Indians rout Mariners as Lindor, Brantley homer
CLEVELAND -- Francisco Lindor had two hits, including a home run and three RBIs, and Michael Brantley capped an eight-run third inning with a home run as the Cleveland Indians routed the Seattle Mariners 12-4 on Sunday at Progressive Field.
Abraham Almonte and Roberto Perez, Cleveland's number eight and nine hitters, were a combined 6-for-8 with five RBIs. The Indians collected 15 hits overall in support of starter Josh Tomlin (2-3), who gave up four runs in five innings but got the win.
The Indians won two of the three games of the series, which concluded a 10-game road trip for Seattle. The Mariners went 4-6 on the trip.
Right-hander Chase De Jong (0-2) made his first major league start for the Mariners, and it didn't last very long. He gave up six runs and nine hits in 2 2/3 innings.
Lindor's solo home run in the first inning gave the Indians a 1-0 lead. Nelson Cruz tied the game with a home run in the second inning, but it was all Cleveland after that.
The Indians knocked De Jong out of the game with their eight-run third inning in which they sent 11 men to the plate. The big hits in that inning were a two-run double by Lindor and a two-run home run by Brantley.
Brantley's home run pushed the lead to 9-1. Tomlin held Seattle to one run on four hits through the first five innings, but Seattle knocked him out of the game in the sixth.
That inning began with six consecutive Seattle hits. Robinson Cano, Cruz, and Kyle Seager all drove in runs in the inning, cutting the Cleveland lead to 9-4.
The Indians scored three more runs in the seventh inning on an RBI single by Almonte and a two-run double by Perez.
NOTES: The Indians finished the month of April with a record of 14-0. It is their first winning record in April in five years, since they went 11-9 in April of 2012. Last year they were 10-11 in April. ... RHP Trevor Bauer will start for the Indians Monday in Detroit. In 12 career appearances vs. the Tigers, Bauer has a 7.24 ERA. ... Mariners DH Nelson Cruz had reached base in 18 consecutive games, hitting .406 (26-64), with seven home runs and 21 RBIs in that span. ... LHP James Paxton, who will start Tuesday against the Angels as the Mariners begin a six-game homestand, was 3-0 with a 1.39 ERA in five starts in April.