Sabathia’s hard luck continues with loss

C.C. Sabathia’s defense deserted him -- again.

Cleveland’s ace tied a career high with 11 strikeouts, but the Minnesota Twins scored three eighth-inning runs and beat the Indians, 4-1, Sunday.

Sabathia (13-6) was coming off a hard-luck 1-0 loss to Boston’s Daisuke Matsuzaka on Tuesday, when the only run scored on a misread fly ball. Against the Twins, a fly ball went over the head of right fielder Trot Nixon for a tying RBI double, and second baseman Josh Barfield made two errors on one play to put the Twins ahead.

“I could have made better pitches,” Sabathia said.

Instead of becoming the first 14-game winner in the AL, the All-Star left-hander lost for the fourth time in five starts in July.

“I don’t want to blame anybody,” Sabathia said. “We’re a team. We pick each other up. If guys don’t get hits, it’s up to me to shut down the opposition.”

Indians Manager Eric Wedge dissented.

“You hate to see C.C. throw like that and not take advantage of it,” Wedge said. “He pitched as good as you can for the second time in a row.”

Lew Ford hit a two-out homer in the ninth off Rafael Betancourt to make it 4-1.

The Indians had runners on first and third with one out in the ninth, but Joe Nathan got pinch-hitter Franklin Gutierrez to bounce into a game-ending double play for his 22nd save in 24 chances.

Dennys Reyes (2-1) pitched 1 1/3 innings in relief of rookie Matt Garza, who struck out 11 in six innings.