The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Luplow hits two out, Mercado makes debut in Indians win
Jordan Luplow and the Indians’ anemic offense once again found the tonic they needed in Manny Bañuelos and the White Sox.
Luplow hit two of Cleveland’s five homers, Carlos Carrasco cruised through seven innings and the Indians pounded the White Sox, 9-0, on May 14.
Roberto Pérez, Jake Bauers and José Ramirez also went deep as the lighthitting Indians muscled up against Bañuelos and Josh Osich to end Chicago’s three-game winning streak.
The 25-year-old Luplow has hit all four of his homers this season against Chicago and three off Bañuelos. His previous two drives against the White Sox left-hander came in a rain-shortened 5-0 win in Cleveland last Thursday. Luplow hit six home runs in brief looks the past two years with Pittsburgh.
“I don’t know what it is, honestly,” said Luplow of his success against Chicago and Bañuelos. “It’s a positive sign for our team that we can swing the bats, as long as we can stay consistent with it.”
The Indians could use a kick-start.
Cleveland entered hitting just .219, tied with Toronto for worst in the American League. The Indians also came in with only 36 home runs in 40 games, second lowest in the league and fourth lowest in the majors.
“We’ve been struggling a little bit, but it’s in there,” Luplow said. “We have a long way to go. I think this is something we can build off.”
Carrasco (4-3) scattered six singles and struck out six, while walking none, in his second straight solid start. Oliver Pérez, Dan Otero and A. J. Cole combined to complete the seven-hitter.
Bañuelos (2- 3) was roughed up for the third straight outing. The lefthander yielded five runs on four hits and three walks before leaving the game with none out in the fifth with a left shoulder strain.
Catcher James McCann said the Indians went deep off Bañuelos’ mistakes, but noticed the lefty wasn’t his usual self.
“The crispness of this stuff wasn’t quite the same,” McCann said. “I know something was off.”
Perez hit his fifth home run for a 1- 0 lead in the third. Luplow’s line drive barely cleared the fence in right-center in the fourth to make it 3-0.
The Indians added three more runs in the fifth.
Bauers led off with a homer and Perez then walked, prompting manager Rick Renteria and a trainer to visit the mound. Bañuelos walked off with the trainer and Osich entered.
“He was just shaking his armaround a lot and something didn’t seem right,” Renteria said. “He said he felt something — there was some soreness there — so we took him out.”
With two outs, Jason Kipnis doubled in a run and scored on Carlos Santana’s single.
Luplow and Ramirez hit back-to-back homers to start the sixth to make it 8-0 before the Indians added an unearned run in the eighth.
Newcomer
Indians prospect Oscar Mercado made his majorleague debut in left field and batted sixth after being recalled from TripleA Columbus earlier in the day.