Santana's home run helps Indians avoid sweep

Comeback keeps Tribe in AL Central hunt

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

With the AL Central in danger of slipping away for the Cleveland Indians, Carlos Santana delivered.

Santana, coming off his first career All-Star appearance, hit a solo home run that broke a seventh-inning tie and the Indians avoided a sweep with a 4-3 win over the first-place Minnesota Twins on Sunday.

All-Star MVP Shane Bieber helped Cleveland salvage the finale and close within 61/2 games of the Twins.

“We lost the first two, but came back in the game today,” Santana said. “It’s great. It’s positive. We’re playing good baseball.”

Santana lined an 0-2 pitch from Trevor May (3-2) into the right-field seats for his 21st homer.

Bieber, who struck out the side in his one inning against the NL on Tuesday night in front of a hometown crowd, took a three-hit shutout into the seventh before Minnesota rallied with three runs and tied the game.

Two replay reviews — both resulting in a Minnesota batter being hit by a pitch — played a major role in the inning.

Bieber, who was given a loud ovation when he took the mound, admitted the unusual inning was frustrating.

“That’s the way the game is,” he said. “Sometimes things don’t go your way. Unfortunately that’s kind of what replay is for.”

Luis Arraez drew a leadoff walk in the seventh and Mitch Garver was hit by a pitch. Marwin Gonzalez’s single scored Arraez and Miguel Sano’s single loaded the bases.

Bieber’s 0-2 pitch to Jake Cave was ruled a foul ball, but the Twins challenged the call. The replay showed the ball hit Cave on the hand, forcing in a run and cutting the lead to 3-2.

Bieber struck out Jonathan Schoop and was relieved by Oliver Perez. Max Kepler’s bloop hit to center tied the game. Jorge Polanco struck out and Cimber whiffed Cruz.

“It’s nice for us to get punched in the stomach and come right back,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “That was a good ending too. That would’ve been a tough day.”

Adam Cimber (5-2) pitched 11/3 innings. The right-hander struck out Nelson Cruz with the bases loaded to end the seventh and whiffed Sano with the tying run on second to finish the eighth.

Brad Hand earned his 24th save.

UP NEXT

Indians: RHP Adam Plutko (3-1, 4.95 ERA) faces Tigers LHP Daniel Norris (2-8, 4.96 ERA) in a four-game series opener today at Progressive Field.