Carrasco strikes out 11 in 8-1 rout

Carlos Carrasco struck out 11 and withstood another scary Minnesota line drive, pitching the Indians past the Twins, 8-1.

Francisco Lindor matched a career high with four hits while Jose Ramirez drove in three runs for the AL Central leaders.

Carrasco (16-7) allowed four hits in 7 2/3 innings. He is tied for second in the majors in wins, one behind Luis Severino of the Yankees.

In the fifth, Carrasco was hit in the glove by Ehire Adrianza’s liner. The force of the blow knocked Carrasco to the ground, but the right-hander immediately got to his feet. The ball rolled toward second baseman Jason Kipnis, who had no play at first.

Indians manager Terry Francona and a team trainer went to the mound, and Carrasco signaled he wasn’t injured. The pitcher smiled as the trainer wiped dirt off his left hand and wrist with a towel.

On June 16 at Progressive Field, Carrasco was struck on the right elbow by a line drive from Twins star Joe Mauer.

Carrasco sustained a bruise and missed three weeks — he is 8-2 in 11 starts since returning July 6.

Kyle Gibson (7-11) allowed five runs in 5 1/3 innings. Jake Cave hit a solo homer in the ninth.

Ramirez had a sacrifice fly in the third and a two-run double in the sixth, driving in his first run since Aug. 17.

Lindor and Ramirez were a combined 9 for 58 on Cleveland’s seven-game road trip.

Edwin Encarnacion and Greg Allen each drove in two runs for the Indians, who have dominated the AL Central but are 9-8 against the Twins.

Cleveland is 31-11 against the rest of the division and leads second-place Minnesota by 14 games.

Still throwing

Indians RHP Trevor Bauer (stress fracture in right leg) threw off the mound and played catch up to 320 feet without a walking boot. He is still frustrated that his potential AL Cy Young Award season was derailed when he was struck on the leg by a line drive on Aug. 11.

“I’m just sitting here and all of my personal season goals are slowly drifting away because I took a line drive off the ankle,” he said.

Francona hopes Bauer will make two or three appearances for the Indians before the regular season ends, but no timeline for his return has been established.

Season over

Twins RHP Michael Pineda (right knee) and LHP Adalberto Mejia (left wrist) will miss the remainder of the season. Pineda had Tommy John surgery in July of last year and was on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Rochester. He has a slight meniscus tear that could require surgery. Mejia is experiencing nerve problems in his strained wrist.

Trainer’s room

TWINS » SS Jorge Polanco was not in the lineup after experiencing leg cramps Sunday.

Up next

Twins RHP Kohl Stewart (0-1, 6.94 ERA) takes on Indians RHP Adam Plutko (44, 5.09 ERA) in the second game of the series

TONY DEJAK — ASSOCIATED PRESS Carlos Carrasco delivers during the first inning against the Twins.

TONY DEJAK— ASSOCIATED PRESS Indians’ Yonder Alonso, left, celebrates with Jose Ramirez after the Indians defeated the Minnesota Twins 8-1 in a game on Aug. 28 in Cleveland.