Indians end seven-game skid with win over Rangers

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Cleveland Indians ended a season-high seven-game losing streak with a convincing 5-2 home win over the Texas Rangers on Saturday.

Ben Francisco powered the victory, stroking a three-run homer in the third inning.

Francisco, who had a three-run home run relegated to a double on Friday when an umpire incorrectly ruled the outfielder's homer had hit the railing, left no doubt this time.

He drove a fastball from Rangers pitcher Scott Feldman over the left field fence to score Grady Sizemore and Travis Hafner and give Cleveland a 4-2 lead.

"It was nice to get it over the railing," he told reporters. "It was nice to get one that counts."

Francisco also scored in the second, coming home on a Texas error after hitting a double.

"Benny's been fantastic. Everywhere we put him, he really responds to it," Indians manager Eric Wedge said.

Jhonny Peralta homered in the sixth inning for Cleveland's other run.

Left-hander Cliff Lee (7-1) worked six and two-thirds innings for the victory. Lee, who had started the season 6-0 before losing to Cincinnati on May 18, struck out eight and walked four while giving up seven hits and two runs.

Relievers Rafael Perez and Joe Borowski held the Rangers to one hit the remainder of the game.

Run-scoring singles by David Murphy in the first and Ian Kinsler in the second staked Texas to a 2-0 lead.

"What he (Lee) had in the first couple innings wasn't going to make it," Wedge told reporters.

But Lee settled down to get the victory.

(Writing by Gene Cherry in Raleigh, North Carolina; Editing by Ed Osmond)