Minnesota Twins vs Cleveland Guardians Box Score on Sep 27, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Sep 27, 2017

CLEVELAND -- Yan Gomes homered, and Carlos Santana had three hits as the Cleveland Indians defeated the Minnesota Twins 4-2 on Wednesday night at Progressive Field.

The loss snapped Minnesota's five-game winning streak, but the Twins could still clinch the American League's second wild-card spot with a victory by the Chicago White Sox over the Los Angeles Angels later Wednesday night.

The Indians (99-59) are trying to win 100 games in a season for the third time in franchise history.

Mike Clevinger (12-5) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief to get the win.

Starter Danny Salazar was overpowering, pitching 4 2/3 scoreless innings and allowing one hit with nine strikeouts and one walk. Salazar, who is coming back from an injury, struck out eight of the first 12 batters he faced.

Twins starter Adalberto Mejia (4-7) lasted 3 2/3 innings, giving up two runs and five hits with three walks and three strikeouts.

With the Indians leading 3-0, Gomes made it 4-0 with his 14th home run, a solo shot off reliever Michael Tonkin in the sixth inning.

A two-run homer by Jorge Polanco in the ninth inning off Cleveland closer Cody Allen accounted for the Twins' only runs.

Mejia had a 1.86 ERA in two previous starts against the Indians this season, but Cleveland jumped on him for a run in the first inning.

With two outs and nobody on, Jose Ramirez doubled into the left field corner, his major-league-leading 53rd double of the season, tying him with Grady Sizemore (2006) for third most in a season in Indians history.

Edwin Encarnacion followed with a line single to center, scoring Ramirez with the first run of the game.

The Indians scored again in the fourth inning, which began with consecutive singles by Encarnacion and Santana, putting runners at first and second with no outs.

Mejia retired Jay Bruce on a flyout and then struck out Yandy Diaz for the second out. But Jason Kipnis drew a walk, loading the bases, and Mejia hit Gomes with a 1-2 pitch, forcing in Encarnacion with a run that gave Cleveland a 2-0 lead.

Ryan Pressly relieved Mejia and got Francisco Lindor to fly out to end the inning.

The Indians scored an unearned run in the bottom of the fifth. With the bases loaded and two outs, Bruce hit a grounder to third baseman Eduardo Escobar, who threw wildly to first for an error, allowing a run to score and extending the Cleveland lead to 3-0.

NOTES: OF Lonnie Chisenhall will be in the Indians' starting lineup Thursday for the first time since Sept. 14. Chisenhall has been sidelined with a strained right calf. ... Indians RHP Carlos Carrasco, who will start the series finale Thursday afternoon against Minnesota, is 2-0 with a 1.59 ERA in two starts against the Twins this season. ... OF Max Kepler needs one more home run to give the Twins five players with 20 or more home runs for only the third time in franchise history. Kepler would join 2B Brian Dozier (33), 3B Miguel Sano (28), OF Eddie Rosario (27) and INF Eduardo Escobar (20). ... In their season series, the Indians and Twins have dominated each other in the other's ballpark. The Indians were 9-1 at Target Field, and the Twins are 6-2 at Progressive Field.