Indians 8, Twins 7
Jason Kipnis and Michael Bourn each knocked in a pair of runs in the first inning as host Cleveland scored six times and later held off a furious Minnesota rally for its fourth consecutive victory.
Bourn recorded three singles and three RBIs while Kipnis finished a homer shy of the cycle for the Indians, who have won 22 of their last 30 at home. Corey Kluber (6-4) allowed three runs on eight hits over 5 2/3 innings to win his third straight start and Vinnie Pestano gave up two runs in the ninth before posting his third save.
Chris Parmelee homered twice, Joe Mauer belted a two-run shot in the first inning and Oswaldo Arcia added a solo homer for the Twins, who have dropped the first two in the series. Starter P.J. Walters (2-3) retired only two batters, allowing six runs on one hit, five walks and one hit batsman.
Kipnis got things going by delivering a two-run double to left field, and Jason Giambi and Drew Stubbs drew bases-loaded walks to give Cleveland a 4-2 lead. Bourn capped the first-inning outburst with a two-run bloop single to center off reliever Anthony Swarzak.
Arcia’s homer to center field in the fourth brought Minnesota within 6-3 and Kluber avoided further damage by getting the final two outs with two runners on. Stubbs and Bourn delivered RBI singles in the fifth to increase Cleveland’s advantage to 8-3, and Pestano struck out Josh Willingham to end the game with the tying run on first.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Indians LHP Rich Hill struck out Mauer and Ryan Doumit with two on and a three-run lead to end a Minnesota threat in the eighth inning. … The Twins have homered at least once in seven straight games, belting 14 shots in that span. … Former GM John Hart and INF Carlos Baerga were inducted into the Indians Hall of Fame in a ceremony before the game.