Cleveland Has 17 hits In 12-6 Over Twins
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Carlos Santana and Asdrubal Cabrera both had two doubles and Jason Kipnis was a homer short of the cycle as the Cleveland Indians had 17 hits in a 12-6 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night.
With the win and Tampa Bay's loss at Toronto, the Indians moved into a tie with the Rays for the two AL wild cards, one game ahead of Texas, which beat Los Angeles. Cleveland has won eight straight and 13 of 15, taking advantage of a schedule that ends with 10 games against Houston, the Chicago White Sox and the Twins, the three worst teams in the AL this season.
Indians starter Corey Kluber (11-5) managed to win his fifth straight decision. He started the game with three scoreless innings, but then allowed 10 of the next 16 hitters to reach and was knocked out with one out in the sixth. Kluber gave up six earned runs and 10 hits, but walked only one and struck out five.
Twins starter Pedro Hernandez (3-3) gave up four runs in the first inning and three in the second.
Cleveland right-hander Justin Masterson threw a scoreless eighth as he works his way back from a strained left oblique that sidelined him for three weeks.
By the time the second inning was over, the Indians had four doubles and a triple, and the first seven hitters in their batting order had at least one hit.
Ryan Raburn singled in two runs in the second, and Mike Aviles added a two-run single in the fifth for the Indians, who went 7 for 12 with runners in scoring position.
The Twins scratched back thanks to Pedro Florimon's two-run homer in the fifth, and after Alex Presley dumped a two-run single into left field with two outs in the sixth, the Twins had climbed within 9-6.
NOTES: With their 6-5 victory over Minnesota on Thursday, the Indians improved their record in one-run games to 30-17, the best mark in the major leagues. . Twins C Josmil Pinto left the game after being hit on the right hand with a pitch in the fourth inning. Precautionary X-rays were negative and he's considered day-to-day with a bruised hand. . The Indians will send LHP Scott Kazmir (9-9) to the mound against Minnesota RHP Cole De Vries (0-1) on Saturday.
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