Rangers Swept By Indians

By Anthony Andro, The Sports Xchange

ARLINGTON, Texas — A night that could have been memorable for all the wrong reasons turned into a historic one for Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor.
Lindor’s error in the fifth inning helped give Texas a two-run lead, but he capped a Cleveland comeback with his first career grand slam in the ninth inning as the Indians rallied for a 9-6 victory.
Lindor recorded the first two-homer game of his career and drove in a career-high five runs.
The win gave Cleveland its first 3-0 start since 1998. Texas is 0-3 for the first time since 2007 and 0-3 at home for the first time since 1991.
Cleveland trailed 6-4 going into the ninth but scored five times off Texas closer Sam Dyson (0-2), who already has blown two saves and allowed eight runs.
In Carlos Santana drew a bases-loaded walk to make it a one-run game before Lindor launched his slam to right to cap a three-hit night.
“That’s what we’re known for,” Lindor said. “We did it last year. We’re trying to do it this year again. That’s part of our game. Never back down from any challenges, whether we’re down three or we’re up three. You’ve got to continue to play the game the right way.”
Cleveland manager Terry Francona was happy to see Lindor bounce back from an early miscue.
“In hockey, I think he was a plus-1,” Francona said. “But it says a lot about his competitiveness, because I know he was battling himself.”
While the Indians were celebrating, Texas manager Jeff Banister was contemplating Dyson’s future in the closer role.
“It’s a little early to reconsider things,” Banister said. “We’ve been in this situation before. It doesn’t look good because it’s the start of the season. This is a guy that went to the WBC (World Baseball Classic), was really sharp at the WBC. He doesn’t seem to be that sharp right now. We always consider everything. Off a two-game look, that’s not how we want to start the season.”
Shawn Armstrong (1-0), the fourth Cleveland pitcher, picked up his first major league win by striking out the only batter he faced in the eighth inning. Bryan Shaw closed out the ninth for his first save of the season.
Cleveland had a 3-2 lead going into the bottom of the fifth before Texas took advantage of Lindor’s error to score three times. Texas’ Joey Gallo beat Lindor to the bag on a grounder to short that could have ended the inning. Lindor then threw wildly to first, and two runs came around to score and put Texas up 4-3. Nomar Mazara added to the lead with a single to center.
The Indians snapped a 2-2 tie in the top of the fifth on a sacrifice fly from catcher Roberto Perez.
Mazara gave the Rangers an early 2-0 lead on a deep two-run homer to in the first off Danny Salazar. Cleveland came back to tie the game in the top of the fourth on a two-run single from Jose Ramirez.
Cleveland got within a run in the sixth on Lindor’s homer off Cole Hamels, but the Rangers got that run back in the seventh on a homer from Elvis Andrus.
Hamels allowed four runs (three earned) in six innings after starting the game with three perfect frames.
While Hamels was in line for the win before the ninth, he knows he has to pitch better.
“When I was getting in trouble that’s really what I need to focus on is really being able to address that, just staying aggressive,” he said. “I think what led to that was not really being able to throw my curveball early and really establishing that. That is a different variation of speed. When you’re able to give them another pitch the mishits are going to happen better and get weaker contact. You really do have to kind of give it to them.”
Salazar struck out nine but gave up five runs (four earned) in 5 2/3 innings.

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