Chris Perez gives up HR in ninth as Rockies top Indians

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Indians have mastered the art of pulling out late-inning wins at Progressive Field this season.

Thanks to Seth Smith, the Colorado Rockies turned the tables Tuesday night. Smith hit his second homer of the game off Chris Perez to snap a ninth-inning tie and give the Rockies a 4-3 win.

"It's part of the game," Indians manager Manny Acta said. "We're used to that now, especially the way we won so many games in the first month and a half of the season. They ended up scoring against our toughest guy out of the 'pen."

Smith, who hit a two-run homer off Mitch Talbot in the sixth, belted a 2-2 pitch into the right-field seats for his eighth homer of the season and fourth career multihomer game.

Perez, who has converted 17 of 18 save chances, was brought in after the Indians tied the game in the eighth on RBI singles by Travis Hafner and Travis Buck.

Perez (2-3) took full blame for the loss.

"It was a hanging slider," he said. "I just didn't come through. It happens. Home runs are part of the game. Obviously, that's why we lost tonight."

"He threw me some good fastballs," Smith said. "Then I hit a slider that I don't think is the best he's got. It wasn't where he wanted it."

(ap.com)