Cleveland, OH (Best E Casino) - Ryan Garko hit a two-run homer and a three- run double to lead the Indians to a 8-4 win over the stumbling Tampa Bay Rays in the third game of a four-game set.

Tampa Bay has lost a season-high six straight and, coupled with a Red Sox win on Saturday, saw its lead in the AL East drop to a half-game.

Grady Sizemore also had a two-run homer for the Indians, who have taken the first three games of this series with the AL East-leading Rays after dropping 10 straight.

Matt Ginter (1-0), called up from Triple-A Buffalo Saturday to make a spot- start for the Indians, threw five shutout innings, scattering five hits and fanning five. The 30-year-old righthander was needed to fill in as the Indians are down a hurler after dealing CC Sabathia to the Brewers, and with Fausto Carmona sidelined with a right hip strain.

Ginter hadn't started in the majors since September 18, 2005, with the Tigers. The journeyman pitcher picked up his first win since May 21, 2004, when he played for the New York Mets.

Matt Garza (7-5) was rocked for a season-high seven runs on 11 hits in five frames, fanning six and walking two. The Rays were held scoreless until Cliff Floyd's two-run single and Dioner Navarro's two-run double, both in the eighth inning.

The Indians jumped on top with two two-run shots in the second. Garko's homer to left with one out put the Tribe on the board, and Franklin Gutierrez followed with a single to right. Sizemore then belted a pitch out to center, his 23rd, for a 4-0 Cleveland lead.

Garko's homer was his first extra-base hit since June 10, a span of 24 games. Gutierrez's single snapped an 0-for-32 slump.

Garza ran into more trouble in the third. Jhonny Peralta, Casey Blake, and David Dellucci all singled to load the bases. Kelly Shoppach flied out to center, too shallow for Peralta to tag, for the first out of the frame. Garko picked Shoppach up in a big way, however, lacing a double into the center, deep enough to clear the bases for a 7-0 Indians lead.

The struggling Tampa Bay offense was shut down until the eighth, when it put up a four-spot. The Rays hadn't scored since the third inning of their 13-2 loss to Cleveland on Thursday, a span which included their 5-0 shutout loss on Friday.

Floyd's two-run single and Navarro's two-run double cut the deficit to 7-4 in the eighth, but Blake's RBI single in the eighth pushed the Cleveland lead back to four runs.

Masa Kobayashi, who got the last out in the eighth after giving up Navarro's double, pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to close out the win.

Game Notes

The Indians have won 12 straight over the Rays in Cleveland...Eric Hinske went 3-for-4 and scored for the Rays...The Indians scored five of their eight runs with two outs...To clear a spot for Ginter, the Indians optioned pitcher Brian Slocum to Buffalo. Also on Saturday, the club transferred pitcher Scott Elarton from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list.