The Indians and Twins drew 27,074 fans to Target Field on Friday night.
Advertisement
Carrasco (6-3) allowed two runs on four hits while striking out three in 6 2/3 innings.
Ervin Santana took the loss Friday after giving up four runs (three earned) over 5 1/3 innings against the Indians. The Twins have won seven of their last nine games, but still sit in last-place in the American League Central Division at 32-and-56.
Indians closer Cody Allen worked the ninth for his 19th save in 21 opportunities. Ramirez hit the ball so hard that it deflected off Santana’s glove and still steamed einto center field to score Francisco Lindor.
Napoli made it 5-2 with a 418-foot homer to center in the eighth.
But after a solo homer by Brian Dozier in the fourth inning, Minnesota was limited to one hit the rest of the way and four on the night. But their bats were quiet on Friday as the season’s second half got underway.
Santana had allowed two earned runs or fewer in four-straight starts and hadn’t suffered a defeat in more than a month (June 14). Dozier’s homer, which came on Carrasco’s first pitch, was his 15 of the season. “He made some mistakes and I got that one”.
The Indians have been one of the best teams in baseball through the first half of the season and are the odds on favourites right now to claim the AL Central crown and qualify for the playoffs, and with the front of their rotation including Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, and Danny Salazar they are going to be a very tough out if they make the postseason. Gonzalez hit.296 with six homers and 39 RBIs in 81 games in the minors this season. Gomes would once again hit the ball hard, but again right at a Twins fielder to end the inning. “We just didn’t have enough offense”. “With (Brantley) gone, he’s been hitting in the middle of the order for us”. Lonnie Chisenhall hit what should have been a double play ball to second, but the relay from shortstop Eduardo Nunez to first was in the dirt as Napoli scored for the lead. Napoli and Lindor combined to score all five of the Tribe’s runs tonight, and the 3-4-5 hitters (Lindor-Napoli-Ramirez) collected six of the Tribe’s hits.
Twins: Buxton (knee) returned to the lineup after missing most of the last three games before the break.
Advertisement
Twins: Minnesota has scored 48 runs in the last four games started by RHP Tyler Duffey (5-6).
