He praised the way Gibson attacked the strike zone but lamented the lack of run support – the type of run support that was plentiful before the all-star break. That slump didn’t have too much of an effect on the standings, but even so, you can’t go on expecting your competition to falter along with you. When the Indians remained patient, Gibson and the Twins came up short in a 6-1 loss.
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Gibson (2-6) allowed a season-high 10 hits and four earned runs in six innings. Tomlin (10-2) struck out four and walked just one Sunday.
Cleveland committed three errors, including Santana’s at first base in the seventh inning that allowed one run to score.
After left fielder Abraham Almonte and catcher Yan Gomes grounded out to the left side of the infield to start the inning, Santana and second baseman Jason Kipnis smacked back-to-back singles to right and left field, respectively. Gomes landed on his shoulder as he tumbled to the ground.
One inning later, a bobbled ball by shortstop Eduardo Escobar led to just one out instead of an inning-ending double play. If that ends up being the case, Chris Gimenez would be next in line to take over as the Tribe’s primary catcher.
“He knew that it was a late night last night and our bullpen had been taxed, and it was like he’s got that feel because early on, I didn’t think his stuff was terribly sharp, but he worked into it”, Indians manager Terry Francona said. “I had a chance there to still make a pitch and to get a guy who I’ve faced before and, you know, I just didn’t make a pitch”. “I was just hoping he was all right”.
I’d love to say there was more to say about the game, but that would be lying. “He should be so good”.
Brian Dozier drove in two runs for the Twins, and Trevor May (1-2) pitched the 11th to earn the win.
Cleveland Indians’ Mike Napoli, left, slides safely to score on a wild pitch by Minnesota Twins’ Trevor May, right, during the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, July 15, 2016, in Minneapolis.
“Big-league balls, maybe that’s it”, Kepler said of his major league power. “He was pounding cutters the whole game though, so I was kind of expecting that and kept my hands in a little bit better than the at-bats before and got the bat head on the ball”. He’s driven in six runs in his last three games and is hitting.313 in July.
Napoli led off the second inning with a drive to deep left-center field that looked like a sure extra-base hit.
The Indians added their final runs in the top of the eighth and ninth innings when Naquin and Kipnis blasted solo home runs to center field.
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Former Minnesota Twins outfielder Torii Hunter acknowledges fans after he was inducted into the Twins Hall of Fame during a pregame ceremony before the Twins baseball game against the Cleveland Indians, Saturday, July 16, 2016, in Minneapolis. Gordon spent 25 years as the Twins play-by-play voice, including the 1987 and 1991 World Series-winning teams.
