Garlick's 3-Run Homer In 10th Lifts Twins Past Indians 8-5
CLEVELAND (AP) — Kyle Garlick hit a three-run homer in the 10th inning off James Karinchak, and the Minnesota Twins defeated the Cleveland Indians 8-5 on Sunday.
Garlick entered the game in right field in the seventh as a replacement for Max Kepler, who hit his 13th career home run at Progressive Field in the fourth, also a three-run shot.
Cleveland tied the game in the ninth when Jordan Luplow, replacing injured Franmil Reyes in the cleanup spot, brought home the tying run with a squeeze bunt.
The Twins responded quickly against Karinchak (2-1). Luis Arraez was the automatic runner at second base, and Josh Donaldson walked. Garlick homered to center field on a 3-2 pitch.
Karinchak had allowed one run and three hits with 38 strikeouts in 20 2/3 innings going into the game.
Hanser Robles (1-1) walked César Hernández to start the ninth, and Amed Rosario reached on an infield single for his fourth hit of the day. Hernández went to third when José Ramírez flied out to deep center.
Luplow laid down a bunt on the first pitch. First baseman Alex Kirilloff charged and flipped the ball with his glove to catcher Mitch Garver, but Hernandez slid home safely.
Eddie Rosario struck out and Owen Miller, playing in his first major league game, flied out.
Tyler Duffey pitched the 10th for his first save.
The extra-inning loss capped a rough day for the Indians, who announced before the game that Reyes will miss five to seven weeks with an internal oblique strain. Reyes leads the team in RBIs and is second in home runs, and his absence is a major setback for Cleveland's struggling offense.
Cleveland starter Zach Plesac retired his first nine hitters, but the Twins broke loose in the fourth for the second time in the three-game series after trailing 3-0.
Arraez and Donaldson started the inning with singles. Kepler, playing in his 40th game in Cleveland, sent a 2-0 pitch down the right-field line to erase the deficit. He has 17 career homers against the Indians overall.
Rob Refsnyder's single gave Minnesota the lead. Andrelton Simmons' RBI groundout ended the day for Plesac, who was charged with five runs — three earned — in 3 2/3 innings.
The Twins scored nine times in the fourth inning of Friday night's 10-0 win, which came after the team arrived in Cleveland at 4:30 a.m. after playing a doubleheader Thursday at the Los Angeles Angels.
Kepler, who has been playing with a sore hamstring, also singled in the fifth.
Minnesota starter J.A. Happ allowed four runs and struck out a season-high 10 in six innings.
Ramírez's double and Rosario's single gave Cleveland a 2-0 lead in the first. Rosario had an RBI single in the third and a run-scoring triple in the seventh.
Miller, who batted .406 at Triple-A Columbus, was called up to take Reyes' roster spot. He started at designated hitter and was 0 for 5 with three strikeouts.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: RHP Kenta Maeda is on the 10-day injured list with a right adductor strain. He was removed after five innings Saturday. ... DH Nelson Cruz (bruised left wrist) and INF Jorge Polanco (ankle) remain sidelined.
Indians: C Roberto Pérez, who had surgery for a broken right thumb this month, was transferred to the 60-day injured list.
UP NEXT
Twins: RHP Matt Shoemaker (2-5) will start the opener of a three-game home series Monday against Baltimore.
Indians: LHP Sam Hentges (1-1) will start the first of a four-game series in Detroit on Monday.
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