NORTH OLMSTED — An Elyria man was killed in a freak accident yesterday when a large tree fell on him as he walked in the Rocky River Reservation of the Cleveland Metroparks.

Anthony Flauto, 64, was pronounced dead at Southwest General Hospital following the noontime accident.

The man was walking alone on a paved trail just north of the Lagoon Picnic Area when he was struck by the falling tree, according to Jane Christyson, director of marketing for the Cleveland Metroparks.

“The tree was about 60 feet back off the trail,” she said.

The site of the tragic accident is a little south of the Rocky River Nature Center near the intersection of Cedar Point Road and Valley Parkway, which is located inside the city of North Olmsted.

It was not immediately known whether Flauto regularly walked in the parks, Christyson said.

“We have people from Elyria and other people who drive in to walk and use the parks,” she said.

Details of just how the accident occurred aren’t yet known, but the incident is under investigation by Metroparks Rangers, Christyson said.

“The tree was very large. It appears that it broke on the trunk and fell. It was fully leafed out and appeared to be a live tree,” she said.

Flauto was found by another park patron.

“The trail is pretty close to the road. They saw it happen and immediately called 911,” Christyson said.

There was some wind in the vicinity during the day, but it isn’t known if it played a factor in the tree breaking and falling, she added, “It’s mind-boggling to think about, of being in one place at that particular time.”

An autopsy is scheduled to be performed Wednesday by the Cuyahoga County coroner’s office, according to spokesman Caesar Powell, who said no other information was yet available on the case.

CLEVELAND — Mitch Talbot’s Cin­derella story hit a snag, while Toronto’s Brett Cecil’s is alive and well.

The pair of unheralded pitchers banged heads Monday night at Progressive Field, with Cecil and his Blue Jays emerging unscathed, while Talbot and the Indians were left battered and bruised in a 5-1 loss. Cecil, who was making only his third start of the season after being promoted from the minors, allowed a run on just one hit, striking out a career-high 10 bat­ters over eight innings.

Talbot, who is a candidate for American League rookie of the month honors after winning three of his four starts in April, allowed five runs on eight hits (three home runs) over eight innings.

“Despite our struggles offensively, I can’t take anything away from Cecil,” said Indians manager Manny Acta, whose club produced just two hits. “He threw a tremendous ballgame. He attacked our hitters with his fastball and had a great change-up.

“The night belonged to Cecil.”

And what a night it was for the 23-year-old lefthander, who made 17 starts for the Jays last year but failed to make the big league rotation out of spring training.

More photos below.

He was in pursuit of perfection, retiring 19 straight hitters before a one-out walk on five pitches to Grady Sizemore in the seventh ruined the bid.

Cecil walked the next batter, Shin-Soo Choo, before striking out Austin Kearns and then losing the no-hitter and shutout when Jhonny Peralta followed with a line-drive single to left to score Sizemore.

Prior to Peralta’s single, the closest thing Cleveland got to a hit came when Matt LaPorta lined out to third base in the third.

A top-shelf change-up was at the root of Cecil’s success, according to Indians hitters — if you could call them that on this night.

“He was really good tonight,” Choo said. “In hitters’ counts, he had a really good change-up, and he spotted his fastball really good.”

Oddly enough, Cecil said he awoke with a head cold.

“Baseball-wise, it was a good night, just awesome,” he said. “I wasn’t nervous, but people that tell you they don’t know they have a game going are lying. I knew in the fifth inning, but I didn’t want to think about it too much.”

Talbot, who suffered his first loss since his season debut, allowed four of his runs within the first four innings — the first two coming on a homer from Jose Bautista in the second.

The right-hander shut out Toronto on one hit over the next four innings before allowing a leadoff homer to John Buck in the ninth and getting removed.

“He was hurt early by that two-run homer,” Acta said. “But he gave us a shot and almost got a complete game.”

Of their five runs, four came courtesy of long balls from the Blue Jays, who entered the game tied for the major league lead with 38.

“I couldn’t keep the ball in the yard,” Talbot said, “too many pitches over the plate, and they made me pay.”

With the way Cecil was pitching, Talbot knew he had to be close to perfect to keep his team in the game.

“It’s something that’s out of my control,” Talbot said. “But sometimes, it felt like I just sat down and I was getting back up again.”

If Cecil had made history, it would have come in front of just 10,117 fans, the second-smallest crowd of the season at Progressive Field.

Tonight

• Who: Cleveland vs. Toronto
• Time: 7:05
• Where: Progressive Field
• Pitchers: Westbrook (0-2, 5.53 ERA) vs. Romero (2-1, 2.25)
• TV/radio: SportsTime Ohio; WEOL 930-AM, WTAM 1100-AM

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

CLEVELAND — Prior to the start of spring training, Indians manager Manny Acta declared that Luis Valbuena was his starting second baseman. Despite Valbuena’s struggles at the plate during the exhibition season and over the first month of the regular season, Acta is sticking with that plan.

“He has struggled offensively, but he’s had a couple big hits for us,” said Acta, who had Valbuena back in the lineup Monday after a two-game absence. “I think he’s played well defensively. We’re going to continue to give him a chance and hope he takes advantage of the opportunity.”

Valbuena, 24, entered Monday batting .182 (10-for-55) with two home runs and seven RBIs in 18 games. The homers came off a pair of aces in Detroit’s Justin Verlander (grand slam) and Chicago’s Mark Buehrle.
Defensively, Valbuena had committed one error in 97 chances.

Should Valbuena’s offensive slide continue, there are replacement options on the big league level (Mark Grudzielanek) and at Triple-A Columbus (Jason Donald).

Grudzielanek, the Indians’ veteran utility infielder, is batting .237 with four RBIs in 10 games.

Donald, part of the bounty from the Cliff Lee trade with the Phillies last year, is on a tear for the Clippers, entering Monday with a .377 batting average, 15 RBIs and 22 runs in 24 games. He had hit safely in 13 of his last 16 games.

Acquired prior to last season, Valbuena spent the majority of the year as Cleveland’s starting second baseman, batting .250 with 10 homers and 31 RBIs in 103 games.

Stating his case

Hector Ambriz has made two appearances — one earned run on five hits and two strikeouts in two innings — since being activated from the disabled list, as the hard-throwing right-hander has begun auditioning for a spot in the bullpen.

“I’m satisfied,” Acta said. “He’s been around the strike zone and he’s shown that arm strength. I’m not going to make up my mind just yet. I like the fact that he’s not walking guys.”

As a Rule V draft pick, Ambriz is expected to get more opportunities. He must remain on the big league roster or disabled list, or the Indians have to offer him back to the Diamondbacks.

Wood’s world

Kerry Wood (strained right lat) began a rehab assignment with Double-A Akron on Monday and it did not go well.

Wood, who has been inactive since sustaining the injury shortly into spring training, failed to make it out of the sixth inning against Trenton, allowing six earned runs on four hits and two walks in two-thirds on an inning.

Acta said the veteran closer would make at least two rehab appearances, but it may be more after the disastrous debut.

Lefties and LaPorta

With left-hander Brett Cecil on the mound for Toronto on Monday, right-handed hitter Matt LaPorta started at first base in place of left-handed hitter Russell Branyan, despite LaPorta’s struggles against lefties
(2-for-23 through Sunday).

“He’s struggled offensively, period, like a lot of our guys,” Acta said of LaPorta, who entered Monday hitting .203 with one RBI in 18 games. “I don’t think it has anything to do with which side of the rubber the pitcher’s on.”

Minor detail

Outfielder Michael Brantley is doing his best to return to the big leagues, entering Monday with a .333 batting average and two RBIs in 11 games since being optioned to Columbus. Brantley had hit safely in six straight games. “He’s been playing well down there,” Acta said. “We know that he’s going to be part of our future.” Brantley was Cleveland’s opening day starter in left field but struggled at the plate and lost the job to a red-hot Austin Kearns, before being sent down to clear room for Branyan.

Roundin’ third

• The Indians have scored three runs or fewer in 16 of their 25 games.
• Entering Monday, the Indians were hitting .326 (59-for-181) over their last five games to raise their team batting average from .223 to .246.

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