CLEVELAND – Cody Anderson, suddenly one of the Cleveland Indians’ best pitchers, shut down a Minnesota Twins team desperately seeking a doubleheader sweep Wednesday night.
Anderson allowed just two hits in seven scoreless innings, and Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez homered as the Indians beat the wild-card-chasing Twins 10-2 in the second game of a doubleheader at Progressive Field.
Minnesota won the first game 7-1, as first baseman Joe Mauer and center fielder Byron Buxton homered and right fielder Torii Hunter drove in three runs in support of right-hander Kyle Gibson.
Gibson (11-11) pitched six scoreless innings of four-hit ball while matching his career high with nine strikeouts.
Losing the second game prevented the Twins from taking a big step in the race for the second American League wild card. They began the day one game behind Houston and 1 1/2 games behind Los Angeles Angels. Fortunately for the Twins, the Angels also lost Wednesday night. The Astros were playing a late game.
“We didn’t get a sweep, but the Angels didn’t win. They finally had a hiccup,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. “We’re a game behind them, but we live for another day, that’s for sure.”
In the second game, Anderson was nearly unhittable. The rookie right-hander the season with a 7-3 record and a 3.05 ERA in 15 starts. In his last five starts, he went 5-0 with a 1.09 ERA.
“He’s commanding his fastball, he has that changeup, and he’s down in the zone with everything,” Indians manager Terry Francona said.
The Twins failed to get a runner as far as third base against Anderson. The only hits he allowed were a single by Hunter in the second inning and a single by third baseman Trevor Plouffe in the sixth.
“The way he competes and the way he acts on the mound, he has a very bright future,” Francona said of Anderson.
The Twins’ only runs came on solo home runs by designated hitter Miguel Sano in the eighth inning and left fielder Eddie Rosario in the ninth.
Leading 7-1, the Indians added three more runs in the eighth inning on a three-run homer by Ramirez off right-hander Ricky Nolasco. The Cleveland second baseman sparked some controversy by admiring his home run before running to first base, then flipping his bat toward the Minnesota dugout.
Molitor and several Twins players could be seen yelling at Ramirez as he rounded the bases and crossed home plate.
“Some of our people thought that was over the top and disrespectful, so we reacted,” Molitor said.
Nolasco was less diplomatic.
“To pull a (garbage) move like that, he’ll get his, don’t worry,” Nolasco said.
Said Francona: “Good swing, poor judgment. Hitting the home run was good enough. He’ll learn. Hopefully not the hard way, but he’ll learn.”
Game 1
MIN ab r h bi CLE ab r h bi
Dozier 2b 5 0 0 0 Kipnis 2b 4 0 3 1
Mauer 1b 5 2 2 1 Ramirez 3b 4 0 0 0
Sano dh 4 1 1 0 Lindor ss 3 0 2 0
Plouffe 3b 4 1 1 1 Santana dh 4 0 0 0
Rosario lf 3 1 1 0 Gomes c 4 0 1 0
Hunter rf 4 0 1 3 Almonte cf 3 0 0 0
Hicks rf 0 0 0 0 Sands rf 4 1 1 0
Nunez ss 3 1 2 0 Aguilar 1b 4 0 1 0
Suzuki c 4 0 0 0 Aviles lf 4 0 0 0
Buxton cf 4 1 2 2
Totals 36 7 10 7 Totals 34 1 8 1
Minnesota 100 400 101 - 7
Cleveland 000 000 100 - 1
LOB-Cleveland 8, Minnesota 5. 2B-Tr.Hunter (22), Kipnis (42), Mauer (33), Nunez (14). HR-Buxton (2), Mauer (10). SB-Lindor 2 (11), Nunez (8).
IP H R ER BB SO
Minnesota
Gibson W, 11-11 6 4 0 0 2 9
Boyer 1-3 3 1 1 0 0
Cotts 2-3 0 0 0 0 0
Fien 1 1 0 0 0 1
Tonkin 1 0 0 0 0 0
Cleveland
Carrasco L, 14-12 3 5 5 5 2 5
R.Webb 1 0 0 0 0 0
Floyd 3 2 1 1 0 1
CC.Lee 1 2 0 0 1 3
Armstrong 1 1 1 1 0 3
Inherited runners-scored-Cotts 2-0, R.Webb 2-0.
Umpires-Home, Alan Porter; First, Chad Whitson; Second, Brian O’Nora; Third, Mark Ripperger.
T-3:05.
Game 2
MIN ab r h bi CLE ab r h bi
Dozier 2b 4 0 0 0 Kipnis dh 4 2 0 0
Mauer 1b 3 0 0 0 Ramirez 2b 4 2 2 4
Sano dh 3 1 1 1 Lindor ss 5 2 2 2
Plouffe 3b 4 0 1 0 Santana 1b 4 0 2 1
Rosario lf 4 1 1 1 Chsnhll rf 3 1 1 0
Hunter rf 3 0 1 0 Johnson 3b 4 0 0 0
Kepler ph 1 0 0 0 Almonte cf 4 2 3 0
Hicks cf 3 0 0 0 Moore c 4 0 1 1
Hrrmann c 2 0 0 0 Martinz lf 4 1 1 1
Santana ph 1 0 0 0
Fryer c 1 0 1 0
Escobar ss 3 0 0 0
Totals 32 2 5 2 Totals 36 10 12 9
Minnesota 000 000 011 - 2
Cleveland 041 200 03x - 10
E-Dozier 1, A.Hicks 1. LOB-Cleveland 5, Minnesota 7. 2B-A.Almonte 2 (9), Fryer (2), Je.Ramirez (14). HR-Lindor (12), Je.Ramirez (6), E.Rosario (13), Sano (18). SB-Kipnis (12). CS-C.Santana (3).
IP H R ER BB SO
Minnesota
Pelfrey L, 6-11 1 2-3 6 4 4 2 1
Graham 1 2 1 1 0 0
Duensing 1 1-3 1 2 1 0 1
P.Hughes 1 1 0 0 0 0
O’Rourke 1 0 0 0 0 1
Nolasco 2 2 3 3 1 5
Cleveland
Co.Anderson W, 7-3 7 2 0 0 4 2
McAllister 1 1 1 1 0 1
A.Adams 1 2 1 1 0 1
Inherited runners-scored-Duensing 1-0, Graham 1-0. WP-Pelfrey (5).
Umpires-Home, Jeff Kellogg; First, Brian O’Nora; Second, Mark Ripperger; Third, Chad Whitson.
T-2:52. A-10,228 (45,274)
