CLEVELAND – Indians fans got exactly what they had been hoping for Saturday night: A big win and a big trade.

First baseman Matt LaPorta hit a three-run, walk-off homer with two out in the ninth inning, giving the Tribe a 5-2 come-from-behind win over the Kansas City Royals.

Kansas City had taken a 2-1 lead in the top of the ninth on an RBI single by Chris Getz, but closer Joakim Soria allowed a game-tying sacrifice fly to Kosuke Fukudome and LaPorta’s game-winning blast.

“We’ve had a lot of big hits this season, but for me, this is at the top,” said a smiling LaPorta, who drilled Soria’s pitch off the facing of the home run porch in left field.

Cleveland (53-51), which agreed to acquire Colorado pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez in a five-player deal earlier in the evening, snapped a three-game losing streak in front of 31,436 fans at Progressive Field.

The Indians also moved within 1½ games of Detroit in the American League Central Division and pulled off their 12th walk-off win of the season.

“I don’t know why we have to wait until the ninth inning every time,” Tribe manager Manny Acta said. “It’s tough on all of us. Tomorrow, I think I’ll put the (ninth-inning sign) on the scoreboard to start the game and see if it makes a difference.”

Cleveland actually came back twice in the final two innings, first tying the score at 1 in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI single by Michael Brantley. That hit came off Kansas City setup man Aaron Crow, who took over after Tim Collins surrendered a leadoff walk to Lonnie Chisenhall.

Soria (5-4, 4.23 ERA) completed the meltdown in the ninth with his sixth blown save of the season. He hit Asdrubal Cabrera with a pitch, allowed a double by Carlos Santana, and walked Chisenhall, in addition to the run-scoring swings by Fukudome and LaPorta.

“We had some great at-bats at the end of the game against Soria,” Acta said.

Tony Sipp (6-2, 3.00 ERA) earned the win despite allowing one run in his one inning. Starter Justin Masterson went the first eight-plus, allowing nine hits and two runs while striking out five.

Masterson came out for the ninth, but was lifted after allowing a leadoff single to Jeff Francoeur, who scored on Getz’s hit.

“Justin deserved better tonight, which is why I’m so happy that he didn’t get stuck with the loss,” Acta said. “If he had gotten Francoeur out, we probably would have left him in because he was fresh.”

On the flipside, the Royals’ bullpen ruined a terrific outing by Felipe Paulino, who didn’t allow a hit until Santana doubled in the fifth. The right-hander threw six scoreless innings, only allowing one runner to reach third base.

“My goal was just to keep it close tonight because we have a good team here and we find a way to win,” Masterson said.

Kansas City went up 1-0 in the first on an RBI groundout by Eric Hosmer. It could have been worse, though, as Masterson allowed a leadoff walk to Alex Gordon and a double to Melky Cabrera before limiting the damage.

The Indians had a golden opportunity to tie the score in the sixth, but Gordon gunned down LaPorta at home on a fly ball to left by Brantley.

Kansas City catcher Matt Treanor suffered a concussion on the play – with his head absorbing a significant blow from LaPorta’s right shoulder – but held onto the ball in the collision.

Treanor was placed on the seven-day disabled list by the Royals before he left the stadium for medical tests.

Contact Brian Dulik at brisports@hotmail.com.

TODAY

• WHO: Cleveland vs. Kansas City
• TIME: 1:05
• WHERE: Progressive Field
• PITCHERS: Carmona (5-10, 5.34 ERA) vs. Davies (1-9, 6.75)
• TV/RADIO: SportsTime Ohio; WEOL 930-AM, WTAM 1100-AM

RANDOLPH TWP. – You’ve heard it countless times: the team that makes the fewest errors wins the big game.

Likewise, it’s been proven true countless times, as recently as Saturday afternoon in the searing heat and swirling dust of Portage County.

There, in a softball showdown for girls 18 and under, the Lorain Xplosion scored three unearned runs with the help of three Columbia errors. They might have been unearned, but they counted just the same in a 4-2 victory over the Raiders.

For its part, the Lorain girls committed two errors, both in the first inning, and they led to an unearned Columbia run. Without the unearned runs, the teams might still be playing with the score tied at 1.

Instead, the Xplosion went back to Lorain County with the Ohio Girls Softball Organization’s Class D state championship. It was the first OGSO state title by an area team since 2008, when Lorain County teams won three of the four age-group titles.

Grafton Nancy’s Diner, with a chance to take another championship trophy home, lost its Class A (10-and-under) state final showdown to the Champion Flashes, 8-1.

Champion claimed the title for the second year in a row.

In other games involving area teams, Keystone Moyes Trucking drilled the Badger Braves 12-2 in the Class A consolation game and Matthews waxed Medina 11-0 to win the Class C (14U) crown in a perfect-game, mercy-rule rout. No area Class B (12-and-under) teams survived beyond last weekend’s first- and second-round games.

Click here to see photos from the OGSO state finals.

Lorain pitcher Sarah Kaya struck out six and scattered five hits, no more than one by any Columbia player. Kaya wiggled out of a huge jam in the fifth inning.

With the Xplosion leading 4-1, Columbia’s Emily Viccarone drilled a leadoff double to center field, moved to third on Allison Bowes’ single to left and scored on Heather Walaszewski’s first-pitch single to center.

With one out, Sarah Viccarone reached on a bunt single while Bowes and Walaszewski held third and second, respectively. But Kaya breathed easier when the next batter flied out to right field, and she was out of the pickle with a routine popup to short.

“I was just basically trying to stay calm, keeping my focus,” Kaya said of facing Columbia’s final batter in the seventh. “Coming down to that last out was intense. But this means a lot because it’s a first for a lot of us and we can’t wait to start next season.”

Columbia scored its first run when, with two out in the first, Danielle Riolo hit what appeared to be a routine fly ball. But the Xplosion outfield couldn’t handle it and Riolo wound up on second base. Riolo scored when pitcher Kalyn Thompson reached on an infield error.

Lorain tied it at 1 in the third when Kristen Whalen reached on a Columbia error. Then with two outs, Jenee Perry stroked a double to the gap in left-center, sending Whalen home. Until Perry’s hit, the Raiders’ Thompson had retired eight of the first nine batters she faced.

The Xplosion scored what proved to be the winning runs – both unearned – in the fourth. Nikki Kent, who reached on an error, and Kaya, who was aboard via fielder’s choice, scored them. Kent scored when Emily Rousch reached on a Columbia error and Kaya ran in on Whalen’s single to center.

Lorain (21-1) added the crusher in the fifth when Perry led off with a single, stole second and third, then crossed the plate on Abby Coakley’s RBI grounder to the left side. Columbia’s Thompson deserved a better fate. She struck out three and finished with a three-hitter, two of them by the Xplosion’s Perry.

“There were a lot of jitters,” Xplosion coach Shawn Coakley said of his team’s shaky start. “But it’s hard to win at the show if you’ve never been to the show. When we tied the score, you could tell the weight was off our shoulders and we were ready to play ball.”

Columbia finished its season 20-2. Both losses were to the Xplosion.

Contact Bob Daniels at 329-7135 or softball@bobdaniels.info.

OGSO finals
(area teams)

Class A
Champion Flashes 8, Grafton Nancy’s Diner 1
Class C
Mathews 11, Medina 0
Class D
Lorain Xplosion 4, Columbia Raiders 2
Consolation round
Class A
Keystone Moyes Trucking 12, Badger Braves 2

CLEVELAND — The Indians were hoping to have Shin-Soo Choo back for the final month of the season. It looks as though they will get some bonus time.

Choo (broken left thumb) has begun hitting off a tee, and according to manager Manny Acta, the right fielder could begin taking batting practice within the next 7-10 days.

“He’s doing very well,” Acta said of Choo, who has been sidelined since June 25. “It’s encouraging.”

Choo will most likely need a minor league rehab assignment before being activated, but told reporters that he would like to return for the series against the White Sox on Aug. 16-18 at Chicago.

It’s been a season of struggles for Choo, who was arrested for DUI in Sheffield Lake on May 3 and hit just .244 with five home runs and 28 RBIs in 72 games before sustaining the injury.

White in

Alex White (surgery right middle finger) is scheduled to begin a minor league rehab assignment today at Double-A Akron.

White, who has been sidelined since May 21, is expected to make three or four rehab appearances before returning to the Indians and pitching out of the bullpen.

Minor details

Shelley Duncan and Nick Johnson combined to drive in all of Triple-A Columbus’ runs in a 6-5 loss at Syracuse on Thursday. Both had two hits, including a homer apiece.

**First baseman Matt McBride hit a pair of solo homers in Akron’s 7-4 victory over Erie on Thursday. McBride, the 75th overall draft pick in 2006, entered Friday batting .294 with a team-leading 14 homers and 53 RBIs in 83 games.

**Outfielder Luigi Rodriguez was promoted to Class A Lake County after an impressive stint with Cleveland’s Arizona Summer League team, where he hit .383 with three homers, 13 RBIs and 12 stolen bases in 24 games.

Roundin’ third

The Indians entered Friday batting just .174 with 18 runs over their last eight games, while their starting pitchers had posted 2-4 record and 1.96 ERA over the last nine games.

**The Indians have not thrown a no-hitter since Len Barker’s perfect game in 1981. It is the longest drought in the majors other than the Mets and Padres, neither of whom have ever tossed a no-hitter.

**Former Indian great Kenny Lofton threw our the ceremonial first pitch.

**Tonight, 7:05, Channel 3/STO/WTAM 1100-AM/WEOL 930-AM. Masterson (8-7, 2.57) vs. Paulino (1-4, 3.86).

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

CLEVELAND — It wasn’t the blockbuster move most fans were hoping for, but the Indians did make a trade Thursday, acquiring one-time big-name outfielder Kosuke Fukudome from the Cubs for minor leaguers Abner Abreu and Carlton Smith.

Fukudome

In need of offensive assistance, the Indians think they got that and more from Fukudome, a three-year veteran, who hit .273 with three home runs and 13 RBIs in 87 games for Chicago this season.

“Generally speaking, we feel we are a better team today than we were yesterday,” said Cleveland general manager Chris Antonetti of the addition of Fukudome, a native of Osaki, Japan, who ranked 14th in the National League through Wednesday with a .374 on-base percentage. “We feel he can help us both offensively and defensively. Ultimately, our goal is improve our run production and run prevention. I think Kosuke can help us in both areas.”

With Shin-Shoo Choo on the disabled list with a broken left thumb, Fukudome is expected to play right field on a regular basis, a spot previously occupied by Austin Kearns and Travis Buck. Buck was designated for assignment Thursday to clear room for Fukudome on the big league and 40-man roster.

Fukudome was expected to arrive in Cleveland late Thursday and start in right tonight for the series opener with Kansas City.

Fukudome has played mostly right field this year for the Cubs but did play center field in more than 100 games in 2009. Either he or left fielder Michael Brantley will play center should Grady Sizemore fail to make it back from another knee injury.

“If we are still in contention when Grady and Choo come back, we’ll examine that,” Antonetti said.

Fukudome, 34, was a star in Japan before coming to the states in 2008 as a highly touted player and signing a four-year contract with the Cubs worth $48 million. It hasn’t panned out for Fukudome, who entered the season a career .262 hitter. He hasn’t hit more than 13 homers or driven in more than 58 RBIs in any of his three previous years in Chicago.

The Indians were listed as one of the teams in Fukudome’s no-trade clause but he agreed to waive it, with the Cubs responsible for the majority of what remains on his $13.5 salary for this season. He becomes a free agent at the end of the year, with the Indians able to offer him salary arbitration. If Fukudome declines, Cleveland will receive a draft pick as compensation under the current collective bargaining agreement.

“I think in the end, Kosuke looked at this as an opportunity to come to a club that was competing, and the opportunity to get regular at-bats,” Antonetti said.

Responsible for only $775,000 of Fukudome’s contract, the Indians essentially acquired him for a pair of prospects, but none from the coveted list that includes first-round draft choices Drew Pomeranz (LHP), Alex White (RHP), Lonnie Chisenhall (3B) and second-round pick Jason Kipnis (2B).

Still, Antonetti said Smith, 25, was close to pitching on the big league level, the right-handed reliever going 2-3 with a 4.50 ERA in 34 games for Triple-A Columbus this year.

Abreu, 22, was batting .244 with 12 homers and 35 RBIs in 91 games for High-A Kinston, Antonetti calling the non-drafted 2006 free-agent acquisition a talented outfielder.

“We understand that we’re going to have to give up good players to improve the major league team,” Antonetti said. “We felt this was a reasonable cost.”

Fukudome’s addition will not appease fans, nor manager Manny Acta, who want to see the Indians bring aboard a player with the ability to hit in the middle of the order. Antonetti said Fukudome’s acquisition will not prohibit the club from doing so, as Sunday’s trading deadline approaches.

“We’re continuing to look at every opportunity to improve the team,” Antonetti said. “This isn’t going to limit us in the opportunities that we are going to continue to explore. We are going to look at anyway possible to improve the team.”

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