Indians Lead Red Sox 7-0 After 5 Innings

CLEVELAND - Jhonny Peralta hit a three-run home run after Cleveland tagged knuckleballer Tim Wakefield for three runs in the fifth and the Indians surged to a 7-0 lead over the Boston Red Sox through five innings in Game 4 of the AL championship series on Tuesday night.

Casey Blake led off the fifth with a solo homer to break a scoreless tie and Asdrubal Cabrera and Victor Martinez followed with run-scoring singles to chase Wakefield.

Wakefield, pitching for the first time in 17 days, baffled the Indians over the first four innings while striking out six.

He allowed a single after Blake's homer, then hit a batter before first baseman Kevin Youkilis kept Cabrera's at-bat alive by bobbling a popup in foul territory. Moments later, Cabrera ripped a comebacker off the tip of Wakefield's glove that could have led to an inning-ending double play.

Wakefield was chased with two runners on and two outs in the fifth, and reliever Manny Delcarmen came in and allowed Peralta's homer before Blake's shallow fly ball fell just out of the reach of a diving Coco Crisp to score Kenny Lofton.

The Indians led the series 2-1 after winning 4-2 on Monday night. After a day off Wednesday, Josh Beckett is scheduled to pitch Game 5 for Boston against Cleveland's C.C. Sabathia in a rematch of the opening-game starters.

Wakefield had been left off the AL division series roster with a back injury. The 41-year-old was 17-12 with a 4.76 ERA but had four consecutive bad starts before pitching well in his last regular-season game.

Paul Byrd pitched for the first time since starting the Indians' victory on Oct. 8 that clinched the AL division series. The 36-year-old allowed two runs and eight hits in five innings as Cleveland beat the Yankees 6-4 to advance to the ALCS.

Boston threatened after Byrd retired the first two batters in the third. Dustin Pedroia singled through the hole between first and second base and took second when Youkilis lined a single to left.

Byrd ended the rally by getting David Ortiz to ground the ball to the right of second base where shortstop Peralta, overshifting against the lefty hitter, scooped it up and stepped on second for the forceout.

Byrd retired the side in order in the first, ending the inning by getting Ortiz to swing and miss at a 90 mph fastball, unusually fast for Byrd.

Wakefield started the first by walking Grady Sizemore, then struck out the next two batters on swinging strikes - Cabrera on a 60 mph knuckler and Travis Hafner on a 63 mph pitch. Then Martinez flied out to right fielder J.D. Drew.

In the second, Byrd allowed a leadoff single to Manny Ramirez, who took second when Mike Lowell grounded out to first. Then Byrd struck the next two batters - Drew swinging at a 91 mph pitch and Crisp.

Wakefield made quick work of the Indians in the bottom of the second. Peralta struck out swinging, Lofton grounded to first baseman and Blake looked at a 66 mph third strike.

Lofton struck a key blow in the second inning of Game 3, a two-run homer that gave the Indians a 2-0 lead against Daisuke Matsuzaka.