Rangers Lose To Indians
CLEVELAND — Following a tumultuous day in which they lost a player to a season-ending suspension, the Cleveland Indians were in need of a boost.
Yan Gomes provided it with a game-winning single.
Gomes’ RBI single drove in Lonnie Chisenhall with the winning run as the Indians beat the Texas Rangers 5-4 in 11 innings Wednesday night at Progressive Field.
With the win the Indians snapped their three-game losing streak and Texas’ four-game winning streak.
Prior to the game the Indians got the news that outfielder Marlon Byrd had been suspended for 162 games for testing positive for PEDs. Then came a long game that took extra innings to decide.
“When you hear news like that it definitely hits you, but once you get between the lines you try to put it aside,” Gomes said.
“I’m exhausted,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “It was a good end to a long day. We’ll all sleep good tonight.”
Chisenhall led off the bottom of the 11th with a double down the left field line off Alex Claudio (1-1). Gomes, who was hitless in his previous 14 at bats, lined a soft single to center field to
score Chisenhall with the game winner. Gomes, who has been in a season-long slump, came into the game hitting .171.
“This is good for us, but it’s also good for him,” Francona said. “He really stayed on that ball. That will do him a world of good.”
Texas manager Jeff Banister said he was pleased with the way Claudio threw the ball.
“That was just great hitting on their part,” Banister said. Chisenhall stayed back on the ball and doubles down the line, and then they get a chip shot through the middle. Sometimes you’ve just got to tip your cap.
The win went to Tom Gorzelanny (1-0), who was called up from Triple-A Columbus prior to the game, and got the final out of the top of the 11th.
After the Indians took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning, closer Cody Allen blew his first save of the season.
Allen, who had converted all 11 of his save opportunities this year, came on to pitch the ninth. He walked Mitch Moreland on four pitches to start the inning.
“That’s very uncharacteristic for Cody to walk the first batter,” Francona said.
A bloop single to center by Elvis Andrus moved Hanser Alberto, pinch running for Moreland, to third. Alberto scored the tying run when Jared Hoying grounded into a force out at second.
Cleveland took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the eighth on a two-out, RBI single by Juan Uribe.
The game’s two starters, Cleveland’s Trevor Bauer and Texas’ Cole Hamels, pitched to a standoff through seven innings.
Bauer, who held Texas to two runs on three hits through six innings, said the Byrd situation was in the back of everyone’s mind.
“When something like that happens, getting out on the field is like a respite for you,” he said. “It’s a lot easier to handle when you end on a winning note.”
The Indians scored a run in the fifth inning to take a 3-2 lead, but Texas tied it on a solo home run by Ryan Rua off Bauer in the seventh.
It was special home run for Rua, who was born and grew up in Amherst, Ohio, which is 30 miles west of Cleveland. Bauer retired the next two batters, and his night was finished. In seven innings he gave up three runs on four hits with six strikeouts and three walks.
Hamels started for the Rangers and his line was nearly identical to Bauer’s. Hamels pitched seven innings, giving up three runs on six hits with five strikeouts and three walks.
A sacrifice fly by Prince Fielder gave Texas a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, and Cleveland countered with a two-run home run by Mike Napoli in the bottom of the first.
Texas scored a run to tie it in the third, but an RBI double by Jason Kipnis in the fifth gave Cleveland a 3-2 lead.
