Ramirez rounding into form, hits key homer

Indians 6, Tigers 3

CLEVELAND — Arguably the best sign possible — and perhaps what the Cleveland Indians have been hoping for the most the past several months — is beginning to come to fruition.

Jose Ramirez is heating up.

Ramirez continued his recent hot streak, belting the go-ahead home run to lead the Indians to a 6-3 win over the Detroit Tigers on Thursday night at Progressive Field. Since losing the first two games after the All-star break to the Minnesota Twins, the Indians have won five straight and 11 in a row over the Tigers this season.

Ramirez began the day hitting over .350 since June 22, as he’s been able to adjust his swing and stay a little more closed so as not to pull so many hard hits into foul territory. And on Thursday night, he was the difference.

The score was tied at 3 entering the home half of the sixth. With a runner on, Ramirez drove a two-run home run off Tigers starter Matthew Boyd over the 19-foot wall in left field to put the Indians on top for good.

It was Ramirez’s ninth home run of the season and his fourth since June 22. It also extended his hitting streak to 10 games.

The Indians first took an early 2-0 lead, fell behind 3-2 and then tied it in the fifth.

Facing the lefthanded Boyd (6-8), Carlos Santana doubled in the first inning and was followed by Jordan Luplow’s tworun homer to left.

Two home runs by the Tigers off Tribe starter Trevor Bauer put the Indians in a 3-2 hole. Niko Goodrum blasted a solo shot in the second and Harold Castro added a tworun home run an inning later.

Tyler Naquin hit a sacrifice fly in the fifth to tie it for Cleveland.

Bauer (9-7) allowed three runs on five hits in six innings.

The Indians added an insurance run in the eighth when miscommunication between Tigers fielders allowed a short fly ball hit by Ramirez to drop for a fielder’s choice as Oscar Mercado scored.