Mauer's single in 12th lifts Twins over Indians
MINNEAPOLIS -- Joe Mauer's two-out single in the bottom of the 12th inning scored Brian Dozier from second base lifting the Minnesota Twins to a 2-1 win over the Cleveland Indians on Saturday night at Target Field.
One night after picking up his first major league win, Indians reliever Joe Colon took the loss. Twins right hander J.T. Chargois was credited with the win in one inning of relief.
The Indians nearly took the lead late when center fielder Rajai Davis' drive down the right field line with pinch-hitter Lonnie Chisenhall at second base was run down by a diving Max Kepler for the final out of the ninth inning. It was a bit of payback for Kepler who had hits stolen from him by Davis in each of the first two games of this series.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Twins advanced pinch-runner Logan Schafer to third base with two out but Cleveland pitcher Bryan Shaw got Dozier to ground out to shortstop Jose Ramirez.
Twins starter Hector Santiago provided the Twins with his longest, if not most effective, start of his brief tenure in Minnesota. After a shaky first two innings, Santiago settled in to retire 15 of the final 17 Cleveland batters he faced over the next five. Santiago was removed from the game after striking out Jason Kipner to end the seventh having allowed one run on five hits with four walks and two strikeouts.
The 2015 American League All-Star with Los Angeles was acquired by the Twins on Aug. 1 from the Angels and immediately struggled with his new team going 0-4 with a 10.48 ERA in his first four starts for the Twins. But Saturday's outing was his third straight quality start and second in a row against the Indians.
The Twins mounted threats in both the sixth and seventh innings but, in the second of his self-described "bullpen day" games in the wake of fifth starter Josh Tomlin's August struggles, Cleveland manager Terry Francona's pitching moves served him well in each case.
After Minnesota put together back-to-back one-out singles by shortstop Jorge Polanco and Max Kepler off of Indians reliever Perci Garner, Francona summoned former Minnesota pitcher Jeff Manship from the bullpen. Manship promptly walked DH Miguel Sano on five pitches but left fielder Eddie Rosario hit a soft bouncer to first baseman Carlos Santana who threw out Polanco at home and Kurt Suzuki flied out.
Rookie James Beresford led off the seventh inning with a ground ball single to center off Indians reliever Shawn Armstrong for his first major league hit. Molitor had perhaps his hottest hitter, Byron Buxton, lay down a sacrifice bunt to move Beresford to second before Armstrong walked Dozier. Francona swapped Armstrong for left hander Kyle Crockett who got the only batter he faced, Mauer, to look at a called strike three. Enter Zach McAllister for Cleveland who retired Polanco on a pop up.
The Indians wasted little time getting on the scoreboard in the first inning, but it could have been much worse for the Twins.
Center fielder Davis led off the game with a sinking liner to center that a diving Buxton was unable to secure. Kipnis followed with a single to right to advance Davis to third and shortstop Francisco Lindor's sacrifice fly to center scored Davis, putting Cleveland up 1-0 just three batters in.
Santiago walked Mike Napoli and Carlos Santana followed with a sharp grounder down the third-base line that a diving Beresford fielded near the outfield grass. But Santana just beat Beresford's long throw and, with just one out, the Indians had the bases loaded. But Jose Ramirez and Brandon Guyer each flew out to Buxton.
The missed opportunity took on added significance when Miguel Sano launched an 0-1 pitch from Clevenger 408 feet into the bullpen in left center field to lead off the second and tie the game at 1-1. But that's all Clevenger would surrender in his seventh career major league start.
Clevenger threw 62 pitches, 37 of them for strikes, through four innings allowing just two hits, one earned run and he struck out five while walking two.
NOTES: Minnesota placed 3B Trevor Plouffe on the 15-day disabled list on Saturday with a left oblique strain. Plouffe suffered the injury swinging in Wednesday night's win over Kansas City. ... A night after making a pair of nice defensive plays at third base, Twins slugger Miguel Sano moved back to the DH spot to make room for INF James Beresford to make his major league debut at third. ... OF Coco Crisp made his third start in left field and fourth overall for Cleveland on Saturday night. Acquired Aug. 31 via trade with Oakland, the 36-year-old's .406 average with runners in scoring position is second in the American League. ... The Indians inserted OF Rajai Davis into the lineup in center field and leading off. Davis, who entered Friday's game in the seventh inning, stole a hit from Minnesota's Max Kepler in the eighth with a sliding catch near the left-field line helping Cleveland preserve its one-run lead.ancisco Lindor in shallow left field.