Twins stumble vs. Indians in 1st game of doubleheader

MINNEAPOLIS -- An anxious moment turned out to be nothing serious and the Cleveland Indians continue to roll.

Yan Gomes and Jason Kipnis each had three hits including a home run, and the Indians beat the Minnesota Twins 9-3 on Thursday in the first game of a day-night doubleheader.



Gomes hit a three-run homer in the eighth for his first three-hit game since April 23, 2016. Kipnis went deep two batters later to make it 7-2.

Winners of six straight, the Indians are 9-0 at Target Field this year, outscoring Minnesota 65-19.

Byron Buxton homered for Minnesota, which set a franchise record by striking out 19 times in a nine-inning game.

Cleveland got an early scare when Jose Ramirez left the game in the second inning after getting hit by a pitch on the right forearm. X-rays were negative. The first-time All-Star has 18 home runs and 58 RBIs this season. He leads the American League with 61 extra-base hits, including a league-tying 38 doubles.

"Yeah, of course I was scared," he said through a translator. "It hurt really bad and I thought that I broke it. But I'm fine. Thank God."

Carlos Carrasco (12-5) allowed five hits in five innings. He retired nine straight batters - including five straight strikeouts - after Buxton's second-inning home run. Carrasco has struck out 19 batters in 13 innings over his last two starts.

Minnesota loaded the bases with no outs in the first, but Carrasco struck out the next two hitters en route to getting out of the inning unharmed.

"Staying out there for five and, for the most part, keeping them off the scoreboard, we'll take it because that had a chance to be a complete bullpen game," manager Terry Francona said.

Cleveland starters have held opponents to one run or fewer in 10 of the last 13 games.

Jorge Polanco had an RBI triple with no outs in the seventh to get Minnesota within 3-2, but Jason Castro struck out and Brian Dozier grounded out against Bryan Shaw before Tyler Olson struck out Robbie Grossman.

"There are times when a strikeout isn't going to hurt you or cripple you too much, but there are obviously times where you would like to think that guys will better their understanding a ball in play has a chance to be important," Twins manager Paul Molitor said.

Kyle Gibson (6-10) allowed three runs and seven hits in four-plus innings for the Twins. Among his 97 pitches, he hit two batters and threw a wild pitch. This is the 15th time in 21 starts this season that Gibson didn't pitch six innings.

"They were either putting it in play or fouling it off. They didn't have a lot of quick at-bats. I think I counted 14 of the 21 I had two strikes on," Gibson said.

PERKINS IS BACK

Twins reliever Glen Perkins allowed two runs in 1/3 inning after being reinstated from the disabled list. He missed more than 16 months with shoulder trouble.

Ten of his 19 pitches were strikes. He gave up a walk and hit two batters.

Perkins last pitched for the Twins on April 10, 2016, eventually having surgery to repair a torn labrum on June 23, 2016. The former closer and three-time All-Star has spent his entire career with the Twins organization since being drafted in the first round in 2004.

ROSTER MOVE

Minnesota optioned LHP Buddy Boshers to Triple-A Rochester after the game and recalled LHP Nik Turley, who will likely be used in long relief.

TRAINERS ROOM

Indians: LHP Andrew Miller struck out two in a scoreless inning for Triple-A Columbus on Wednesday. On the disabled list since Aug. 2 with right knee tendinitis, the reliever is expected to rejoin Cleveland on Friday in Kansas City.

Twins: LHP Dietrich Enns was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a left shoulder strain. Enns, who missed 2 1/2 months earlier this year with a shoulder strain, said he's not sure if it's same thing. An MRI is expected Thursday.

UP NEXT

Ryan Merritt (0-0, 3.60) is scheduled to start Game 2 of the doubleheader for Cleveland against Minnesota's Aaron Slegers (0-0, 0.00). Both were called up as their team's 26th man. Making his major league debut, Slegers is 13-4 with a 3.18 ERA this season at Triple-A Rochester.