Rookie Santana homers to lead streaking Tribe

Associated Press

Cleveland

The Carlos Santana Era in Cleveland is now in full swing.

Santana homered and drove in three runs in his second career game, powering Fausto Carmona and the Indians past the Washington Nationals 7-1 Saturday night.

Santana gave fans a peek at the future. With the teams wearing throwback uniforms, Carmona turned back the clock to 2007 — when he went 19-8 as one of the game’s most overpowering pitchers.

“That was our most dominant performance by a pitcher this season,” Indians manager Manny Acta said. “Fausto was terrific and Carlos gave us a bit of a glimpse of what he can do.”

Santana showed that Washington is not the only team with a rookie phenom. The rookie catcher got his first career hit one night before heralded pitcher Stephen Strasburg will make his first road start.

The 24-year-old switch-hitter had a two-run double off former Indians farmhand J.D. Martin (0-2), in a four-run second inning that put Cleveland ahead 5-0.

He then hit his first homer on a 1-1 pitch leading off the sixth, a drive into the right-field seats that made it 6-0.

Teammates completely ignored him when he got back to the dugout. Santana quietly sat down — then was mobbed by players pounding his back in congratulations.

“That’s part of the game,” Santana said of the common practical joke in the majors, the ol’ silent treatment. “I’ve seen it before. I was just very happy.”

The Indians presented Santana with the baseballs he hit for his double and homer. He will give both to his mother.

Carmona (5-5) faced only 28 batters, one over the minimum. He twice induced double plays immediately after yielding a single.

“He threw 22 of 28 first-pitch strikes,” Acta said. “He had a great changeup. It was a terrific performance.”