Cleveland ? The young Cleveland Indians are handling their first pennant chase like a bunch of veterans.

Ben Broussard homered for the second straight night, Scott Elarton had his best start of the season and the poised Indians beat lackluster Minnesota 8-2 Friday night, moving within two games of the Central Division-leading Twins.

“They are a good team,” Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. “But to say we are going to pack our bags and go home because we lost one game — I doubt it.”

Cleveland has won five straight and nine of 10, gaining six games on the Twins in nine days. Minnesota has lost seven of nine.

The Indians maintained before the game that they felt no added pressure as they played the first of 13 games remaining against the Twins. They proved it on the field.

“It was important for us to come out and get this first one tonight,” Indians manager Eric Wedge said. “We recognize who we’re playing and what time of year it is.”

The Indians scored five times in the first inning on Victor Martinez’s two-run double and Broussard’s three-run home run.

Broussard, who hit a pinch-hit grand slam Thursday, made his second curtain call in two nights. His 10th homer traveled 455 feet to center.

“I haven’t ever hit one out there,” he said.

Elarton (2-2) went seven innings, allowing two runs on seven hits and a walk with four strikeouts. He was backed up by fine defensive plays from third baseman Casey Blake and right fielder Jody Gerut.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve pitched with a lead,” Elarton said. “It’s nice to pitch in games that mean something.”

Cleveland's Victor Martinez, left, congratulates Ben Broussard after Broussard hit a three-run homer off Minnesota's Carlos Silva. The Indians won Friday at Cleveland.

Matt Miller and Rick White each pitched a scoreless inning of relief for the Indians.

Carlos Silva (10-8) lasted just two innings, the shortest start of his career, allowing six runs on six hits and a walk.

“It was a tough night for me, that’s all,” Silva said. “Everything I threw, they were hitting.”

Minnesota had a number of mental miscues.

Torii Hunter was doubled-up off first base in the second after Matt Lawton caught Jacque Jones’ drive to left at the wall. Hunter was already on his way to third when the catch was made. The Twins scored later in the inning on Henry Blanco’s RBI double.

“The baserunning mistake helped, it could have been a bigger inning,” Elarton said.

Blanco was charged with an error in the fourth when Lawton faked a steal of second. Blanco threw the ball, but no one was covering second and Lawton advanced. He scored on Omar Vizquel’s double for an 8-2 lead.

In the eighth, third baseman Michael Cuddyer and catcher Rob Bowen let a pop foul drop between them. Bowen got the error.

Orioles 4, Blue Jays 0

Toronto — Sidney Ponson and three relievers combined on a five-hitter, leading Baltimore to it 10th victory in 11 games.

Ponson (8-12) is 5-0 in his last six starts after losing nine straight. He allowed five hits, while striking out six and walking one in six-plus innings. Reliever B.J. Ryan entered in the seventh inning and escaped a jam.

Rangers 5, Devil Rays 3

Arlington, Texas — Laynce Nix and Alfonso Soriano each homered, and Kenny Rogers earned his 14th victory for Texas, which dealt Tampa Bay its 13th loss in 14 road games.

Nix, who was just 3-for-21 in his last seven games, hit a two-run homer in the second inning off Rob Bell. Soriano added a solo shot in the fifth.

White Sox 8, Red Sox 7

Boston — Aaron Rowand hit two homers, the second a tiebreaking shot in the seventh, to lead Chicago past Boston.

Rowand’s four RBIs tied a career high. Jose Contreras (10-5) earned his first career victory against the Red Sox since being acquired from the New York Yankees. Manny Ramirez and Kevin Millar homered for Boston, which had its three-game winning streak stopped.

Tigers 5, Angels 3

Anaheim, Calif. — Craig Monroe drove in the go-ahead run with an RBI single in the ninth, leading Detroit over the Angels.

Brandon Inge broke out of a long slump by going 4-for-4 with three RBIs in the Tigers’ first win at Anaheim in 12 games.

Esteban Yan (2-3) allowed two runs and four hits in two innings, but picked up the victory.

Rondell White led off the ninth with a double against Troy Percival (2-3), and Monroe’s one-out single to right-center scored pinch-runner Jason Smith. Inge followed with a bloop single to right that sent Monroe to third, and Nook Logan followed with a sacrifice fly.

Yankees 11, Mariners 3

Seattle — Ruben Sierra hit a grand slam and drove in five runs, and Jon Lieber pitched eight strong innings. Bernie Williams added a three-run homer, and Jorge Posada hit a solo shot for the Yankees, who lead the majors with 178 homers.

Despite playing without All-Star third baseman Alex Rodriguez, who missed his first game of the season with the flu, the Yankees routed the last-place Mariners and improved to a season-high 33 games over .500 at 74-41.

Lieber (9-7) won his second straight start. He gave up three runs and seven hits, struck out four and walked none.

Ron Villone (4-3), making his seventh start of the season, gave up eight runs on 10 hits.