Cleveland Guardians vs Minnesota Twins Box Score on Jun 16, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Jun 16, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS -- Edwin Encarnacion homered for the second straight game, hitting a three-run shot to the second deck in left field, and Jose Ramirez had three hits for the Cleveland Indians in an 8-1 win over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night.

Carlos Carrasco (7-3) cruised through five innings before some late trouble, but the right-hander left after 6 1/3 innings, giving up up one run and four hits as Cleveland climbed one game behind American League Central-leading Minnesota.

Rookie Nik Turley (0-1) surrendered eight runs, nine hits and four walks in his second major league start for the Twins. Eddie Rosario homered for the only run off Carrasco.

Carrasco hasn't fared well against Minnesota in his career (2-6, 4.76 ERA), but he was in control from the beginning. He struck out two batters in the first inning and allowed just one hit and two walks through his first five innings.

Rosario's homer started the sixth inning. Brian Dozier and Miguel Sano added singles, but Carrasco struck out Max Kepler to strand two runners. Carrasco finished with seven strikeouts.

Encarnacion gave Carrasco all of the support he needed with a blast in the third. Jason Kipnis and Francisco Lindor reached on walks and Encarnacion hammered the first pitch he saw from Turley to the second deck in left-center field an estimated 435 feet.

After a slow start in which he hit .200 with four homers in 24 games in April, Encarnacion is proving to be the big slugger in the heart of the order the Indians believed they were signing in the offseason. He has hit .337 (30-for-89) with nine homers and 19 RBIs in his last 25 games.

Cleveland added four runs in the fifth against Turley, with a two-run single by Yan Gomes and a two-run double from Lonnie Chisenhall.

NOTES: Cleveland OF Brandon Guyer (left wrist sprain) was scheduled to start a rehab assignment with Triple-A Columbus. ... Minnesota LHP Hector Santiago (left shoulder strain) will throw another bullpen session on Saturday after coming out well from Thursday's 31-pitch sessions. The team will decide whether to send Santiago on a rehab assignment after Saturday's session. ... The Twins signed OF Brent Rooker, their second draft pick chosen 35th overall this week out of Mississippi State. Rooker, who won the Triple Crown in the Southeastern Conference with a .387 average, 23 homers and 48 RBIs in 67 games, will report to Rookie League Elizabethton. ... The two teams decided on their starters for Saturday's split doubleheader. Cleveland will recall LHP Ryan Merritt and RHP Mike Clevinger. Merritt will start the first game. Clevinger will serve as the team's 26th man for the doubleheader. Minnesota will counter with LHP Adam Wilk pitching the first game and LHP Adalberto Mejia in the nightcap.