Mauer, Dozier Help Twins Stomp Indians 13-5
CLEVELAND (AP) — The frustration boiled over for the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday night.
The AL Central leaders dropped another game to last-place Minnesota and lost another game in the standings after a 13-5 defeat.
The Indians, who fell to 4-8 against the Twins, have been outscored 35-16 in losing the first three games of this series.
Manager Terry Francona and pitching coach Mickey Callaway were ejected in the third while pitcher Corey Kluber — who wasn't in the game — was thrown out in the fifth.
Joe Mauer had four hits and four RBIs, Brian Dozier hit a three-run homer and the Twins had another big night against Cleveland's pitching staff.
Francona knows the Indians are going through a difficult stretch.
"You have to play through tough times," he said. "It's inevitable. It happens to everybody."
The Indians' lead over Detroit in the AL Central lead has shrunk to two games. Cleveland, which is 26-8 against the rest of the division, held a 7 1/2 game lead on July 20.
Mike Napoli homered for the fifth straight game — matching Chris Davis and Jay Bruce for the longest streak in the majors this season.
"We're going to snap out of it," Napoli said. "Through 162 games you're going to have stretches like this. It's about minimizing them."
Tyler Duffey (6-8) allowed five runs in six innings. Eddie Rosario had three hits and three RBIs while rookie Max Kepler had two hits and drove in two runs.
Trevor Bauer (7-5) gave up eight runs in 2 2/3 innings. Tyler Naquin also went deep for Cleveland.
Mauer had an RBI single in the second, a two-run double in the third and an RBI triple in the eighth. He also doubled in the first and walked in the sixth.
Dozier homered in the ninth.
Kepler is 7 for 12 with four homers and 10 RBIs in the series. His two-run single in the third led to the ejections of Francona and Callaway. Minnesota scored five times in the inning.
The ejections came after a replay review upheld a ruling on the field that right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall didn't catch a fly ball hit by Kepler. Chisenhall attempted to make a diving catch, and Francona immediately challenged the call.
Although replays shown on the Progressive Field scoreboard indicated Chisenhall made the catch, the call on the field stood. Francona and Callaway were tossed by plate umpire Manny Gonzalez.
"I knew I was going to get thrown out because you can't go out and argue those," Francona said. "I just needed to express my frustration."
Twins manager Paul Molitor thought the decision would go Minnesota's way, but knew it would be close.
"You can understand the reaction because that's a big play in the game," he said.
Kluber was ejected by first-base umpire Jim Reynolds for arguing from the top step of the dugout after Abraham Almonte was called out on a close play.
NEED SOME RELIEF
Cleveland's starting pitchers have allowed 22 runs — 21 earned — in 8 1/3 innings in the series. The short starts have taxed the bullpen. Right-handers Austin Adams, Shawn Armstrong and Cody Anderson, who have all been used in relief, were sent to Triple-A Columbus.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: OF Byron Buxton (right knee) wasn't in the lineup for the third straight game
Indians: OF Michael Brantley (sore right shoulder) hit in the batting cage Wednesday. He's played in only 11 games this season after surgery in November.
UP NEXT
Twins: LHP Hector Santiago, acquired from the Angels before the trade deadline, makes his debut with Minnesota in the series finale.
Indians: RHP Mike Clevinger will be called up from Triple-A Columbus to start against the Twins.
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