Pavano went seven impressive innings on a wet night, the bats backed him up with four home runs and the Indians sealed a 5-1 victory at Progressive Field.

It was the Tribe's 15th straight win over the Rays at home. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that's the Indians' longest winning streak at home against a single team since they took 15 straight from the Tigers from 1994-97.

Pavano only seems to get stronger and more effective as this comeback season rolls along. Further and further removed from his "American Idle" days in four injury-plagued years with the Yankees, the big right-hander has now gone 5-1 with a 3.58 ERA over his last six starts.

This was arguably Pavano's strongest start of the season. In seven innings, he allowed just one run -- a Carlos Pena solo shot in the seventh -- on four hits with two walks and six strikeouts.

Pavano was working with an early lead, as Ryan Garko, who homered twice Monday night, went deep again with a solo homer off Matt Garza in the second. In the third, it was Asdrubal Cabrera taking Garza deep with a solo shot of his own. And in the sixth, after Garko was plunked by a pitch, Mark DeRosa went deep with a two-run blast to make it 4-0.

After Pena took Pavano deep, Kelly Shoppach added another Tribe homer with a solo shot off Randy Choate in the bottom of the seventh.