CLEVELAND: Carlos Santana is having a career year for the Indians, and on Thursday the Kansas City Royals felt the full brunt of it.
Santana went 2-for-3 with a tie-breaking 3-run home run and an RBI double as the Indians completed a series sweep of the Royals and dropped their magic number to four with a 5-2 victory at Progressive Field.
Aside from a solo home run by Jason Kipnis in the first inning, the rest of the Indians’ scoring came courtesy of Santana.
After Kipnis put the Indians (89-63) on top 1-0 with his 23rd home run of the season off of Royals starting pitcher Jason Vargas in the first inning, Santana ripped a double into the gap in right-center to drive in Francisco Lindor to make it 2-0. Lindor was on second after he walked and stole second.
Before the double, Santana gave the Indians a scare when he fouled a ball off his left foot and began limping. Indians manager Terry Francona and a trainer came out to look at Santana, but he stayed in the game.
The Royals (77-76) responded in the second against Indians starting pitcher Mike Clevinger. With Alex Gordon on first, Alcides Escobar drilled a two-run home run to straightaway center field to tie it 2-2.
Clevinger spent the next three innings working into and out of trouble. All three times the Royals put the leadoff runner on base, and all three times they came away with nothing. The Indians, likewise, struggled to do anything else against Vargas.
In the sixth inning, Santana broke it open. Kipnis was hit on the left wrist with a pitch — another scare for a team that can ill afford any more injuries — and Lindor walked.
Facing Dillon Gee (7-9, 4.63 ERA), Santana then crushed a three-run home run to right field, putting the Indians on top 5-2.
Clevinger lasted five innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits and two walks and striking out four. It was a mostly positive night for a pitcher the Indians might have to lean on in October. Clevinger, who has spent his last couple of starts building up his pitch count, threw 80 pitches.
Dan Otero (5-1, 1.49 ERA) worked two scoreless innings in relief, and Bryan Shaw pitched a scoreless eighth. Cody Allen finished to secure his 29th save of the season.
Free agent J.R. Smith, a starter on the Cavaliers title team, attended the game and received a standing ovation when shown on the scoreboard. He was, in fact, wearing a shirt.
Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Indians blog at www.ohio.com/indians. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RyanLewisABJ and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RyanLewisABJ