Burba, Indians Sweep Reds

The difference between Cleveland and Cincinnati was never more apparent. One has a lot of money, stars and wins. The other has a lot of envy.

Manny Ramirez hit his second homer of the series and Dave Burba beat his former team once again Sunday, leading the Indians to a 7-3 victory and three-game sweep of the Reds.

It was the first sweep in three series between the intrastate rivals. The Indians have won the last five games all at Cinergy Field for a 6-3 overall advantage.

Cleveland has a payroll that's more than twice as large ($69 million to $33 million) and has been to the playoffs in each of the last four years. Cincinnati hasn't had a winning record since 1995.

The Indians have the major leagues' most dangerous lineup, hitting a combined .298 while averaging 6.65 runs per game. The sweep moved them to 40-20, the first time they've been 20 games over .500 this season.

The Reds lobbied for a six-game series with Cleveland after their three games at Cinergy Field last year drew 144,917 fans, their best gate in 24 years. This weekend's series attracted 141,325, roughly half of them Indians fans.

That made the sweep a little more meaningful for a team that has the major leagues' best road record at 22-7.

"It's special because it's in-state and it is a rivalry that I think is going to get more intense over time," manager Mike Hargrove said. "We wanted to come in here and do the best that we can because we're in a (pennant) race, too. That was the thing we couldn't afford to take our eyes off of."

Burba (6-2) provided the signature moment to last year's series, hitting a homer against the team that traded him for Sean Casey on the eve of the season opener.

Burba, who grew up in nearby Springfield rooting for the Reds, had about 15 relatives and friends in the stands Sunday. He lasted six inningon a steamy afternoon that quickly drained him, giving up three runs on seven hits. Greg Vaughn hit a solo homer, his fourth in eight games, and Brian Johnson had a two-run single.

"I've always loved playing here," said Burba, who attended Reds games as a boy. "It's still a thrill to come back and play here."

Burba singled in three at-bats and upbraided fans who booed him for failing to run out a grounder in the sixth, when he was tired and nearly fell coming out of the batter's box. Burba patted his butt as the boos grew louder and raised his fist to acknowledge a group of fans cheering him sarcastically behind the Indians' dugout.

"I just wanted to let them know you can yell at me, but I'm not going to sit there and let you make fun of me. I have feelings, too," Burba said. "When the fans get on me, I always retaliate. But it's always in fun."

Burba, a .145 career hitter, made contact all three times up and slid hard into second after his single to break up a double play.

By contrast, Steve Avery (3-6) suffered another quick meltdown, failing to reach the fourth inning for the third time in his last four starts.

"This is something I've got to work out quick," Avery said. "I can't keep going out there and giving them just two innings."

The left-hander threw 30 pitches in the first inning alone, when the Indians sent eight batters to the plate but only scored twice and left the bases loaded.

Ramirez, who completed a three-game suspension for charging the mound last week, hit a two-run homer in the third, a 423-foot shot that put the Indians ahead to stay. He leads the majors with 72 RBIs.

Avery gave up four hits, five walks and four runs in only 2 2-3 innings.

Roberto Alomar had a sacrifice fly and an RBI double as the Indians pulled away. He and shortstop Omar Vizquel turned a double play on Barry Larkin's grounder to end a bases-loaded threat in the fifth.

The Vizquel-to-Alomar combination produced three double plays in the last five innings.

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