Roster Update: The pain in Michael Brantley‘s shoulder was severe enough to warrant a second trip to the DL today and it is unknown how long it will be until he can return, although the move is retroactive to 5/10. For more information, John Hutchison covered the story earlier today, but in short form, Michael Martinez has been purchased from AAA Columbus and Roberto Perez has been placed on the 60 Day DL to make room on the 40 man roster.
Player of the Game
Yan Gomes may be finally breaking out of his season long slump (although he isn’t making any strides on that terrible BABIP). He hit his fifth home run of the season tonight, a solo shot in the ninth against Kevin Jepsen to bring the Indians back within three. This was much too little too late.
Feathers Up
The Indians weren’t expected to give a ton of playing time to Jose Ramirez when the season started, but multiple injuries and poor performers have lead to him playing nearly daily. Ramirez has completely stepped up into this role as one of the Tribe’s best hitters this year and it was his bloop single down the left field line that scored the Indians first run today. Mike Napoli had first doubled to deep center with two outs and, because he could run with contact, he was able to score on a ball that landed in shallow left.
Francisco Lindor fouled off the first four pitches of the at bat in the eighth inning with the Indians down three, but on the fifth pitch, he met the ball perfectly, blooping it into center just beyond the infield. With two outs, this allowed Tyler Naquin to score from second and keep the Indians in the game. It was Lindor’s second hit of the game making him one of two Indians players to reach base twice during the game (Naquin was the other).
Feathers Down
Corey Kluber didn’t have his best stuff today, but he was certainly good enough for the Twins, completely shutting them down for the first four innings. In the fifth, however, a quick single by Eddie Rosario and a home run from Juan Centeno to right (his first in the majors) turned the Indians one run lead into a two run deficit. Another run scored in the sixth, but this had less to do with Kluber as yet again, Rajai Davis dropped a fly ball, allowing a runner to reach without the play being called an error. This is the third time this year Davis has missed an easy fly with Kluber on the mound and like the other two, a run scored because of it.
Kluber was brought back out for the seventh inning, despite reaching and exceeding 100 pitches and his control suffered. He left a pitch up over the plate for a lead-off double from Danny Santana and, after he was moved to third, Santana came home on a sac fly to right. While he had retired two batters, Kluber then walked Miguel Sano on four pitches and Terry Francona was forced to go to Tommy Hunter to finish the inning.
The Indians have averaged more than four runs per game this season, but it has been mostly feast or famine. Part of the reason for this has been inconsistency from the newly signed veterans including Marlon Byrd and Davis, who combined to 0 for 7 with four strike outs today. While Byrd has been on and off, including an RBI double yesterday that helped win the game, Davis has been struggling for some time, going hitless since May 9th (his last four games) with just two hits (no walks) in his last eight games.
The conditions in Cleveland were terrible today with the temperature at the start of the game sitting at 50 and it dropping throughout. In addition, it was extremely windy and wet and that lead to many awkward plays including the one missed by Davis. In the ninth, the Twins took advantage some more as Centeno hit a ball to the Byrd’s right and he slipped while picking it up, allowing the rookie to reach second. He was then knocked in by the next batter, who hit one back to Kyle Crockett on the mound, but the ball glanced off his glove and through the infield. Unrelated to the weather, Crockett was hit with a batted ball by the next hitter as well, but luckily it bounced to an infielder instead of between them and he was able to get one out before being removed.
Final Score: Cleveland Indians 3 – Minnesota Twins 6
On Deck: The Indians and Twins will wrap up their three game set with Tyler Duffey going against Trevor Bauer at 1:10 PM in Cleveland.
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