The Sports Xchange
Jun 26, 2017
CLEVELAND -- Trailing by seven after the top of the fourth inning, the Cleveland Indians rallied for 13 unanswered runs in a wild 15-9 victory over the Texas Rangers on Monday night at Progressive Field.
Texas hit four home runs to none for Cleveland, but the Indians pounded five Rangers pitchers for 19 hits. With the exception of Jason Kipnis, every hitter in the Cleveland lineup had two or more hits. Francisco Lindor, Carlos Santana and Lonnie Chisenhall had three RBIs each.
For Texas, Elvis Andrus had three hits, including two home runs and four RBIs, and Adrian Beltre added a three-run homer.
Cleveland reliever Bryan Shaw (2-2) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings to get the win. Six Cleveland pitchers combined for 17 strikeouts.
Texas reliever Tanner Scheppers (0-1) gave up three runs without retiring a batter in the sixth inning to take the loss.
The Rangers also led 7-1 after two innings, but Cleveland scored 12 runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings. The Indians took the lead for good during a five-run sixth inning.
With the Indians trailing by two in the sixth, Santana's RBI single cut it to 9-8. Chisenhall followed with a two-run single off Scheppers to give Cleveland a 10-9 lead. An RBI single by Lindor and a sacrifice fly by Kipnis completed the five-run rally that gave Cleveland a 12-9 lead.
The Indians added three more runs in the seventh on RBI doubles by Santana, Roberto Perez and Bradley Zimmer.
Carlos Carrasco, who came into the game fifth in the American League with a 2.99 ERA, had his worst start of the season, giving up eight runs and six hits, all of them for extra bases, in 3 1/3 innings.
Texas wasted no time jumping on Carrasco. Shin-Soo Choo hit Carrasco's first pitch of the game off the center-field wall for a double. The next batter, Elvis Andrus, walked, and No. 3 hitter Nomar Mazara also doubled to center, scoring Choo and moving Andrus to third.
Beltre then hit a 2-2 pitch into the left field bleachers for his fourth home run, making it a 4-0 lead. Beltre's home run was the 449th of his career, tying him with Jeff Bagwell and Vladimir Guerrero for 39th place in baseball history.
The Rangers continued the assault on Carrasco in the second inning. With one out, Joey Gallo and Choo both drew walks and Andrus hit his first home run, over the left field wall, to push the Texas lead to 7-1.
In the fourth inning, Gallo homered to left center, his 20th home run of the year, boosting the Rangers' lead to 8-2.
Reliever Dan Otero entered and promptly gave up Andrus' second homer of the game, also into the left field bleachers, and the Rangers led 9-2.
The Indians rallied and pulled within 9-7 on Lindor's two-out RBI single in the fifth.
Texas starter Cole Hamels came off the disabled list and allowed seven runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings.
NOTES: The Indians activated OF Michael Brantley and OF Brandon Guyer off the disabled list and optioned RHP Shawn Armstrong and OF Daniel Robertson to Triple-A Columbus. ... Indians OF Austin Jackson left Sunday's game with tightness in his left quad. Jackson underwent tests Monday while sitting out the game. A decision on whether to place him on the DL will be made Tuesday. ... Texas optioned OF Drew Robinson to Triple-A Round Rock. ... Rangers 1B/DH Mike Napoli, who led Cleveland in home runs and RBIs last year, received his American League championship ring from the Indians during a pregame ceremony. ... Rangers SS Elvis Andrus' .412 career batting average at Progressive Field is the highest of any player (minimum 100 at bats) in the history of the ballpark, which opened in 1994.