Tribe rallies for sick skipper, beats Texas
Cleveland sets season-high in runs
CLEVELAND — The Indians trailed by seven runs and were without manager Terry Francona by the fourth inning Monday night. Coming off a disheartening sweep to a division rival, Cleveland badly need a few runs.
They got them, and then they kept on going.
Francisco Lindor, Lonnie Chisenhall and Carlos Santana each had three RBIS to help Cleveland rally and beat the Texas Rangers 15-9 on Monday night after Francona left the game because he wasn’t feeling well.
The Indians came back after trailing 9-2 in the fourth inning to avoid their first four-game losing streak since 2015.
“It’s awesome,” said Chisenhall, whose two-run single with the bases loaded in the sixth gave Cleveland the lead. “This is the best win of the year.”
The Indians said Francona was evaluated by the team’s medical staff and checked out fine. He experienced similar symptoms as when he left a game June 14, when he was taken to a hospital.
The team wouldn’t say if Francona had been hospitalized again. An update is expected Tuesday.
“It’s a genuine concern for not just me, but the whole staff and the team, as well,” bench coach Brad Mills said. “I’m glad the doctors checked him out and we’ll move down the road and hopefully we’ll know something tomorrow.”
Francona presented Rangers first baseman and former Indian Mike Napoli with his American League Championship ring before the game. Mills came out to fetch starter Carlos Carrasco in the fourth inning, the first sign the players had that Francona wasn’t there.
“I know he’s watching somehow and he’s proud of what we were doing,” Chisenhall said. “You always want him to feel good. His health is the most important thing.”
The Indians scored a run in the fourth, four in the fifth, took the lead with five in the sixth and added three in the seventh.
Adrian Beltre, Elvis Andrus and Joey Gallo each homered off Cleveland starter Carlos Carrasco to help build Texas’ lead, but then the Indians offense finally woke up. Cleveland had been shut out twice, went 1 for 23 with runners in scoring position and got swept over three games by the Minnesota Twins in its previous series.