Rare rally helps Indians end 8-game losing streak

CLEVELAND - Coming from behind to win hasn't exactly been theCleveland Indians' forte. Building a big lead and holding it isn'ttheir style, either.

Mostly, what they've done this season is lose, which is why Fridaynight's win felt so good.

Ellis Burks hit a two-run double in the eighth inning - his secondof the night - as the Indians snapped an eight-game losing streakwith a 6-5 win over the Texas Rangers.

"That's a step," Burks said. "Hopefully, we can run off a few morelike it."

Burks, who rallied the Indians to 5-4 with a double in the sixth,did it again in the eighth off Ugueth Urbina as Cleveland won for thefirst time in 17 games when trailing after six innings.

Rookies Jody Gerut and Travis Hafner homered for the Indians, whoavoided their first nine-game slide since a 10-game skid in 1979.

"It has been a tough stretch, but the guys hung in there," first-year Manager Eric Wedge said.

"A couple of our veterans stepped up tonight."

Alex Rodriguez hit his 10th homer in the first inning for the free-swinging Rangers, who lead the Majors with 55 homers but couldn't getsimple singles when they needed them.

Texas blew a chance to extend its lead when the Rangers strandedleadoff doubles in the fifth and sixth.

"What sticks in my craw is twice we had a man on second and noneout and didn't push them across," Manager Buck Showalter said. "Wedidn't even come close and it bit us tonight."

Dave Elder (1-0), recalled from Triple-A Buffalo on Thursday, gotone out in the eighth for his first career win and Cleveland's firstwin by a reliever. The Indians' bullpen had been the only one in theMajors without a victory.

Danys Baez pitched the ninth for his fourth save and first sinceApril 9. The converted starter had blown his last two save tries andhad a 16.63 ERA in his previous five outings.

Rookie reliever Billy Traber kept Cleveland close with 32/3scoreless innings.

Traber wasn't involved in the decision, but that didn't matter.

"Who cares?" Traber said. "The only numbers we care about arewins."

Texas first baseman Rafael Palmeiro went 0-for-3 with a walk andremains two homers shy of 500 for his career. Palmeiro is seeking tobecome the 19th player to reach the plateau.

The Indians trailed 5-4 in the eighth when Matt Lawton singledwith one out off Francisco Cordero (1-3) and Omar Vizquel worked hisway back from a 1-2 count for a walk.

Urbina came on and Burks hit his first pitch - just as he did inthe sixth against Rosman Garcia - off the left-field wall. Vizquelwas able to beat Rodriguez's relay throw to the plate as the Indiansrecorded just their second comeback win.

"I was looking for a fastball and I got it," Burks said.

Before Burks' double in the sixth, the Indians were 3-for-40 withrunners in scoring position in their last six games.

Texas starter Joaquin Benoit blew his chance to make the rotationwith a disappointing spring training and made five starts at Triple-A Oklahoma before being recalled earlier in the day.

The right-hander looked good in his season debut, allowing threeruns and four hits in 5 1-3 innings.

The Rangers scored three unearned runs during a bizarre thirdinning when the Indians showed why they're struggling.

Cleveland starter Jason Davis had two wild pitches - one on apitchout - a balk, two walks, and the Indians made an error in theinning.