The Sports Xchange
Sep 23, 2017
SEATTLE -- Francisco Lindor hit a leadoff homer and the Cleveland Indians went deep four times in an 11-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday at Safeco Field.
Jose Ramirez and Yan Gomes each had four RBIs. Ramirez went 3-for-3 with a double and a homer, while Gomes went 3-for-5 with two homers.
Lindor made the most of a rare start at designated hitter -- he went 2-for-5 with a double in the third and scored three runs. The Indians had 14 hits.
Cleveland (97-58) stayed two games ahead of Houston for the best record in the American League, and home-field advantage up to the World Series.
Seattle (75-80) lost its seventh in eight contests and fell 5 1/2 games behind Minnesota for the second AL wild card. The Twins were playing Detroit in a night game.
Carlos Carrasco (17-6) pitched 5 2/3 innings and allowed one earned run on six hits and two walks. He struck out six. Five relievers went the rest of the way for the Indians to seal the victory.
Seattle rookie Andrew Moore (1-5) went four innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on four five hits. He struck out three.
Defense was a problem for Seattle, which committed five errors -- three of them led to Cleveland runs.
Lindor got the Indians going early, hitting his 33rd homer of the season and his third leadoff shot of the season.
He kept it going in the third inning, leading off with single down the right-field line. Austin Jackson then singled him home and took third on errors by first baseman Yonder Alonso and catcher Mike Zunino.
Ramirez followed with a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Jackson to give Cleveland a 3-0 lead.
The Mariners finally scored in the sixth inning on Kyle Seager's RBI double to left-center.
The Indians tacked on two runs in the seventh on sacrifice flies by Ramirez and Greg Allen to put the game out of reach.
Cruz added a solo shot in the eighth, his 37th homer of the season.
NOTES: Cleveland RHP Mike Clevinger has been moved to the bullpen, with Indians manager Terry Francona noting, "We kind of think he can be a weapon." ... Cleveland IF Yandy Diaz returned off the after missing three days with a jammed finger. He went 1-for-1 as a pinch hitter and stayed in the game at third base. ... Seattle RHP Tony Zych has been shut down for the season with a strain of his right elbow flexor bundle, an injury he suffered in August. ? The Mariners lost an instant replay challenge on Marco Gonzales' attempted pickoff of Cleveland OF Tyler Naquin in the sixth inning. The delay for the replay was 2 minutes, 35 seconds. ... The Indians won their challenge on a Francisco Lindor grounder that 1B Yonder Alonso muffed before 2B Robinson Cano scooped it and threw to first. Lindor was ruled safe after a 32-second delay.