Polanco homers, Twins blank Indians
The Sports Xchange
Jun 23, 2017
CLEVELAND -- Jorge Polanco homered and Brian Dozier had three hits and two RBIs as the Minnesota Twins shut out the Cleveland Indians 5-0 on Friday night at Progressive Field.
Twins starter Adalberto Mejia (2-3) threw 104 pitches in five scoreless innings, allowing two hits with four strikeouts and five walks. Cleveland starter Trevor Bauer (6-6) pitched 6 2/3 innings, giving up five runs (four earned) and eight hits with four strikeouts and one walk.
Mejia and relievers Tyler Duffey, Taylor Rogers and Trevor Hildenberger combined on a four-hitter.
Leading 4-0, the Twins added an insurance run in the seventh inning. With two outs and nobody on, Byron Buxton reached on a bunt single and went to second when Bauer threw wildly to first on the play. Dozier followed with a single to right field, giving Minnesota a 5-0 lead and knocking Bauer out of the game.
It was Bauer's fourth start against Minnesota this year. In his first three, he was 3-0 with a 3.26 ERA.
Bauer retired the side in order in the first inning, two on strikeouts. But the Twins sent eight men to the plate in the second inning, and half of them scored.
Max Kepler led off the inning by bouncing a double off the right field wall. Kepler went to third on a flyout to deep right by Eduardo Escobar. Eddie Rosario followed with a single to right field, scoring Kepler with the first run of the game. Polanco worked the count to 3-2, then pounded a pitch over the right field wall for his third home run, pushing the lead to 3-0.
Jason Castro drew a walk and Buxton blasted a line drive that was caught in left field by Daniel Robertson for the second out. But Dozier doubled over the head of center fielder Austin Jackson, scoring Castro to make it 4-0.
In the first two innings, Mejia walked four and Polanco had an error at short as six of Cleveland's first 10 batters reached base, but none scored.
In the fourth inning, the Indians loaded the bases with one out, but Erik Gonzalez struck out with the base loaded for the second time in three innings and Francisco Lindor lined out to end the inning without a run being scored.
NOTES: The Indians reinstated RHP Cody Allen from the paternity list and optioned RHP Adam Plutko to Triple-A Columbus. ... Indians 3B Jose Ramirez, who had started 70 of the Indians' first 71 games, was given a day off. Rookie INF Erik Gonzalez started in place of Ramirez. ... Twins 3B Miguel Sano did not play because of a sinus infection. ... The Twins selected the contracts of RHP Dillon Gee and RHP Trevor Hildenberger from Triple-A Rochester. ... The Twins also designated for assignment RHP Alex Wimmers and LHP Mason Melotakis.
Jun 23, 2017
CLEVELAND -- Jorge Polanco homered and Brian Dozier had three hits and two RBIs as the Minnesota Twins shut out the Cleveland Indians 5-0 on Friday night at Progressive Field.
Twins starter Adalberto Mejia (2-3) threw 104 pitches in five scoreless innings, allowing two hits with four strikeouts and five walks. Cleveland starter Trevor Bauer (6-6) pitched 6 2/3 innings, giving up five runs (four earned) and eight hits with four strikeouts and one walk.
Mejia and relievers Tyler Duffey, Taylor Rogers and Trevor Hildenberger combined on a four-hitter.
Leading 4-0, the Twins added an insurance run in the seventh inning. With two outs and nobody on, Byron Buxton reached on a bunt single and went to second when Bauer threw wildly to first on the play. Dozier followed with a single to right field, giving Minnesota a 5-0 lead and knocking Bauer out of the game.
It was Bauer's fourth start against Minnesota this year. In his first three, he was 3-0 with a 3.26 ERA.
Bauer retired the side in order in the first inning, two on strikeouts. But the Twins sent eight men to the plate in the second inning, and half of them scored.
Max Kepler led off the inning by bouncing a double off the right field wall. Kepler went to third on a flyout to deep right by Eduardo Escobar. Eddie Rosario followed with a single to right field, scoring Kepler with the first run of the game. Polanco worked the count to 3-2, then pounded a pitch over the right field wall for his third home run, pushing the lead to 3-0.
Jason Castro drew a walk and Buxton blasted a line drive that was caught in left field by Daniel Robertson for the second out. But Dozier doubled over the head of center fielder Austin Jackson, scoring Castro to make it 4-0.
In the first two innings, Mejia walked four and Polanco had an error at short as six of Cleveland's first 10 batters reached base, but none scored.
In the fourth inning, the Indians loaded the bases with one out, but Erik Gonzalez struck out with the base loaded for the second time in three innings and Francisco Lindor lined out to end the inning without a run being scored.
NOTES: The Indians reinstated RHP Cody Allen from the paternity list and optioned RHP Adam Plutko to Triple-A Columbus. ... Indians 3B Jose Ramirez, who had started 70 of the Indians' first 71 games, was given a day off. Rookie INF Erik Gonzalez started in place of Ramirez. ... Twins 3B Miguel Sano did not play because of a sinus infection. ... The Twins selected the contracts of RHP Dillon Gee and RHP Trevor Hildenberger from Triple-A Rochester. ... The Twins also designated for assignment RHP Alex Wimmers and LHP Mason Melotakis.
