The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Tribe comes home and comes up empty
After great road trip, Indians manage only four hits vs. Twins
Adalberto Mejia combined with three relievers on a fourhitter, leading the Minnesota Twins to a 5-0 victory over the Indians in a matchup of the top two teams in the AL Central at Progressive Field on Friday night.
Mejia (2-3) held Cleveland to two hits in five innings, but had to work around five walks and two errors. The left-hander got out of basesloaded jams in the second and fourth and stranded nine Indians runners on base.
Cleveland was coming off a 7-1 road trip, including a fourgame sweep at Target Field last weekend that gave the Indians first place in the division. The Twins are now 1 1/2 back.
Tyler Duffey, Taylor Rogers and Trevor Hilden berger combined to pitch the final four innings.
Jorge Polanco’s two-run homer highlighted Minnesota’s four-run second off Trevor Bauer (6-6) and gave the Twins only their third win in 11 games against the Indians this season. Brian Dozier was 3 for 4 with two RBI.
The Indians scored five or more runs and recorded 10 or more hits in nine straight games coming into this game, but stranded 11 runners and were 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position.
Mejia, who struck out four, retired the side in order just once — in the fifth. He didn’t allow a hit until Lonnie Chisenhall’s slow roller toward third base to start the fourth.
Daniel Robertson singled with one out and Mejia couldn’t handle Jason Kipnis’ tapper to the mound for an error that loaded the bases.
Erik Gonzalez, who struck out to end the second, whiffed again for the second out and Francisco Lindor lined out to left.
Jose Ramirez grounded out as a pinch-hitter in the ninth, ending his 10-game hitting streak.