Hafner takes a seat after productive day

CLEVELAND -- Travis Hafner had a busy day on Monday. In a doubleheader sweep over the White Sox, the Indians' veteran designated hitter launched a home run, equaled the franchise's career hit-by-pitch record and legged out his first triple in five years.

On Tuesday, manager Manny Acta told Hafner to take a seat.

"He needs a day off," Acta said prior to Tuesday's game against Chicago. "He's a little sore from all the activity yesterday. Going through the 21 games in 20 days, we're going to have to rest guys here and there."

Acta then smirked.

"The triple might've taken a toll on him," he added.

In the sixth inning of Cleveland's 8-6 win in Game 1 of the twin bill, Hafner sent a pitch from White Sox lefty Jose Quintana off the wall in left-center field. The ball rolled back into the outfield, creating enough opportunity for the 34-year-old DH to collect the 11th triple of his career.

Hafner's teammates loved it.

"You should've seen it from my perspective in the dugout," Shelley Duncan said with a grin. "He looked like a linebacker."

It marked Hafner's first three-base hit since May 29, 2007, against Boston, ending a streak of 1,711 at-bats without a triple for the slugger known as "Pronk." Asked if he remembered that particular triple, Hafner cracked a smile.

"There's been so many triples," he quipped. "It's hard to keep track of them all."

Hafner's second-inning home run in Game 1 moved him into a tie with Al Rosen for eighth on the Indians' all-time list with 192. When Hafner was hit by a pitch from lefty Eric Stults in the second inning of Game 2, the designated hitter matched Nap Lajoie's club record (79) for being hit by the pitch.