Indians fall flat in loss

Tampa Bay's Desmond Jennings scores on a single by Jose Lobaton as Cleveland catcher Lou Marson waits for the throw late in the sixth inning. The Indians lost 4-2. ASSOCIATED PRESS Enlarge

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Matt Moore won despite control issues, Carlos Pena homered, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Cleveland Indians 4-2 on Tuesday night.

Moore (6-6) allowed two runs and three hits, but walked five in five-plus innings. The rookie left-hander was coming off a five-walk in 4 2/3 innings loss at Cleveland on July 7.

Pena hit a two-run homer and Luke Scott had an RBI triple off Josh Tomlin (5-6) as the Rays took a 3-0 first-inning lead.

Tomlin gave up four runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Moore was pulled after giving up a leadoff walk in the sixth to Carlos Santana. Wade Davis entered and got three quick outs, including Shelley Duncan's double play.

Davis and Joel Peralta each threw 1 1/3 hitless innings. Burke Badenhop got an out before Fernando Rodney pitched the ninth for his 27th save and completed the four-hitter.

Rodney gave up a two-out single to Casey Kotchman, but then got a fly to right from pinch-hitter Travis Hafner on the first pitch.

Asdrubal Cabrera, mired in a 1-for-26 slide, opened the fourth with single for the Indians' first hit. After Moore issued consecutive walks to Jason Kipnis and Michael Brantley, Jose Lopez cut the deficit to 3-1 on a sacrifice fly.

The Rays starter avoided further damage by striking out Santana and getting a flyball from Duncan.

Kipnis made it 3-2 on a run-scoring single in the fifth. Later in the inning Lopez hit a high fly to left after Cleveland had loaded the bases with two outs.

Desmond Jennings stole second on a close play with two outs in the sixth and then scored to make it 4-2 on Jose Lobaton's RBI single.

NOTES: Moore threw 90 pitches, two-thirds after the third inning. ... Tampa Bay activated OF Matt Joyce from the 15-day disabled list and optioned INF Will Rhymes to Triple-A Durham.

Joyce, who went 0 for 4, missed 23 games because of a left oblique strain. ... Cleveland RHP Zach McAllister was fine one day after being hit on the top of the right forearm by a batted ball. "No issues," Indians manager Manny Acta said. ... Rays OF Sam Fuld, sidelined all season after right wrist surgery, could join the team soon from a minor league rehab assignment.

Ortiz to rest Achilles'

BOSTON -- Boston designated hitter David Ortiz said MRI results revealed no tear or rupturing in his Achilles' tendon.

Ortiz, wearing a protective boot Tuesday night, was out of the lineup for Boston's game against the Chicago White Sox. The Red Sox planned to wait another few days before deciding whether to put him on the disabled list.

Ortiz felt pain while rounding second base Monday night on Adrian Gonzalez's three-run homer in the eighth inning. He had an MRI on Tuesday morning.

Royals to cut Sanchez

KANSAS CITY -- The Royals designated struggling starter Jonathan Sanchez for assignment Tuesday.

Sanchez was 1-6 with a 7.76 ERA in 12 starts. The left-hander, who threw a no-hitter for San Francisco in July, 2009, gave up seven runs in 1 1-3 innings in Monday night's loss to the Mariners.

The Royals acquired Sanchez and minor-leaguer Ryan Verdugo last November from the Giants for outfielder Melky Cabrera, who is hitting .353 and was named MVP of last week's All-Star Game in Kansas City.

Ogando off the DL

OAKLAND -- The Texas Rangers activated right-hander Alexi Ogando from the 15-day disabled list, and he was scheduled to be available out of the bullpen for Tuesday night's game at Oakland.

To clear roster room, Texas placed catcher Yorvit Torrealba on the paternity leave list, which he can stay on for up to 72 hours. Torrealba returned home to Florida to be with wife, Millie, who was expected to give birth soon.

Axford loses closer role

MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee Brewers manager Ron Roenicke says Francisco Rodriguez will replace struggling reliever John Axford as the team's closer.

Roenicke said before Tuesday night's game against St. Louis that he spoke with Axford earlier in the day to explain his decision.