Clevinger, Tribe topple Twins in Minneapolis

Mike Clevinger won his 10th straight decision, and Carlos Santana and Francisco Lindor homered as the Indians beat the Twins, 5-2. The Indians moved back to 5 1⁄2 games behind in the AL Central.

MINNEAPOLIS >> Mike Clevinger and the Indians gave the Twins another reminder that winning their first division title in nine years won’t be easy.

Clevinger won his 10th straight decision, and Carlos Santana and Francisco Lindor homered as the Indians beat the Twins, 5-2, on Sept. 8.

Cleveland, 1 1/2 games behind Oakland for the second wild card in the American League, moved back to 5 1/2 games behind Minnesota in the AL Central. The Indians and Twins close the season series with a threegame

set in Cleveland that begins on Sept. 13.

But first, the Indians head to the West Coast to play a series against the Angels that starts Sept. 9, while the Twins host the NL wild card-leading Nationals for three at Target Field. Both teams know they have work to do before the rematch.

“That’s not going to be a big series if we don’t win in between there,” said Clevinger, who will try to beat the Twins for the third time this year when he faces them next. “If we’re still in a good spot, that should be a pivotal series that next go-round.”

Clevinger (11-2) put Cleveland in a good spot Sept. 8, allowing two runs and four hits with two walks and seven strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. He hasn’t lost since June 28. In his last 13 starts, Clevinger is 10-0 with a 2.00 ERA and 108 strikeouts in 81 innings.

“He’s really tough. He misses about as many bats as anybody in baseball,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “His stuff is excellent. He executes pretty well. It’s never an easy day when you’re facing him.”

The Twins brought the tying run to the plate with two outs in the ninth against closer Brad Hand. But thanks to an injury-riddled lineup, Ryan LaMarre — acquired earlier in the day in a trade with the Braves — was left to face Hand in his first major league plate appearance of the year.

LaMarre took a called third strike on a full-count pitch and Hand earned his 34th save.

The Indians took a 2-0 lead in the second inning on Franmil Reyes’ tworun single off Twins starter Randy Dobnak (0-1).

Santana hit his 33rd homer of the season, a solo shot off reliever Devin Smeltzer in the third. Lindor tagged Smeltzer for his 29th of the season in the fifth.

The Twins got a solo home run from Mitch Garver — his third in two days and 29th of the season — in the fourth inning.

Trailing 5-2 in the seventh, the Twins loaded the bases with one out, but reliever Nick Wittgren struck out C.J. Cron and Garver to end the threat.

Mercado takes a hit

On the first Sunday of the NFL season, the hardest hit of the day might’ve taken place in the Indians’ outfield. Right fielder Yasiel Puig and center fielder Oscar Mercado collided as they chased a fly ball in the second inning.

“It’s one of those where you don’t want to get out of the way because you don’t know if he’s going to get out of the way, so we both kind of just went for it,” said Mercado, who hit the ground as the 240-pound Puig held on for the catch.

“I’m not going to lie, I was freaking out because that’s a freight train,” Mercado said. “But thankfully we both came out OK.”