CLEVELAND -- With a chance to clinch their third consecutive American League Central Division Championship, the Cleveland Indians literally came out swinging against the Detroit Tigers at Progressive Field Saturday.
Shortstop Francisco Lindor and left fielder Michael Brantley led off the game with back-to-back home runs to right field, and the Indians kept adding runs, as they took advantage of Detroit miscues on the way to a 6-0 lead after the first inning of play.
Lindor turned on a two-seam fastball on an 0-1 offering from Tigers starter Michael Fulmer and smashed it over the wall for his 35th home run of the season. With the blast, Lindor set a new franchise record with his eighth lead-off home run of the season, besting the old mark of seven set by Grady Sizemore in 2008.
Not to be outdone, Brantley blasted a 1-1 curveball from Fulmer into the seats in right field for his 16th round-tripper of the season.
Although the Tigers pulled Fulmer from the game, the Indians were not done scoring, as they plated four more runs against Detroit reliever Matt Hall, who was making his Major League debut out of the bullpen.
After second baseman Jose Ramirez singled to center field and moved up a base on a wild pitch, designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion reached on a fielding error charged to Detroit first baseman Jim Adduci. When the ball trickled into short right field off of Adduci’s glove, Ramirez hustled around third base and into home for the run.
Then, first baseman Yonder Alonso hit a fielder’s choice, but Tigers second baseman Dawel Lugo mishandled the grounder and everybody was safe.
Right fielder Melky Cabrera loaded the bases with a single to center field, and third baseman Yandy Diaz followed with an RBI fielder’s choice on a grounder to second.
The Indians scored their final two runs of the inning when center fielder Jason Kipnis lifted an RBI sacrifice fly to left field to drive in Alonso, and then, catcher Roberto Perez flared a run-producing single to right field, which brought in Diaz.
