Hafner#039;s grand slam gives Tribe win

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, April 13, 2004

CLEVELAND (AP) - No extra innings. No wasted chances. No bullpen implosion.

The Cleveland Indians waited until they were home to have a fairly routine game.

Travis Hafner hit a grand slam and Cliff Lee pitched six innings with help from his infield as the Indians won their home opener, 6-3 over the Minnesota Twins on Monday.

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During pregame ceremonies, the Indians celebrated their first 10 years at Jacobs Field by unveiling a new $7 million scoreboard that livens up the ballpark.

A few innings later, Hafner gave Cleveland fans the kind of moment they've gotten used to while watching the Indians bludgeon the AL Central for most of the past decade.

Hafner connected in the third inning off Kyle Lohse (0-2) and Matt Lawton added a solo shot in the seventh for Cleveland, which stopped a three-game losing streak.

The Indians went 2-5 - three were extra-inning losses - on a season-opening road trip they could blame squarely on their bullpen's inability to finish games.

But Lee (1-0), who allowed five hits in six innings and induced three double plays, handed over a 5-2 lead that Cleveland's relievers finally protected.

Angels 7, Rangers 6

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Pinch-hitter Brad Fullmer burned his former team with a three-run double that capped a five-run sixth inning for Texas.

Hank Blalock was 3-for-5 with a go-ahead two-run single, and finished the four-game series with 10 hits.

After Ben Webber replaced Jarrod Washburn (1-1) with two on and one out in the sixth, Michael Young reached on an infield single.

Blalock then singled for a 4-3 lead, and Fullmer, who played for the World Series champions in Anaheim two years ago, later doubled to clear the bases.

Carlos Almanzar (1-0) pitched a perfect sixth and Francisco Cordero allowed two runs in the ninth, but managed to get his second save.