Plutko hit hard in Indians’ loss

to four hits and one run in seven innings. Plutko ( 3- 1) went 4 innings, giving up five earned runs on eight hits and three walks. Matt Davidson added an RBI double off the center field fence for a 3- 0 lead.

Plutko threw 27 pitches in the inning, allowing three hits, a walk and three runs. He added a wild pitch. Plutko rebounded with three scoreless innings after the first, but he faded in the fifth. He retired Sanchez and Jose Abreu to start the inning, but Daniel Palko walked and Davidson and Omar Narvaez hit consecutive doubles to make it 5- 0.

Shields ( 2- 7, 4.63) had not won a game since the season opener on March 29. He was 0-7 in 13 appearances since.

The Indians’ only run came on Jose Ramirez’s sacrifice fly in the sixth that scored Francisco Lindor, who had doubled and finished with two of Cleveland’s five hits. The Indians optioned catcher Francisco Mejia back to the Clippers on Tuesday to allow the activation of Plutko to start against Chicago.

The Indians had recalled Mejia on Monday after catcher Roberto Perez was hit in the right hand by a pitch on Sunday in Detroit. The Indians feared that Perez would have to go on the disabled list, so they had Mejia join them in Chicago. Perez, however, recovered quickly and showed the Indians during a workout Monday that he was ready to play.