(Sports Network) - Winners of three straight, the Cleveland Indians continue to increase their lead in the American League Central as they welcome the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to Jacobs Field this afternoon for the third of a four- game set. On Saturday C.C. Sabathia became the league's first 12-game winner as he allowed three runs -- two earned -- on six hits over seven innings of work. In picking up his third straight victory, Sabathia fanned eight and didn't walk a single batter for the home team in an 8-6 decision. With the win the Tribe, an impressive 29-12 at home thus far, moved 1 1/2 games ahead of Detroit for first place in the division. Grady Sizemore had three hits and knocked in three for the Indians, winners of seven in a row at home versus Tampa Bay, while Victor Martinez upped his batting average to .323 with three hits in five at-bats. The Devil Rays, already 16 games out of contention in the AL East and just 14-22 on the road in 2007, put on a late surge with three runs in the top of the ninth inning, but it wasn't quite enough to turn the tables. Josh Wilson had two hits and scored twice, while Raul Casanova knocked in three runs and Dustan Mohr two in the losing effort. J.P. Howell was saddled with the loss, giving up five runs on eight hits over 4 1/3 innings. The starter also struck out five on the night. After opening the 2007 campaign with six consecutive wins, James Shields tries to put an end to a three-game slide as he takes the hill for the Devil Rays this afternoon at the Jake. Now in his second season in the majors, the righthander recorded a total of 11 strikeouts versus the White Sox on Tuesday and didn't walk a single batter for the second straight outing, yet his efforts were still not enough in the 6-1 setback. In that contest Shields gave up five runs on nine hits, two of which were home runs, over the course of seven innings. In five starts during the month of June the California native has surrendered a total of nine home runs, giving him 18 in 115 2/3 innings as he tries for his first-ever decision against the Tribe. As for Cleveland, lefty Cliff Lee gets his first crack of the season against Tampa Bay, having put up a 3-2 mark in his previous five seasons in the majors versus the club. The Indians have won each of Lee's last three starts, but on Tuesday the 28- year old did not factor into the 8-5 triumph against Oakland at home. Allowing three runs on six hits and a pair of walks, while fanning three in six innings, Lee failed to be involved in the decision for the first time since the second week of May. Over the last week of play Martinez has registered 10 hits for the Indians, including six doubles, yet has scored only once and has just a single RBI to show for his efforts. Travis Hafner on the other hand has six RBI and has scored five during that same stretch, thanks to three home runs. With three runs scored on four hits and four walks over the last seven games, Akinori Iwamura is a perfect example of how much the Devil Rays continue to struggle, having struck out nine times in 26 at-bats. Carl Crawford, who has a mere three hits and has fanned five times in his last six games, is batting just .120 during the span, yet has three knocked in and crossed the plate three times for the enigmatic club.