Yan Gomes Grand Slam Sinks Angels
CLEVELAND (AP) — Yan Gomes' eighth-inning grand slam capped a five-run rally and the Cleveland Indians defeated the Los Angeles Angels 8-3 on Saturday night.
Gomes homered to center on the first pitch from Joe Smith (4-4) for his first career grand slam, lifting Cleveland to its fourth straight win.
Carlos Santana's RBI double broke a 3-all tie and sent Los Angeles to its seventh loss in nine games. The Angels are 2 1-2 games behind Texas for the second AL wild card.
Bryan Shaw (3-2) pitched 1 1-3 scoreless innings for Cleveland.
Smith entered the game to start the eighth but didn't retire a batter, allowing five runs, four hits and an intentional walk.
Rookie Francisco Lindor started the rally with a leadoff single and took second on Michael Brantley's single. Santana lined Smith's first pitch to right, giving Cleveland the lead.
Lonnie Chisenhall was walked intentionally but Gomes, who drove in a career-high five runs, foiled that strategy with a blast to dead center field.
The game was delayed by rain for 38 minutes in the bottom of the third.
Neither starter was involved in the decision. Corey Kluber allowed three runs, including solo homers to Kole Calhoun and David Murphy, in six innings.
Garrett Richards, who retired 13 of the final 14 hitters he faced, gave up three runs in seven innings.
Calhoun's homer came on the first pitch of the game and broke an 0-for-17 slump.
Gomes tied the game with a second-inning sacrifice fly. Following the delay, Chisenhall's two-run single gave Cleveland the lead in the third.
Murphy, traded from Cleveland to Los Angeles on Aug. 28, homered to lead off the fourth. Brantley's fielding error on Kaleb Cowart's two-out double allowed the tying run to score.
Mike Trout, the reigning AL MVP, was 0 for 3 with a walk and is hitting .194 (18 for 93) in August. He is 1 for 16 in five games against the Indians this season. Trout hasn't homered in 21 games, the longest drought of his career.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Angels: 3B David Freese (broken right finger) is expected to rejoin the team in Oakland next week.
Indians: RHP Gavin Floyd (fractured right elbow) allowed five runs in 2 2-3 innings on a minor league rehab assignment at Double-A Akron on Saturday.
UP NEXT
Angels: RHP Jered Weaver is 9-4 with a 3.30 ERA in 19 career appearances against Cleveland.
Indians: RHP Josh Tomlin has held opposing hitters to a .171 average in three starts since returning from shoulder surgery.
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