CLEVELAND — Technically, the Central Division standings say the Indians are still in the race, but mathematical elimination is coming soon.

Victor Martinez watches his grand slam off Cleveland Indians relief pitcher Tony Sipp in the seventh inning yesterday. (AP photo.)

A pivotal three-game series with first-place Detroit ended Wednesday at Progressive Field with the Indians dropping an 8-6 decision to fall 9½ games behind the first-place Tigers.

The Indians, who hoped to gain ground against the visiting Tigers, failed miserably, losing all three games. Detroit, which has won six straight and 16 of its last 20 games, sliced its magic number to eliminate Cleveland to 12.

“They took care of business and obviously we didn’t,” said Indians manager Manny Acta, whose club lost its seventh straight to Detroit, entering the day in third place, a half-game behind Chicago. “They’re doing a great job of running away from us.”

“We just got swept,” said Shelley Duncan, when asked about the mood of the team. “We put ourselves in position to win today’s game and it didn’t happen. We’re a little down but we’re going to hold our heads up high and play the game the same way we always have.”

With injuries depleting their lineup and the bullpen sputtering, that has been insufficient as of late and was again Wednesday.

Despite scoring four times off American League Cy Young award front-runner Justin Verlander — all on a pair of two-run home runs from Duncan — the Indians still couldn’t get it done, losing the lead and the game when Detroit scored five times in the seventh inning.

Cleveland starter Justin Masterson owned a 4-2 advantage when the inning began but left the bases loaded on a base hit, an error and a bunt single. Masterson was relieved by Joe Smith, who allowed an RBI single to Miguel Cabrera and departed in favor of Tony Sipp.

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Facing Victor Martinez, Sipp allowed a grand slam on his first pitch to the former Indian, who clouted his second game-winning homer of the series.

“The guys worked hard to get four runs,” said Masterson, who allowed five runs (four earned) on eight hits over six innings. “Unfortunately, a couple infield hits were the undoing at the end.”

“When you play teams like that, you can’t give them five outs in an inning,” Acta said. “That cost us the game.”

Sipp has allowed nine homers this season — the second most on the club behind Fausto Carmona’s 20.

“He did that a little bit last year, too,” Acta said. “He goes after guys. You can’t have it both ways. He’s the only pitcher in the bullpen with both righties and lefties hitting less than .200 against him. That pitch just leaked middle-in.”

And right into Martinez’s wheelhouse, with Detroit’s designated hitter depositing it into the seats in left-center.

Martinez burned his old teammates in all three games, going 5-for-13 with a pair of homers, 10 RBIs and five runs. His .326 batting average in 126 games ranks fourth in the AL.

“He’s the one that’s really carrying their ballclub,” Duncan said. “Victor has become ‘Mr. Clutch.’ The way Victor’s swinging the bat, their (lineup is) about as good as it gets right now.”

Duncan’s homers in the second and fourth innings accounted for two of Cleveland’s three hits off Verlander, who allowed four runs and struck out eight over six innings to win for the 10th time in as many starts.

The Indians’ final two runs also came courtesy of the long ball, with Lonnie Chisenhall hitting his fourth of the season off Detroit reliever Phil Coke in the seventh.

Cleveland, which opens a four-game series in Chicago tonight, needs to put together a substantial win streak to stay in the division race. The Indians are 3-7 against the White Sox this year — 2-3 on the road.

“We need to keep going out there and playing,” Acta said. “You can’t give up. Things can change in a week, but we have to start with Day 1.”

Victor-y march

Former Indian Victor Martinez terrorized his former club in the Tigers’ three-game sweep. Here’s what he did …

• MONDAY: 1-4, 3 RBIs … hit game-changing three-run homer in 4-2 Tigers win
• TUESDAY: 2-4, 3 RBIs, 2 runs … started Tigers’ night off right with a two-out, two-run single in 10-1 Tigers romp
• WEDNESDAY: 2-5, 4 RBIs, 2 runs … blasted grand slam to cap Tigers’ comeback in 8-6 win
• SERIES: 5-13, 10 RBIs, 4 runs, 2 game-deciding home runs

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com. Like him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.

AMHERST — When voters in the Amherst school district rejected a special ballot issue in May that would have partially paid for a new community recreation center, Lorain County Metro Parks Director Dan Martin figured the idea was buried.

Dan Martin, director/secretary of Lorain County Metro Parks, speaks at the unveiling of a Wellness Zone to be built on donated property in Amherst. (CT photo by Steve Manheim.)

“I assumed the project was dead at that point, so I put the plans away,” Martin said. “It wasn’t going to happen.”

But thanks to some behind-the-scenes discussions the few past weeks, the project is alive and kicking, and bigger than before.

Addressing a crowd of about 75 in the showroom of Premier Toyota on Wednesday afternoon, Martin said the recreation center is back on the drawing board — along with an outdoor play area for those with special needs, and the eventual continuation of an existing bikeway extending from the park district’s Amherst Beaver Creek Reservation south across Route 2 to land just north of the auto dealership.

Click here to view more photos.

Martin stressed repeatedly that the new venture calls for “building a park, not just a building.”

With a target opening date of Jan. 1, 2013, the rejuvenated proposal is possible due to a number of factors, chief of which is the donation of two large pieces of land to the park system. One is an eight-acre parcel donated to the parks by farming brothers Tom and Jim Hollstein. The other is a 13-acre piece of land being given by Robert and Lorie Campana, who are part of Lorain’s family-owned P.C. Campana Inc., which produces materials and equipment for the steel industry.

The rec center and parking area would be developed from the Hollstein land, while the Campana acreage would be preserved as a natural area encompassing the extended bikeway.

The exact value of the acreage involved was not disclosed, but Martin said the two parcels of commercially zoned land are probably worth an estimated $3 million to $4 million dollars.

Martin said he plans to ask the parks’ board of directors for its stamp of approval on the plan — including a $2 million fundraising campaign — next week.

Exact costs of the project have yet to be worked out, but Martin said the rec center, being termed a wellness center on initial drawings, would likely cost $5 million to $6 million. To be similar in scope to the park system’s popular Splash Zone in Oberlin, the Amherst rec center would include a multi-lane swimming pool and a variety of fitness facilities. To be built in phases, the project also includes land for an attached gymnasium facility to be added at a future date.

“This is going to take a lot of time and planning,” Martin said.

Martin drew applause when he noted that the new project will not require any tax dollars, referring to a $26 million ballot issue voters rejected in May that would have covered part of the costs for a 45,000- to 50,000-square-foot, $12 million rec center.

A $2 million federal grant will be sought for extension of the Beaver Creek bikeway across a Route 2 bridge to the new acreage north of the highway.

“The paperwork should be ready by the end of next week,” Martin said of the grant application.

Major partners in the venture include Lorain County Community College, which could look to offer training and other educational opportunities at the site for students pursuing careers in the recreational field.

Other chief partners include the Lorain County Board of Mental Health and Lorain County Board of Developmental Disabilities, both of which will work with the park district on development of an outdoor water playground designed specifically for people with special needs.

“We are happy to lend our expertise and be part of plans for this inclusion (to integrate special needs facilities into the community rec center),” said Amber Fisher, superintendent of the Lorain County Board of Developmental Disabilities.

Martin said the outdoor area was inspired by one he saw in the western United States.

“Kids put on rain slickers and ran through water in their wheelchairs. It was fantastic. Imagine the kids who would never be allowed to do that,” Martin said. “This way they can run around playing with brothers and sisters like any other kid.”
Amherst Mayor David Taylor voiced his support for the proposal.

“I know this will be successful,” Taylor said. “They’ll do it right.”

Contact Steve Fogarty at 329-7146 or sfogarty@chroniclet.com.

CLEVELAND — Technically, the Central Division standings say the Indians are still in the race, but mathematical elimination is coming soon.

A pivotal three-game series with first-place Detroit ended Sunday at Progressive Field with the Indians dropping an 8-6 decision to fall 9 1/2 games behind the first-place Tigers.

The Indians, who hoped to gain ground with a visit from the Tigers, failed miserably, losing all three games. Detroit, which has won six straight and 16 of its last 20 games, sliced its magic number to eliminate Cleveland to 12.

“They took care of business and obviously we didn’t,” said Indians manager Manny Acta, whose club lost its seventh straight to Detroit, entering the day in third place, a half-game behind Chicago. “They’re doing a great job of running away from us.”

“We just got swept,” said Shelley Duncan, when asked about the mood of the team. “We put ourselves in position to win today’s game and it didn’t happen. We’re a little down but we’re going to hold our heads up high and play the game the same way we always have.”

With injuries depleting their lineup and the bullpen sputtering, that has been insufficient as of late and was again Wednesday.

Despite scoring four times off American League Cy Young award frontrunner Justin Verlander — all on a pair of two-run home runs from Duncan — the Indians still couldn’t get it done, losing the lead and the game when Detroit scored five times in the seventh inning.

Cleveland starter Justin Masterson owned a 4-2 advantage when the inning began but left the bases loaded on a base hit, an error and a bunt single. Masterson was relieved by Joe Smith, who allowed an RBI single to Miguel Cabrera and departed in favor of Tony Sipp.

Facing Victor Martinez, Sipp allowed a grand slam on his first pitch to the former Indian, who clouted his second game-winning homer of the series.

“The guys worked hard to get four runs,” said Masterson, who allowed five runs (four earned) on eight hits over six innings. “Unfortunately, a couple infield hits were the undoing at the end.”

“When you play teams like that, you can’t give them five outs in an inning,” Acta said. “That cost us the game.”

Sipp has allowed nine homers this season — the second-most on the club behind Fausto Carmona’s 20.

“He did that a little bit last year, too,” Acta said. “He goes after guys. You can’t have it both ways. He’s the only pitcher in the bullpen with both righties and lefties hitting less than .200 against him. That pitch just leaked middle-in.”

And right into Martinez’s wheelhouse, with Detroit’s designated hitter depositing it into the seats in left-center.

Martinez burnt his old teammates in all three games, going 5-for-13 with a pair of homers, 10 RBIs and five runs. His .326 batting average in 126 games ranked fourth in the AL.

“He’s the one that’s really carrying their ballclub,” Duncan said. “Victor has become ‘Mr. Clutch.’ The way Victor’s swinging the bat, their (lineup is) about as good as it gets right now.”

Duncan’s homers in the second and fourth innings accounted for two of Cleveland’s three hits off Verlander, who allowed four runs and struck out eight over six innings to win for the 10th time in as many starts.

The Indians’ final two runs also came courtesy of the long ball, with Lonnie Chisenhall hitting his fourth of the season off Detroit reliever Phil Coke in the seventh.

Cleveland needs to put together a substantial win streak to stay in the division race, opening a four-game series in Chicago tonight. The Indians are 3-7 against the White Sox this year — 2-3 on the road.

“We need to keep going out there and playing,” Acta said. “You can’t give up. Things can change in a week, but we have to start with Day 1.”

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com. Fan him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.

CLEVELAND — Outfielder Trevor Crowe’s lengthy comeback is complete.

Crowe, who was sidelined for the first five months of the year after offseason shoulder surgery, was activated from the disabled list Wednesday. He was in the lineup for the series finale with Detroit, starting in left field and going 0-for-3.

Crowe, who hit .251 with two home runs and 36 RBIs in 122 games for the Indians last year, began his minor league rehabilitation assignment with the Arizona League Indians. It was transferred to Triple-A Columbus, where he went 2-for-20 with an RBI and two stolen bases in five games before his activation.

To make room on the 40-man roster for Crowe, outfielder Jerad Head was designated for assignment.

Head, who was recalled from Columbus in late August after outfielder Michael Brantley was lost for the season, had two hits in 23 at-bats (eight games) for the Indians.

Next up

The Indians are on the road for the next 11days, beginning a four-game series against the White Sox tonight (8:10) at U.S. Cellular Field.

David Huff (2-3, 2.81 ERA) opens the set, opposing RHP Gavin Floyd (12-10, 4.45), while Jeanmar Gomez (2-2, 4.11) goes for Cleveland on Friday (8:10 p.m.) against LHP Mark Buehrle (11-7, 3.34).

Ubaldo Jimenez (8-11, 4.66) starts for the Indians on Saturday (4:11 p.m.), while Chicago counters with RHP Phil Humber (9-8, 3.45).

Fausto Carmona (6-14, 5.18) pitches the series finale Sunday (2:10 p.m.) against RHP Zach Stewart (2-3, 4.56).

Minor details

With the regular seasons complete for Cleveland’s top four minor league affiliates complete, here’s a look at the final team leaders:

Columbus – Luis Valbuena (.302), Head (24 HR), Valbuena (75 RBIs), Zach McAllister (12-3), Jeanmar Gomez (2.55 ERA), Josh Judy (23 saves).

Double-A Akron — Tim Fedroff (.338), Chun Chen (16 HR), Chen (70 RBIs), Austin Adams (11-10), Cory Burns (2.11 ERA), Burns (35 saves).

High-A Kinston — Bo Greenwell (.260), Adam Abraham (17 HR), Abraham (72 RBIs), Kyle Landis (9-2), Clayton Cook (9-9), Drew Pomeranz (1.87 ERA), Preston Guilmet (35 saves).

Single-A Lake County — Anthony Gallas (.314), Jesus Aguilar (19 HR), Aguilar (69 RBIs), J.D. Reichenbach (7-2), Clayton Ehlert (1.68 ERA), Ehlert (16 saves).

Roundin’ third

Shelley Duncan is just the second player this season — Chicago’s Carlos Quentin the other — to hit two homers in a game off Tigers ace Justin Verlander. … Verlander’s major league-leading 22 wins are the most by a Detroit pitcher since Joe Coleman went 23-15 in 1973. … Victor Martinez’s seventh-inning grand slam was his first since accomplishing the same against another Cleveland pitcher, Aaron Laffey, Oct. 3, 2009, at Fenway Park as a member of the Red Sox. … Tonight, 8:10, STO/WTAM 1100-AM/WEOL 930-AM.

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com. Fan him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.