Field Level Media
May 4, 2018
Erik Gonzalez had three hits and four RBIs, Adam Plutko pitched into the eighth inning to earn his first major league win in his first career start, and the Cleveland Indians defeated the visiting Toronto Blue Jays 13-4 Thursday night to gain a split in a doubleheader.
Jose Ramirez added three hits, including a two-run homer, and three RBIs for Cleveland.
Plutko (1-0), who was recalled from Triple-A Columbus for the start, allowed three runs, six hits and no walks while striking out six in 7 1/3 innings. It was his third major league appearance but first this season.
Yangervis Solarte and Josh Donaldson, both of whom homered in Game 1, hit home runs again in Game 2 to become the first Blue Jays teammates to go deep in both ends of a doubleheader. Aledmys Diaz hit his fifth homer of the season in the eighth.
Solarte had eight hits in the two games, a club record for a doubleheader.
Toronto's Joe Biagini (0-1), recalled from Triple-A Buffalo for the start, allowed six runs, 10 hits and one walk while striking out four over 4 1/3 innings.
Solarte, who had career bests with five hits and six RBIs including his first career grand slam in the first game, led off the second inning of the nightcap with his ninth homer of the season.
The Indians tied the game with a third-inning run on a single by Gonzalez, a wild pitch, and a single by Francisco Lindor.
Donaldson hit fifth homer of the season in the fourth. He homered and had two doubles in the first game after coming off the disabled list following his recovery from a sore shoulder.
Tyler Naquin doubled with one out, and Roberto Perez followed with a single to tie the game in the Cleveland fourth.
The Indians led 11-2 lead after producing a season-best, nine-run fifth. Jason Kipnis singled and Ramirez hit his eighth homer of the season to make it 4-2. With one out, Yonder Alonso and Naquin singled, sending Biagini to the showers, replaced by Luis Santos.
Santos walked two batters to force in a run and allowed a three-run double to Gonzalez, RBI doubles to Lindor and Ramirez and Michael Brantley's sacrifice fly.
Gonzalez had an RBI double in the sixth. Toronto reliever Carlos Ramirez allowed a run in the seventh on three walks and a wild pitch.
Indians reliever Jeff Beliveau allowed a ninth-inning run on two hits and a groundout.
--Field Level Media