Tribe’s Tomlin wins for first time since ’12

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

Josh Tomlin couldn’t recall the last time he won in the major leagues.

He’s sure to remember his victory Tuesday night.

Cleveland’s right-hander earned his first win since 2012 after he pitched into the seventh in the Indians’ 4-2 win over the Minnesota Twins.

“This one, that’s what I remember,” he said after allowing one run and four hits in 62/3 innings.

Tomlin hadn’t won since July 5, 2012, when he defeated Tampa Bay. He had Tommy John surgery the following month and missed most of last year while recovering.

Called up from Triple-A Columbus before the game, he admitted to feeling some nerves as he took the mound.

“I definitely had some anxiety going before the game, but a good anxiety,” Tomlin said. “It was the same anxiety I’ve gotten in years past.”

Tomlin (1-0) struck out four and walked one.

The right-hander took a two-hit shutout into the seventh before Chris Colabello homered. Tomlin left after a single and a foul out, and received an ovation from the crowd of 9,621. Tomlin threw 93 pitches.

Tomlin learned to take nothing for granted as he went through the yearlong process following surgery.

“There’s been a couple of guys around the league who had to have a second one before they got back out there,” he said. “That’s always in the back of your mind. To be able to not have any reservations about the elbow was pretty special.”

Indians manager Terry Francona had some simple advice for Tomlin before the game.

“I said, ‘Hey man, enjoy the hell out of this,”’ Francona said.

Bryan Shaw pitched the ninth for his first save. Eduardo Escobar’s two-out double cut the lead to two, but pinch-hitter Josmil Pinto popped out.

Samuel Deduno (0-2) allowed four runs in five innings in his first start of the season.

Deduno replaced Mike Pelfrey in the Twins’ rotation. Pelfrey was ineffective in five starts before going on the disabled list with a groin injury. Deduno had shoulder surgery in September and made seven relief appearances to begin this season.

The Indians scored twice in the first on an RBI single by Michael Brantley and a fielding error by Colabello at first base.

Yan Gomes’ RBI double and Nick Swisher’s run-scoring single in the second made it 4-0.

Tomlin pitched with a sore right elbow for most of the 2012 season.

His last start in the majors came on July 27, when he allowed eight runs in four innings in an 11-0 loss to the Twins.