ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) Carlos Santana found his power stroke again at an opportune time.
Santana hit a three-run homer during a five-run seventh inning and the Cleveland Indians rallied for a 10-6 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night.
Shin-Soo Choo and Asdrubal Cabrera hit two-out singles off Kyle Farnsworth (0-2) before Jason Kipnis' RBI single against Jake McGee tied it at 4. After Michael Brantley had a run-scoring single, Santana extended the lead to 8-4 with his first homer since May 15.
``It means a lot to him because I know that's been weighing on him, especially the power drought that he's had,'' Cleveland manager Manny Acta said. ``It's hard on those guys. He must be feeling a lot better.''
Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon was ejected by home plate umpire Dan Iassogna after Kipnis' game-tying hit for arguing balls and strikes. He thought the umpire missed a two-strike pitch on Kipnis.
``Dan Iassogna is a very good umpire ... he absolutely blew that call and that's a very big play in tonight's game,'' Maddon said.
Kipnis and Santana added run-scoring singles in ninth as the Indians went ahead 10-5.
``We're so much better an offensive club when Santana is contributing,'' Acta said.
Cleveland starter Justin Masterson left trailing 4-3 and with the bases loaded in the fifth, but was bailed out when Esmil Rogers (1-0) entered and got two quick outs.
``That was a very big win for us, especially the way things started,'' Acta said. ``Rogers did a fantastic job. He's the one who pretty much saved the day. He gave us an opportunity to comeback.''
Rogers struck out three and walked one over 1 2-3 scoreless innings.
Santana walked and Casey Kotchman was hit by a pitch, and both scored on Jack Hannahan's two-out double in the fifth. Choo cut the deficit to 4-3 with an RBI single.
``It really came down pretty much to one play, when we hit Kotch with that pitch and then all of a sudden hang a changeup to Hannahan and then Choo's ground ball up the middle that we could have caught or at least knocked down,'' Maddon said. ``All those moments should not have occurred just by making a better pitch against Kotch.''
The Rays took a 2-0 lead in the second on Elliot Johnson's RBI single and a sacrifice fly by B.J. Upton. Luke Scott hit an RBI single and Desmond Jennings had a run-scoring bunt hit that made it 4-0 during the third.
Johnson had a seventh-inning RBI infield single. Jennings drove in a run during the ninth with a grounder.
Scott had four hits, and is 12-for-29 in seven games against Cleveland since the weekend before the All-Star break. In his last 12 games against all other teams, the Tampa Bay designated hitter is hitless in 38 at-bats.
Masterson went 4 1-3 innings, allowing four runs and seven hits. Tampa Bay's Jeremy Hellickson gave up three runs and five hits over six innings.
``It was a crazy game,'' Masterson said. ``The boys battled. A lot goes to the bullpen for going in there and keeping it right where it was. Two-run rallies. Just making it happen.''
Masterson walked a career-high seven.
Notes: Rays 3B Evan Longoria, out since May 1 with a partially torn left hamstring, will accompany the team for a nine-game trip that starts Tuesday. ``We haven't even put a potential date on going out and doing the rehab (assignment), but he's feeling less strained on different movements, which is a good thing,'' Maddon said. ... Cleveland LHP Rafael Perez (strained left lat) pitched a scoreless inning for Triple-A Columbus.
