Indians 6, Brewers 2
CLEVELAND -- Jason Kipnis drove in three runs on a home run and a two-run double and five Cleveland relievers combined to pitch 4 2/3 scoreless innings as the Indians beat the Milwaukee Brewers 6-2 Wednesday night at Progressive Field.
Second baseman Kipnis' home run, his seventh of the year, came leading off the eighth inning against left-hander Will Smith, and gave the Indians a 6-2 lead.
Right-hander Jeff Manship (1-0), the third of the five Cleveland relievers, pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless and hitless relief to get the win. Right-hander Jimmy Nelson (10-10) walked eight in 3 1/3 innings and took the loss. It's Nelson's first loss since July 10. In seven starts between losses, Nelson was 4-0 with a 2.15 ERA.
Milwaukee scored a run in the fifth inning to cut the Cleveland lead to 5-2. The Brewers, who have lost four in a row, had a great chance to score more runs in the seventh inning when right-fielder Domingo Santana walked and went to second on a single by third baseman Elian Herrera off right-hander Zach McAllister.
But with runners at first and second and no outs, McAllister pitched out of the inning without a run scoring. McAllister struck out shortstop Jean Segura, and retired center fielder Logan Schafer on a fly ball to deep right field that allowed Santana to move to third. But McAllister struck out second baseman Scooter Gennett to end the inning.
Milwaukee had an even better opportunity to score in the eighth inning when the Brewers had runners at first and third with no outs. But right-hander Bryan Shaw struck out the next three batters to end that threat.
Milwaukee opened the scoring when left fielder Khris Davis, leading off the second inning against Cleveland right-hander Cody Anderson, hit his 17th home run of the season.
The Indians countered with two runs in the bottom of the second. With two outs and nobody on, center fielder Abraham Almonte singled. Nelson walked first baseman Jerry Sands and third baseman Jose Ramirez before Kipnis lined a double that scored Almonte and Sands. An error by Davis in left allowed Ramirez to score, giving Cleveland a 3-1 lead.
Nelson walked two batters in each of the first four innings.
In the bottom of the third, Indians right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall doubled and Nelson walked the bases loaded with two outs. Chisenhall then scored from third on a wild pitch by Nelson to make it 4-1.
After walking two of the first three batters in the fourth, Nelson was removed from the game. Chisenhall's two-out RBI single against right-hander Tyler Thornburg extended the Cleveland lead to 5-1.
Milwaukee got a run back in the top of the fifth. Herrera walked, went to third on an error by shortstop Francisco Lindor and scored on a sacrifice fly by center fielder Logan Shafer off left-hander Kyle Crockett.
The starting pitchers both made early exits. Nelson pitched 3 1/3 innings, giving up five runs and four hits with four strikeouts and eight walks. Anderson lasted 4 1/3 innings, giving up two runs and two hits with four strikeouts and two walks.
NOTES: The Indians placed RHP Carlos Carrasco on the disabled list with right shoulder inflammation and activated RHP Cody Anderson off the disabled list. ... Indians RHP Gavin Floyd, who has been on the DL all season after surgery on a broken right elbow, will make a three-inning rehab appearance with Double-A Akron on Saturday. ... OF Ryan Braun's next grand slam will be the sixth of his career, which will be a Brewers record. Braun is tied with Cecil Cooper, John Jaha and Jeromy Burnitz for the franchise record with five.