It's true he had received the lowest run support in the Majors (2.53 runs a game). It's true he hadn't won a game in almost a month (June 27 against Boston). It's also true his 3-9 record was one of the most misleading in baseball.

Millwood's fortune finally changed in Sunday's 6-3 win over Seattle. The right-hander was masterful, holding the Mariners to one earned run and three hits in 7 2/3 innings. He struck out five and walked two in recording his fourth win of the season, while his teammates finally gave him some runs.

"I knew if I kept pitching the way I had been, I'd get a win," he said. "I'm happy I finally did."

Millwood's ability to keep his team in games and pitch out of tight situations has earned him the respect of everyone in the Indians clubhouse.

"You can't say enough about him," said manager Eric Wedge. He competes as well as anybody in the league. He's been doing it all season. It all starts with him."

"We know we haven't scored many runs for him," said catcher Victor Martinez, whose three-run homer in the seventh put the game away. "I'm glad we could finally come through for him."

The Indians had been shut out in three of Millwood's last four starts, including both of his outings since the All-Star break. Even though he had been keeping a stiff upper lip about the lack of run support, some negative thoughts couldn't help but cross his mind.

"There were times I caught myself pressing, but that's where I stopped myself and made sure I didn't get caught up in what was happening on the offensive side," he said. "That's not something I can control. I feel my job is to give us a chance to win. If I do that, I feel like I've done my job."

In winning two straight for the first time July 3-4, when they won three in a row, the Indians finally did some of the things on offense that Wedge has been waiting for.

The Tribe pieced together a single by Grady Sizemore, a sacrifice by Coco Crisp and an RBI single by Jhonny Peralta in the first off Aaron Sele. Richie Sexson's leadoff homer in the second and Sizemore's fielding error on Adrian Beltre's line drive in the fourth put Seattle ahead.

Martinez started the sixth with a single and took third on Ben Broussard's double. Ronnie Belliard's sacrifice fly tied the game, moved Broussard to third and chased starter Sele. Julio Mateo gave up Casey Blake's sacrifice fly that put the Indians ahead for good.

The inability to do such things has frustrated Wedge, who had openly criticized the hitters during this homestand.

"The biggest thing we did offensively was get the two sacrifice flies," he said. "The first one tied the game and got the runner to third, and the second put us ahead. We did a good job there. That's one of the things we haven't been doing, but we got it done today."

Singles by Jason Dubois and Peralta got the seventh inning started. With two down, Martinez lined a pitch from J.J. Putz to right that barely cleared the fence. It was Martinez's 11th homer.

"I was surprised it went out," said Martinez. "I thought it would hit off the wall, but it was high enough to get out. That was big for us. It gave us some cushion."

"We got a run and then I gave it right back on the homer," said Millwood. "The guys kept battling. It was good to get the lead, and Victor's home run was really nice to see."

Millwood gave up a single to pinch-hitter Chris Snelling to start the eighth. He retired the next two hitters before Arthur Rhodes retired Raul Ibanez. Bob Wickman gave up Beltre's one-out homer in the ninth.

The Indians scored in the first, but a Martinez base running mistake cut off the rally. Sizemore started the inning with a double and moved to third on Coco Crisp's sacrifice. Peralta hit a hard grounder off the glove of Beltre at third. The ball shot into the outfield, scoring Sizemore.

It looked like the Indians had a chance to do more when Martinez doubled, sending Peralta to third, but that's where the inning ended. Broussard hit a blooper to shallow center. Martinez, thinking the ball would fall in, broke off the bag, but second baseman Willie Bloomquist made the catch and threw to the base for the out.

After Sexson's homer, the Mariners went ahead in the fourth, but it wasn't all Millwood's fault. Randy Winn led off with a double to right-center. After a groundout, Sexson fouled out to Martinez. It looked like Millwood would get out of the inning when Beltre hit a line drive to center. Sizemore, who had two errors in the first 95 games, broke in, but realized the ball was over his head. He tried to make a leaping catch, but the ball bounced off his glove and he was charged with an error as Winn scored.

The game started an hour and eight minutes late because of rain.