It’s a ‘coming out party’ for Indians catcher Perez

CLEVELAND — Catcher Roberto Perez has been the glue to the Indians great pitching this postseason and an explosive bat at the bottom of the order. He has caught every inning this October.

Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said before Game 1 of the World Series this was Perez’s “coming out party.’’ And that was before Perez hammered two home runs Tuesday night to lead the Indians to a 6-0 win over the Cubs at Progressive Field.

“This means a lot,’’ Perez said. “I’m playing with a lot of confidence right now. I’m not trying to do too much at the plate. It’s an unbelievable feeling.’’

Still he had to calm himself down.

“I don’t think I ever had a night like this,’’ he said of his solo blast in the fourth and three-run shot in the eighth. “In my first at-bat I was swinging too hard and I just needed to be myself.’’

Perez became the first player to hit two home runs in a World Series game batting in the ninth position and the first Indians player to hit two home runs in a World Series game.

Thrust into the hero’s role in Game 5 of the ALCS, Indians rookie left-hander Ryan Mer

ritt’s life has changed in many ways, including having grateful fans purchase gifts for him and his fiancée for their wedding registry.

Merritt is not into shopping, though. His passion is farming.

“I didn’t know much about weddings anyway so I didn’t even know I could create my own registry,’’ Merritt said. “My fiancée made me go to the Target with her. It wasn’t the funnest time of my life but I got it done and made her happy. She did most of it. We were there for an hour but it seemed like a full day. I was doing the scanning, she was doing the picking, I was doing the fun part.”