Lindor credits teammates in walk-off win

An ineffective four innings from Danny Salazar combined with a few miscues in the field and missed opportunities at the plate usually add up to a loss, especially against one of baseball’s top teams in the Washington Nationals. Instead, the Indians walked off as winners of a 7-6 affair following a three-run ninth against Nationals closer Jonathan Papelbon.

Francisco Lindor shortened his swing to put the barrel of the bat on a fastball up-and-in and punch the game-winning run between first and second base to send Chris Gimenez home for the victory. But postgame, he credited his teammates — especially those off the bench — for setting up his game-winner.

After Jose Ramirez walked leading off the ninth, Tyler Naquin pinchhit for Juan Uribe and laced a double to his opposite field in left-center which drew the Indians within a run at 6-5. Instead of looking to move Ramirez up, Naquin’s double allowed the Indians to be aggressive.

“That obviously really changed the game,” manager Terry Francona said. “We’re trying to extend the inning any way we can, Francisco Lindor celebrates after hitting the game winning hit off Nationals pitcher Oliver Perez during the ninth inning on July 26 in Cleveland.

maybe get the tying run to second or something, and it looked like he had a split and he stayed on it.”

Naquin said he has taken advice from Lonnie Chisenhall on how to keep himself ready as a bat off the bench, and delivered an RBI two innings after Chisenhall’s pinch-hit RBI single pulled Cleveland within 5-3 in the seventh.

Gimenez then laid down a bunt, which first baseman Ryan Zimmerman threw wide of first base as second baseman Daniel Murphy

covered as a part of the wheel play. Running down the first base line, Gimenez watched Murphy’s eyes widen before he stabbed at the errant throw, which allowed Naquin to round third and tie the game.

Papelbon issued an intentional walk before Davis reached on what Gimenez called the play of the game. Davis dug into the batter’s box with a mandate to bunt with runners on first and second but, when he saw third baseman Anthony Rendon charging, he put

the barrel of the bat to the ball and popped the bunt over Rendon’s head.

“I’m not taking a swing there,” Davis said. “I’m actually going to lay the bunt down but (Rendon’s) in my face, so I don’t like laying bunts when people are right there.”

The bunt single loaded the bases, and the crowd of 23,711 was frenzied. Jason Kipnis flew out to left, not deep enough to allow Gimenez to tag from third, before Lindor ended the game with his first career walk-off hit.

“We trust the team we have,” Lindor said. “Gimenez wasn’t starting today, huge at-bat. Naquin wasn’t starting today, huge at-bat. Chisenhall wasn’t starting today, huge at-bat.”

Indians reliever Zach McAllister is slated to make another rehab appearance with Double-A Akron July 27, after he pitched a scoreless inning for the RubberDucks July 25. The righthander has allowed a run and four hits over three innings between Akron and two rehab games with Triple-A Columbus.

Francona said the team will revisit McAllister’s status after the outing, but he is nearing a return to Cleveland’s bullpen “for sure.”

The starter-turned-reliever is 2-2 with a 5.40 ERA over 30 appearances, including one spot start, for the Indians in 2016. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list with right hip discomfort July 7.

Interleague play

Cleveland has won eight consecutive games against National League opposition with the 7-6 victory over Washington. The Indians and Nationals conclude their two-game series July 27, when Cleveland can match its franchise record nine-game winning streak in interleague play — set in June 2005.

Shades of November

Washington and Cleveland lead their respective divisions as the season rounds into its final third, and each team is nearly a lock to make the postseason. According to Baseball Prospectus’ playoff odds entering play July 26, the Indians have the best chance of any American League to make the postseason at 95.7 percent while the Nationals’ 96 percent chance ranked only behind the Cubs’ 98.8 percent chance.

As a result, it’s not out of the question to wonder if the two-game series at Progressive Field this week may offer a glimpse at a potential matchup in the Fall Classic. Francona wouldn’t engage in any ideas of a World Series preview, saying the games don’t mean much outside of a win or loss at the moment, but Cleveland’s manager said the Nationals are built for playoff baseball when considering Washington’s pitching staff and its speed and power.

“They’re a team you’re going to hear from later in the season,” Francona said, “because they’re really good.”

RON SCHWANE—ASSOCIATED PRESS