THE ASSOICATED PRESS
ST. PETERSBURG &ndash Cliff Lee tied the major league lead with his 15th win, and the Cleveland Indians stayed unbeaten against the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays this season with a 5-2 victory on Monday night.
Lee (15-2) went seven innings, giving up two runs and eight hits. The left-hander is 9-2 in 13 road starts.
Tampa Bay's five-game winning streak ended. The Rays began the day 2½ games ahead of Boston in the AL East.
David Dellucci hit his 100th career homer for the Indians, who improved to 20-36 on the road. Cleveland is 5-0 against the Rays this season, including a four-game sweep at home July 10-13.
Rafael Perez pitched the final two innings to record his second save.
Akinori Iwamura drove in both runs for Tampa Bay, which fell to 43-17 at home.
Rays left fielder Carl Crawford (sore left hamstring) and shortstop Jason Bartlett (right index finger) were out of the starting lineup. It's possible both might not start again Tuesday.
Kelly Shoppach put the Indians ahead 1-0 with an RBI double in the second. He made it 5-2 on a run scoring in the eighth, and has eight RBIs over his last seven games.
Cleveland took a 2-0 lead on Asdrubal Cabrera's third-inning solo homer.
Lee worked out of jams in the first and second innings, leaving five runners on base and holding Tampa Bay to 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position over the stretch.
After needing just seven pitches to work a perfect third, Lee allowed a two-run, two-out single to Iwamura in the fourth that tied it at 2.
Dellucci hit a two-run shot to put Cleveland back up 4-2 in the fifth.
Tampa Bay starter Matt Garza (9-7) allowed four runs and seven hits in five innings.
The announced crowd at Tropicana Field was 17,049.
Notes: Indians C Victor Martinez (strained left hamstring-right elbow) ran the bases for the first time. Martinez and INF Josh Barfield (finger) could start minor league rehab assignment later this week. … The Rays will review the status of OF Rocco Baldelli (chronic muscle fatigue) Tuesday. He worked out with the team before the game. … Indians manager Eric Wedge said there is a chance RHP Anthony Reyes will be called from Triple-A Buffalo this month. … Cleveland could also bring up right-handed reliever Brendan Donnelly from Buffalo before the season ends.
