The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Takeaways from the Indians’ rebound victory
After having their recordsetting, 22-game win streak snapped by Kansas City on Sept. 15, the Indians bounced back impressively on Sept. 16 with an 8-4 victory over the Royals. Here are the takeaways from a late-afternoon matinee played in front of another packed house at Progressive Field.
Lindor at the top
Aug. 5, Indians manager Terry Francona installed Francisco Lindor as his leadoff hitter. There are a lot of reasons why the Indians are 33-8 since then, but the work of the 23-year-old shortstop and two-time American League All-Star standout at the top of the batting order is near the top of the list. Against the Royals on Sept. 16, Lindor was 3-for-4 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored. He has an extra-base hit in his last 10 games, setting a new franchise record and passing the previous standard shared by Hal Trosky in 1934 and Sandy Alomar in 1997. It was Lindor’s team-leading 48th multi-hit game of the season. He also ran his hitting streak to 10 games. Since Aug. 24, when the Indians’ embarked on their winning streak, Lindor is batting .383 with nine home runs, 22 RBI and 22 runs scored.
Hot bats
Lindor has had plenty of company in tormenting opposing pitchers. Second baseman Jose Ramirez, given the day off against the Royals, is batting .314 overall with a career-high 27 home runs, 75 RBI and a major league-leading 83 extra-base hits. Carlos Santana, Austin Jackson, Jay Bruce and rookie third baseman Yandy Diaz all had two hits in the bounce-back win. Edwin Encarnacion smacked his 35th homer of the season and has 17 since the All-Star break.
Great pitching
Carlos Carrasco wasn’t at his dominating best against the Royals in the Game 3 of a four-game series, but the 30-year-old right-hander was plenty good enough to notch his 16th victory. He allowed four runs on eight hits in 6 2/3 innings with five strikeouts and two walks. He had thrown 101 pitches, 70 for strikes, when Francona decided to bring in left-handed relief ace Andrew Miller to staunch a K.C. rally with the Indians leading, 7-4.
Carrasco is 4-0 with a 1.50 ERA in his last five starts. He joined teammates Corey Kluber and Trevor Bauer with an AL-leading 16 wins. Miller retired the only batter he faced in his second appearance since coming off the disabled list on Sept. 14. Francona, who also called on relievers Zach McAllister and Nick Goody to close out the Royals, will use the 13 remaining regular-season games to set up his starting rotation and bullpen for what is expected to be an extended postseason. That pitching staff has been nothing short of spectacular, allowing four of fewer runs in the last 23 games.
Bruce’s world
Acquired from the New York Mets in a non-waiver trade on Aug. 9, Bruce has quickly played his way into the hearts of Indians fans. Every time he walks to the plate for an at-bat, gets a hit or makes a play in right field, chants of “Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuce” rise from the crowd. The 30-year-old Texan has hit safely in 19 of 30 games he has played in a Cleveland uniform.
Big crowds
This homestand has produced some of the largest and most engaged crowd of the seasons. The third game in the current series had paid attendance of 33,688. That was the 11th sellout of the season and pushed up total attendance for the nine games to 252,919 with a pergame average of 28,102.