Belle Penalty Cut to Three Games

CLEVELAND — Albert Belle, it turns out, will sit out only three games. Only time will tell whether that might cost him a chance to break one of baseball’s most hallowed records.

Belle, leading the majors with 25 home runs, and Cleveland teammate Julian Tavarez each had their five-game suspensions reduced to three games Tuesday by AL President Gene Budig.

Belle, who flattened Milwaukee second baseman Fernando Vina with a forearm, and Tavarez, who flipped umpire Joe Brinkman, both appealed the rulings that resulted from a brawl between the Indians and Milwaukee Brewers on May 31.

At his current pace, Belle would hit 60 1/2 home runs, just off Roger Maris’ mark of 61.