Sunday, July 31, 2016
Associated Press
cleveland
Jason Kipnis hit one of Cleveland’s four homers, leading the Indians to a 6-3 win over the Oakland Athletics on Saturday night.
Jose Ramirez, Abraham Almonte and Mike Napoli also went deep for the AL Central-leading Indians.
Cleveland broke a 2-all tie with a four-run fourth in which Almonte and Napoli homered. The rally came after Billy Butler tied the game with a home run in the top of the inning and flipped his bat several feet from home plate, a move the Indians quickly answered.
Josh Tomlin (11-3) allowed two runs in seven innings and moved into a tie with Danny Salazar for the team lead in wins.
Dillon Overton (1-2), recalled from Triple-A Nashville before the game, gave up five runs and 10 hits, including three homers, in 3 1/3 innings.
Butler and Cleveland catcher Chris Gimenez exchanged words following a pitch with two out in the fourth. Plate umpire Tripp Gibson separated the two and Butler belted the next pitch into the left field bleachers, a drive that traveled an estimated 440 feet.
Butler followed with his bat flip, which began a shouting match between the two players. Gibson stood beside Gimenez as Butler rounded the bases and then issued warnings to both dugouts.
Butler was loudly booed in his next two at-bats by the crowd of 32,850. He walked in the seventh and flied out in the ninth.