CINCINNATI – Cleveland Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera and closer Chris Perez were picked by other major leaguers for reserve roles on the American League All-Star team. It’s the first time for both players.

They got news of their selections before the final game of a series against the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday. Cabrera was getting ready for the game, while Perez was on his way back from attending his grandmother’s funeral in Florida.

“I just say thank you to everybody,” Cabrera said.

Cabrera has been the most consistent hitter in Cleveland’s offense, while Perez has been nearly flawless in a bullpen that is one of the team’s strengths. The Indians have been one of the majors’ biggest surprises this season, leading the AL Central.

Last year, starter Fausto Carmona was Cleveland’s lone All-Star representative. He has lost 10 games this season and went on the 15-day disabled list before Sunday’s game with a strained right thigh.

“It’s a credit to the major league scouts and the front office, to bring in two All-Stars who have a chance for this to be not the last time for them,” manager Manny Acta said.

Cabrera came to Cleveland in the 2006 trade that sent Eduardo Perez to Seattle. The 25-year-old switch-hitter was batting .294 with a career-high 14 homers and 49 RBIs heading into Sunday’s game. He led American League shortstops in hits, runs, doubles, homers and RBIs.

Cabrera finished second to Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter in the fan voting for shortstop. Jeter got 4.5 million votes, while Cabrera had 4.07 million.

“What Asdrubal has done this year is nothing short of All-Star caliber,” Acta said. “He’s been a big part of stabilizing our lineup, that’s for sure. He’s been our best hitter from Day One. He’s a good defensive player, too.”

The 14 homers are the biggest breakthrough. Cabrera came into the season with a total of 18 career homers and decided to try to hit for more power. He’s been surprised by his home run total.

“I know I’ve got a little power, but I’ve never tried to use it,” he said. “I just try to hit the ball hard sometimes.”

Acta thought he could hit more homers, but didn’t expect so many so soon.

“I’d be lying to you if I told you I wasn’t surprised by the power numbers,” Acta said. “I always thought he’d be a double-digit (homer) guy, but not double-digit in the first half.”

Cabrera is the first Indians shortstop picked for the All-Star game since Omar Vizquel in 2002.

The Indians got Perez from St. Louis in 2009 as part of the trade for Mark DeRosa. Perez has converted 19 of his 20 save chances this season, including 13 in a row. Since Aug. 12, he is 29 of 30 in save chances.

Perez has been dependable under pressure. He has converted 10 of his 11 save chances with a one-run lead, and 19 of his last 20.

“He looked perfect for that role,” Acta said. “Even this year, he looks calm and in control and has a short memory, though he hasn’t had to use that short memory a lot. He’s gotten a lot of one-run saves with the heart of the order up. Those are legit.”

Perez is the first Indians closer to make the All-Star team since Bob Wickman in 2005.

The game will be played Tuesday, July 12, in Arizona.

CINCINNATI – The Indians finished interleague play thinking: Not bad at all.

Edgar Renteria hit his first homer since his World Series MVP performance, helping the Cincinnati Reds break out of their offensive slump and beat the Indians 7-5 on Sunday, their only win of the season against their intrastate rival.

The Indians took five of six in the series, matching its best result. The Reds also went 5-1 in 2008.

After getting swept in San Francisco, the Indians won four of six in Arizona and Cleveland to retake first place in the AL Central.

“I’m just glad the road trip is over,” manager Manny Acta said. “I’m happy with the results. I’m extremely happy with the way we bounced back in Arizona and here, especially without having (DH Travis) Hafner.”

The problem Sunday was another erratic start by Mitch Talbot.

Chris Heisey also homered off Talbot (2-5), who has struggled with consistency since returning from a sore elbow. The Reds piled up six runs and 10 hits in his four innings.

“I’m trying to figure out what’s the difference between my good starts and my bad starts,” Talbot said. “I don’t know what to do right now.”

Mike Leake (8-4) became the Reds’ first eight-game winner, matching his career high with eight strikeouts in six innings. Francisco Cordero pitched the ninth for his 17th save in 19 chances.

Five players learned before the game that they’ll be headed to Arizona for the All-Star game next week – Cleveland’s Asdrubal Cabrera and Chris Perez, Cincinnati’s Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce. Instead of the stars, the reserves rallied Cincinnati to its breakthrough win.

Renteria had a pair of hits, including his first homer in 130 at-bats this season. He hit three for the Giants last season, and two more in the World Series.

Heisey also had a pair of hits during a rare start in center field. Miguel Cairo filled in at third base and had a pair of hits and scored twice.

Cincinnati is delighted to be done with interleague play.

The defending NL Central champions went only 6-12 against the American League, keeping them stuck a few games out of first place at the season’s midpoint.

By contrast, the AL Central-leading Indians prospered, going 11-7 in interleague games even though they couldn’t use Hafner as a DH on the road.

The Reds put together a bunch of hits that went between fielders, over outstretched gloves and – in Renteria’s case – barely over the outfield wall. His solo homer in the sixth barely cleared the yellow padding atop the wall in right and made it 7-2.

It was another disappointing showing for Talbot, who was on the disabled list in May with a sore pitching elbow. In eight starts since returning, he is 1-5 and has allowed 31 earned runs in 402⁄3 innings.

“It’s usually the first inning that gets me,” said Talbot, who didn’t have a problem with it this time. “Once I get through that, I cruise. I’m not too sure what happened today.”

Notable

The Indians lead the all-time series 39-36.

• OF Travis Buck missed his second straight game with a tight left hamstring.

• RH Fausto Carmona went on the 15-day DL with a strained right thigh, suffered during his tumble at first base on Saturday. Perez, who had been in Florida for his grandmother’s funeral, was activated off the bereavement list.

• The Indians signed 16-year-old SS Dorssys Paulino from the Dominican Republic. He’s the son of Jesus Sanchez, a left-hander who played for the Marlins, Cubs, Rockies, and Reds from 1998-2004. He’ll enter Cleveland’s new academy in the Dominican

TONIGHT

• WHO: Cleveland vs. New York Yankees
• TIME: 6:35
• WHERE: Progressive Field
• PITCHERS: Tomlin (9-4, 3.86 ERA) vs. Burnett (8-6, 4.05)
• TV/RADIO: SportsTime Ohio; WEOL 930-AM, WTAM 1100-AM

CINCINNATI — Indians reliever Joe Smith answered the compliment with a question.

“We were the stars?” he said.

Yes. And never brighter.

Frank Herrmann took over after Cleveland starter Fausto Carmona took a tumble Saturday, pitching three innings for his first big league win, and the rest of the Indians bullpen followed his lead for a 3-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

The bullpen has been the foundation for Cleveland’s surprising season — a slim lead in the AL Central at the midpoint.

“It’s not a secret that those guys are good,” manager Manny Acta said. “We’ve got three or four guys with ERAs below 2.00.”

Good numbers indeed. So are the Indians’ numbers against their intrastate rival — 5-0, one win away from the first sweep in the interleague series’ history.

More important is the way Cleveland has started July. After going 10-17 in June, the Indians are 2-0 in the new month.

“It can’t get any worse than it got in June,” Acta said. “We’re moving forward now.”

Michael Brantley hit a three-run homer in Cleveland’s strange third inning against Homer Bailey (3-3), one that put the Indians ahead and cost them a pitcher. Carmona fell hard while running out a bunt, leaving the game with a strained right thigh.

Carmona had bandages on his forearm and thigh, and two fingers on his pitching hand were taped together after the game. He smiled and declined to talk about his tumble, which seemed like nothing more than a blooper at first.

“The way he went out, we were kind of laughing,” Smith said. “Then we found out (he was hurt). It stinks when your starter goes out, but our bullpen is tough.”

Herrmann (1-0) retired nine of the 10 batters he faced, a good showing considering he hadn’t pitched since June 20.

“I was definitely fresh today,” he said. “Not pitching in 11 days, it’s not easy. That’s the first time I really tried to do that in my life.”

Smith struck out Brandon Phillips with the bases loaded in the seventh, extending his streak to 19 scoreless appearances. Joey Votto homered in the eighth off left-hander Tony Sipp. Vinnie Pestano escaped a two-on threat in the ninth, fanning Scott Rolen for his first save in four tries.

It’s the first time that Cleveland has won five games in a season series against Cincinnati. No team has swept the season series, which started in 1997. The Reds went 5-1 in 2008.

The defending NL Central champions will be glad to be done with interleague play. The Reds have struggled mightily against the American League, going 5-12. Cleveland is 11-6 against the NL.

“Our total game’s not in sync,” manager Dusty Baker said. “We’re having trouble getting that big hit. We had them in a lot of jams — a lot of opportunities.”

Carmona was shaken up following his chest-first tumble. He was the Indians’ lone All-Star last season, but has fallen on hard times, tying for the major league lead in losses at 4-10. One bad step cost him a chance to get his season turned around.

Lou Marson singled before Carmona bunted to third baseman Rolen, who threw to second to try to start a double play. Shortstop Paul Janish pulled his foot off the base as he reached for the throw, an error that left Marson safe.

Carmona was running hard down the line to beat the anticipated relay and tripped a few feet from the base, sending him sprawling. He got up, stretched his right thigh and pitching hand, talked to Acta and walked off the field.

Brantley followed with a drive into the Indians bullpen, where Herrmann was starting to warm up to replace Carmona. It was Brantley’s first homer since June 6.

“I didn’t think it was going to be the last runs we scored,” Brantley said.

Notes

The first two games of the series sold out. Cincinnati has sold out eight games this season.

… Three umpires worked the top of the first inning because Derryl Cousins was ill. He took his spot at third base for the bottom of the inning.

… The Indians expect closer Chris Perez back today from his grandmother’s funeral in Florida.

… Pestano’s last save came on Sept. 26.

… Herrmann got the win in his 55th major league appearance.

… Indians OF Travis Buck was diagnosed with a mild strain of his left hamstring, suffered during Friday night’s game. He’s expected back in a couple of days.

Just when you thought it wasn’t safe for the Indians to go back on the field, they prove you wrong again.

The Indians have slipped a number of times since getting off to the outrageously successful start that cushioned the blow from injuries and shoddy play for the majority of the month of June.

But they haven’t fallen yet, still leading the Central Division by a half game over Detroit through Friday — their latest escape act coming after being swept in the first series of nine interleague road games.

With pretty much everything working against them, a hot Tigers team led by former Indians Victor Martinez and Jhonny Peralta and a slumping offense without an injured Shin-Soo Choo and unavailable designated hitter Travis Hafner, the Indians took two of three from the Diamondbacks.

They followed that up by winning the series opener in Cincinnati on Friday.

Much of the thanks for staying afloat goes to a top-shelf bullpen and three of four pitchers out of the rotation — Carlos Carrasco, Josh Tomlin and Justin Masterson — a trio that has given the Indians more than a chance to win every fifth day.

Still, give the Indians some credit for the resiliency they have shown as a team. Everyone is waiting to write them off, but they’re still on the page nearly halfway through the season.

Mission accomplished

If manager Manny Acta’s intention was to light a fire under veteran Orlando Cabrera when rookie Cord Phelps was promoted to platoon with him at second base, it has worked.

Cabrera, who justifiably griped to reporters when the move was made, has turned it on at the plate, entering Saturday batting .309 (17-for-55) with two home runs, four doubles and six RBIs in 16 games since the Phelps promotion.

Looks like a guy trying to prove someone wrong — Acta and general manager Chris Antonetti — for sitting a 14-year veteran with a lifetime .273 batting average and two Gold Gloves.

If Cabrera keeps this up, he’s going to get his starting spot back at second, while Phelps either stays on the bench or heads back to Triple-A Columbus in favor of another prospect in Jason Kipnis.

You’re outta here

OK, we’ve seen more than enough of Austin Kearns, haven’t we? I get that he’s a veteran and has hit on the big league level before and Acta likes him cause he played for him in Washington … blah, blah blah.

Fact is, when Kearns has produced, it’s been in a regular role, which isn’t available now or later with the Indians. He has agonizingly proven he can’t handle a part time gig — .192 (10-for-99), NO homers and TWO RBIs in 34 games through Friday.

At this point, Tomlin, who had two during a recent interleague road start, has a better chance of getting a hit than Kearns.

With Choo on the disabled list for what could be the rest of the season, the Indians have only minor league players to replace Kearns — ones they want in the lineup on a regular basis that won’t get that luxury on the big league level.

But even a mid-level prospect seems like a better option than Kearns, who isn’t a great fielder and has given the Indians close to nothing at the plate.

The Chiz Kid

Cleveland’s top prospect, third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall, has made positive first impression, 4-for-12 with two doubles and an RBI, while displaying a rocket arm in the field through three debut games.

Not trying to being negative here, but let’s give this some time before declaring Chisenhall the savior of the Indians’ sagging offense. Remember, this was Chisenhall’s first year at the Triple-A level and he wasn’t on pace to break any records with the Clippers in 65 games this season — .265, 7 HR, 44 RBIs.

Yes, he’s certainly a better option at third base than Jack Hannahan, who has continued to give the Indians solid defensive work, but seen his batting average sink to a measly .215 through Friday.

Whether Chisenhall is the second coming, remains to be seen.

Power poll

1. Philadelphia Phillies: This team is clearly the class of the National League, and probably the majors.
2. New York Yankees: With production from plenty, the Bronx Bombers are back on top in the AL East, sporting the league’s best record.
3. Boston Red Sox: Despite their second-place standing, the Sox still look like the AL’s most complete team.
4. San Francisco Giants: One of the majors’ best rotations has kept the defending world champs on top of the NL West in the wake of key injuries.
5. Atlanta Braves: Though the Bravos will likely need to take the wild-card path to the postseason, they might be the NL’s second-best club.

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