The Sports Xchange
Jul 6, 2017
CLEVELAND -- Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Ramirez combined for seven hits and two home runs as the Cleveland Indians avoided a three-game sweep by beating the San Diego Padres 11-2 on Thursday night at Progressive Field.
Yan Gomes also homered for the Indians, whose slumbering offense stirred to life, producing 14 hits.
Cleveland starter Josh Tomlin (5-9) pitched seven-plus innings, giving up two runs on four hits with six strikeouts and no walks. Excluding the fifth inning, in which the Padres scored their runs, he retired 18 of the 19 batters he faced.
San Diego starter Dinelson Lamet (3-3) allowed six runs (five earned) on six hits and four walks in four-plus innings. It was an ugly game for the Padres, who were held to five hits and committed three errors.
Leading 6-2, the Indians scored three times in the sixth, on a solo home run by Gomes and RBI double by Encarnacion and RBI single by Ramirez. A two-run double by Lonnie Chisenhall in the eighth completed Cleveland's scoring.
After scoring only two runs in the first two games of the series, the Indians scored three runs in the first inning off Lamet.
With one out, Francisco Lindor singled and scored on a triple into the right field corner by Michael Brantley.
Encarnacion grounded out to first for the second out of the inning before Ramirez belted a 1-2 pitch over the wall in right-center field for his 16th home run, giving Cleveland a 3-0 lead.
Ramirez's home run snapped a streak of 66 consecutive innings at home in which the Indians had not gone deep. In their last nine home games prior to Thursday, the Indians had been out-homered 14-1.
The Indians added two more runs in the third inning. Brantley walked and went to second on a single by Encarnacion. Ramirez reached on an error by Lamet, loading the bases. Brantley scored on a sacrifice fly by Chisenhall and Encarnacion scored on a sacrifice fly by Bradley Zimmer to make it 5-0.
Tomlin retired the first 12 batters he faced before Hunter Renfroe led off the fifth inning with a double. Renfroe went to third on a single by Cory Spangenberg. A double by Erick Aybar scored Renfroe and moved Spangenberg to third.
Carlos Asuaje flied out for the first out, but a sacrifice fly by Allen Cordoba scored Spangenberg to cut the Cleveland lead to 5-2.
The Indians got one of those runs back when Encarnacion led off the fifth inning with a booming home run over the center field wall to push the lead to 6-2, sending Lamet to the showers.
NOTES: Indians manager Terry Francona missed his third consecutive game as he remains hospitalized and undergoing tests to determine the cause of his rapid-heartbeat issues. Bench coach Brad Mills continues to be the acting manager. ... Indians RHP Danny Salazar made a rehab start for Triple-A Columbus on Thursday against Indianapolis. He pitched 3 1/3 innings, giving up three runs on three hits, all home runs, with four strikeouts and two walks. Salazar has been on the disabled list since June 6 due to right shoulder soreness. ... Padres C Austin Hedges sat out a second consecutive game with a stiff neck. ... Padres OF Hunter Renfroe leads all National League rookies with seven outfield assists. Renfroe is tied with Cleveland's Bradley Zimmer for the major league lead in that category.