Monday, April 9, 2001
Continuing its hot start, Cleveland pounded Minnesota's Eric Milton for three home runs in a 9-5 win.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
CLEVELAND -- The faces may not be quite as familiar, but the results haven't changed.
Despite an overhauled roster that featured four newcomers in the starting lineup, the Cleveland Indians continued their dominance of the Minnesota Twins with an old favorite -- the home run.
Monday at Jacobs Field, the new-look Indians (6-1) took over sole possession of first place in the A.L. Central by pounding left-hander Eric Milton for three home runs in the first four innings in a 9-5 victory.
On a roll: The Indians, despite the loss of Roberto Alomar, Juan Gonzalez and Kenny Lofton, have won five straight games and are off to their best start since 1999. Cleveland has won 15 of its last 20 meetings against the Twins.
"This team has lost a lot of power, but the young guys are eager," said Ellis Burks, who hit a two-run homer against Milton in the first inning that helped wipe out a 2-0 Twins lead.
"It's always good to get off to a great start," said Burks, who has hits in all seven games. "I was just looking for a pitch that was up. I got it and hit it well."
The Indians' big blow was Travis Fryman's third-inning grand slam that rescued rookie starter Ryan Drese from a shaky outing. Drese threw 81 pitches and gave up four runs in the first three innings.
"We've only played seven games, so there's no sense in us celebrating [yet]," Indians manager Charlie Manuel said.
With the Indians trailing 4-3, Omar Vizquel drew a one-out, full-count walk off Milton and stopped at third base when Burks doubled off the left-field wall.
Cleanup hitter Jim Thome, who struggles against powerful left-handed pitchers, reached first on a slow roller that Milton was unable to field in time.
Fryman took advantage by jumping on Milton's 2-0 fastball for his second homer of the season.
"My confidence was down coming into this season," said Fryman, who hit just three homers in 2001 after missing a third of the season with a right elbow injury.
"I had some good at-bats late in the spring, but anytime a player comes off a bad season, it's good to see some success [early]," Fryman said.
Poor selection: When asked what type of pitch he threw to Fryman, Milton responded, "A bad one. It was right over the plate. It was a fastball and I was trying to go inside. When you miss your spot, that's what happens.
"When you make bad pitches, a lot of teams are going to put up [high] numbers against you. I made a bad pitch to Ellis and a bad pitch to Fryman and that's [six] runs right there," Milton added.
In the fourth inning, Matt Lawton, who was the Twins' opening day right-fielder in 2001, hit a Milton slider over the right-field fence for two more runs.
"[Catcher] A.J. Pierzynski went down on the ground to block it," Milton said of the pitch Lawton hit. "That ball was going to be in the dirt and bounce to the catcher, and he reached out and got it. Sometimes you just have to tip your hat.
"The other two [home-run pitches] were mistakes, but Lawton got his on a great pitch," said Milton (1-1).
Lawton, who had two hits and scored twice, said, "I don't think [Milton] had his overpowering fastball today."
Twins rookie manager Ron Gardenhire agreed.
"We never want to get into a slugfest," said Gardenhire, who took over the Twins after Tom Kelly retired last fall. "Miltie had a bad day today. Everything he threw, they whacked pretty good."
Didn't go home: The Twins (5-2) stranded 13 baserunners, eight against Drese in the first five innings.
"We hit the ball hard," Gardenhire said. "We had lots of men on base and lots of chances. We just couldn't come up with a big hit."
Drese (2-0), who went the minimum five innings for his second win, said he wasn't nervous.
"Nerves go away after the first pitch," Drese said. "It's just like any other day, whether it's minor leagues, spring training or major leagues. You have to make your pitches and get hitters out."
Left-hander Ricardo Rincon surrendered the Twins' final run in the sixth inning. Right-handed Mark Wohlers tossed two shutout inning and David Riske one.
"There's a long way to go, man," Milton said. " We play them three more here and then at home next week. I think we play them 19 times in all. There's a long way to go."
williams@vindy.com