CLEVELAND, Ohio — Indians manager Manny Acta said Carlos Carrasco was one pitch away from reaching the safe harbor of the bullpen. He never made it, which meant the Indians didn't either.

Texas put together two three-run innings against Carrasco to overcome a 3-0 deficit and beat the Indians, 7-4, Thursday night at Progressive Field. The Rangers have won 13

of their past 16 games against the Indians.

Carrasco certainly wasn't the only guilty part as the Indians opened a seven-game homestand after a 3-3 trip. Lefty Rafael Perez made his second error in the past two games, and Matt LaPorta made all the wrong choices at a critical juncture in the sixth when he had runners hung up between third and home and first and second and didn't get an out.

But it was Carrasco who had a 3-0 lead headed into the fifth inning with the bullpen warmed and ready if he got through one or two more innings.

"Carlos was one pitch away in the fifth from getting us into bullpen territory and winning the game," said Acta. "He had two out, nobody on, but he couldn't keep the ball down. He elevated everything."

"We didn't help him with the defense, but he didn't have anything to finish hitters off."

Nelson Cruz opened the fifth with a double. He came around to third on two groundouts to make it 3-1. All Carrasco needed was another out, and he could have done a five-and-fly. Or started the sixth with a 3-1 lead.

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But Endy Chavez, who went 4-for-4, hit a two-out single and stole second. Carrasco walked Ian Kinsler before giving up consecutive run-scoring singles to center field by Elvis Andrus and Josh Hamilton to tie the score.

"Andrus hit a neck-high fastball, and Hamilton hit a changeup that was way up in the zone," said Acta.

The AL West-leading Rangers put the AL Central-leading Indians away with three more runs in the sixth. Cruz doubled with one out, and Mitch Moreland followed with a single to center. LaPorta took the cutoff throw as Cruz made the turn at third and Moreland headed for second. LaPorta had a chance to catch either Ranger in a rundown, but he ended up with nothing as Cruz went back to first and Moreland to first.

"He's got to give the ball up as quick as possible," said Acta. "If you get the guy hung up at third base, forget about the guy on first base. Who cares about that guy?

"If you're going to worry about the guy on first base, give up the ball right away to Orlando [Cabrera], who was there. We need to get an out."

When Moreland returned to first, LaPorta disgustedly flipped the ball to Orlando Cabrera, who was covering first.

Yorvit Torrealba followed with a sacrifice fly to right to break a 3-3 tie. Endy Chavez tripled to right-center to make it 5-3 when the Indians' defense misfired again.

With Ian Kinsler batting, Carrasco threw a pitch past catcher Carlos Santana. Chavez headed home but stopped and returned to third when Santana quickly recovered the ball as it rebounded off the backstop.

Santana threw the ball back to Carrasco, who was running in to cover the plate. The throw was wide, and Chavez reversed direction and scored. Carrasco took Jack Hannahan's throw at the plate, but the sliding Chavez not only was safe but appeared to spike Carrasco.

"Santana had his back to the play going after the ball," said Acta, "but Carrasco didn't say anything, so Santana threw the ball."

Carrasco (4-3, 5.18) allowed six runs, five earned, in six innings. He walked two.

LaPorta made it 6-4 with a leadoff homer off Michael Kirkman (1-0) in the seventh. It was LaPorta's eighth homer and third in the past seven games.

Texas added a run in the ninth when Andrus scored on an error by lefty Rafael Perez, who dropped LaPorta's throw at first on Hamilton's grounder. It was Perez's second error in the last two games.

Neftali Feliz pitched the ninth for his 12th save.

The Tribe took a 3-0 lead in the second against David Bush, who made a spot start because left-hander Matt Harrison couldn't pitch because of a blister on his pitching hand. Travis Buck and Orlando Cabrera singled home runs, and Buck scored on Hannahan's groundout to short.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: phoynes@plaind.com, 216-999-5158

Cinesport video: Rangers 7, Indians 4

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