given him, I think he’s made great strides. It’s still going to be a work in progress up here, but we thought now was the right time.”

Major influences

Santana made the move to catcher in 2007 – he had previously been a third baseman and played a little outfield in the Dodgers farm system – and said the transition has been helped greatly by two of the best and most beloved Indians catchers of all time.

Being Hispanic, a power-hitting switch hitter and now a catcher are just a few of the similarities Santana has with idol Victor Martinez. Santana wears No. 41 in tribute to Martinez and said the former Indians star provided a boost last season.

“Victor is a great person,” Santana said. “He respected me very much, as I respected him. We’ve always kept in touch and I cherish that friendship.”

Santana will be getting everyday help from another former Indians All-Star catcher and current first base coach Sandy Alomar Jr.

“I really believe that Sandy can help me,” Santana said. “He’s a person that’s played in the major leagues for a very long time, so he’s a person that’s very knowledgeable. I look forward to continuing to work with Sandy on this level.”

Ready for The Show

Nationals rookie sensation Stephen Strasburg, who struck out 14 batters in his major league debut Tuesday, was unavailable to the media Friday night, but that didn’t stop Shapiro from weighing in on the pitching phenom.

“As a player development guy, you’re thinking there’s not much development to do with that guy,” Shapiro said. “They gave him 15 starts in the minor leagues and said, ‘Here you go.’ I’d much rather watch him pitch against someone other than us, but it’ll be fun to watch him pitch.”

Strasburg will be making his first road start Sunday afternoon. Ticket sales have spiked since it was announced that the 21-year-old will start, and the Indians have converted the merchandise stand next to the Indians team shop into a Strasburg jersey stand, clearing out all other merchandise.

Minor details

The Akron Aeros have won 10 straight games to even their record (30-30) and move into a three-way tie for second in the Western Division of the Eastern League. The club record for consecutive wins is 11, set in June 2002.

• The Indians farm system continues to be ranked second among MLB teams with a 144-109 record, just behind the San Francisco Giants (150-102). Both the Captains (39-21) and the Columbus Clippers (37-25) lead their respective divisions.

Roundin’ third

Max Ambrosio, from the Minor League Hot Rods of the Avon Little League organization, threw out one of the game’s ceremonial first pitches.

• The Indians and Nationals have met one other time – a three-game series in 2007 at RFK Stadium in Washington. The Nationals won the series 2-1, and only Ryan Zimmerman and Christian Guzman remain from that Washington squad.

Contact Shaun Bennett at 329-7137 or sbennett@chroniclet.com.