Indians come back to beat A's
CLEVELAND -- Carlos Santana homered in the sixth inning and the Cleveland Indians scored four more runs in the seventh to come all the way back from an early 3-0 deficit to beat the Oakland A's 5-3 on Friday night at Progressive Field.
Cleveland sent eight men to the plate against three different pitchers in that seventh inning rally that included three hits, an error, and a run-scoring wild pitch.
The win went to reliever Cody Anderson (2-4), who pitched a scoreless seventh inning. Cody Allen pitched the ninth to earn his 20th save. A's starter Kendall Graveman (7-7), who was 6-0 in his last 10 starts, took the loss.
Leading 1-0, the A's extended their lead to 3-0 with home runs on consecutive pitches in the sixth inning off Cleveland starter Trevor Bauer. Josh Reddick led off the inning by ripping a 3-1 pitch over the wall in right field for his eighth home run. Khris Davis hit Bauer's next pitch over the wall in center field for his 26th home run, giving the A's a 3-0 lead. It's Davis' 26th home run. His career high is 27, set last year with Milwaukee.
The Indians got a run back in the bottom of the sixth inning when Santana led off with a booming home run, his 22nd, over the right field wall.
The Indians knocked Graveman out of the game in the bottom of the seventh with a rally started by the bottom of their order. With one out Rajai Davis reached on an error by shortstop Marcus Semien.
Tyler Naquin lined a single to left field, moving Davis to second. Pinch hitter Abraham Almonte followed with a line drive to center for a single, scoring Davis to cut the Oakland lead to 3-2. Naquin went to third on Almonte's hit, and Graveman went to the showers.
Graveman pitched 6 1/3 innings, giving up four runs, three earned, and six hits. He struck out one and walked two.
Left-hander Marc Rzepczynski relieved Graveman and Santana drew a walk to load the bases with one out. Jason Kipnis broke his bat on a single flared to left field, scoring Naquin with the tying run, and the bases remained loaded.
Ryan Dull relieved Rzepczynski, and Dull wasn't sharp, uncorking a wild pitch, allowing Almonte to score from third, giving Cleveland a 4-3 lead. Francisco Lindor followed with his major league-leading 10th sacrifice fly, scoring Santana and pushing the Cleveland lead to 5-3. Dull finally struck out Mike Napoli to end the inning.
Graveman and Bauer traded zeroes through the first three innings, before the A's scored the first run of the game in the top of the fourth. It was an unearned run, thanks to a throwing error by Cleveland first baseman Mike Napoli.
Josh Reddick led off the inning with a sharp grounder between first and second. Napoli ranged far to his right to flag it down, but struggled with the throw to Bauer covering first. The throw was well behind Bauer, who was unable to get a glove on it.
Reddick moved to second when Khris Davis chopped one in front of home plate and was thrown out at first by catcher Chris Gimenez. Bauer retired Stephen Vogt on an infield popout, but Billy Butler lined a two-out single to right, scoring Reddick with the first run of the game.
Graveman held the Indians scoreless on three hits through the first five innings. Only one base runner reached second base. In the fifth inning Rajai Davis reached on a fielder's choice, and with two outs stole second base. Tyler Naquin drew a walk. But Gimenez grounded into an inning-ending force out.
NOTES: A's LHP Rich Hill was scratched from his scheduled start Sunday because of a blister on his left middle finger. Hill, who left his last start on July 17 against Toronto in the first inning with a blister, tested the finger in a throwing session on Friday and still felt discomfort. RHP Sonny Gray will start Sunday for the A's. ... Entering Friday's game, A's designated hitters had the fewest RBIs in the American League (39), the second lowest batting average (.215) and third fewest home runs (11). ... The Indians placed RHP Jeff Manship on the disabled list with right wrist tendinitis and activated RHP Zach McAllister from the disabled list. ... Before Saturday night's game, the Indians will induct Jim Thome, Albert Belle, Frank Robinson and Charlie Jamieson into the club's Hall of Fame.