Errors, missed opportunities cost Indians in loss to Twins
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A long night could have been a lot shorter for the Cleveland Indians were it not for some mistakes in the field and missed opportunities at the plate.
The Indians committed three errors and went 3 for 14 with runners in scoring position during a rain-delayed 5-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins in 11 innings Saturday.
An error by Carlos Santana at first base gave the Twins a run in the seventh inning, and catcher Yan Gomes couldn't handle Joe Colon's frantic throw home in the 11th, allowing Joe Mauer to score the winning run from third in the early-morning hours Sunday.
"When we lose, every loss is tough," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "I mean, I don't differentiate them - besides it being late. Every loss is not fun. We didn't show up to lose."
The teams played into the top of the 11th before crew chief Larry Vanover called for the tarp as the rain grew heavier. The game was delayed 2 hours, 5 minutes.
Colon (0-1) walked Mauer and gave up a long double to Miguel Sano, then intentionally walked Brian Dozier to load the bases with one out.
Max Kepler followed with a comebacker, and Colon reached behind his back and just got a piece of his glove on the ball to knock it down. He scrambled to pick up the ball and throw home, but Gomes let it get by him as Mauer slid home.
Gomes was charged with an error on the play.
"It looked to me like Gomer didn't look it into the glove," Francona said. "I didn't think we had a play at first, and instead of taking an out, like a first baseman, just kind of short-armed it a little bit."
Santana had three hits to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 13 games. He also drove in two runs.
Jason Kipnis added two hits and Erik Gonzalez made his major league debut when he pinch-hit in the eighth inning.
But the Indians had runners on second and third with one out in the seventh and came up empty. They also had the potential go-ahead run on third base with one out in the 10th but couldn't get him home.
"It's a tough loss, but we've got to get back out here early and keep going and try to win this series," Mike Napoli said.
SCARY MOMENT
The game stopped for several minutes in the seventh when a young boy sitting just to the right of the Indians dugout was hit in the head by a line drive off Napoli's bat.
Napoli and the rest of the players on the field looked on with concern, but the boy appeared to be in decent shape as the man he was with carried him up the aisle and to the concourse.
The boy grabbed his hat and put it back on his head and appeared to be alert and looking around as they exited the seating area.
"It's a scary thing and when I saw it was a little kid, I wasn't even thinking about baseball," Napoli said. "I was just hoping he was all right. Hopefully I can find out his name and see if he's all right and maybe take care of him a little bit."
EXORCISING THE DEMONS
Gomes has gone hitless in his last nine games and is in a 1-for-35 slump. After he went 0 for 4 on Friday night, the Indians conducted an exorcism in the clubhouse, complete with the sacrificing of a store-bought chicken in an effort to get him back on track.
"The Baseball Gods and Jobu have been very unkind to one of our own," Kipnis wrote on Instagram before posting three videos of the ceremony. "So we offer up this ceremony and these sacrifices as peace offerings and gifts! May the hits be plenty!! Roll Tribe!!!"
Gomes did not start on Saturday, but went 0 for 2 after being inserted as a pinch-hitter in the ninth.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Indians: After playing Friday night in his rehab assignment, OF Michael Brantley was given the day off Saturday. Francona said Brantley wanted to play as he works his way back from a right shoulder injury, but the training staff didn't want to push it too early. He is expected to play again on Sunday. ... RHP Zach McAllister, on the DL since July 7 with right hip discomfort, will start a rehab assignment on Monday.
Twins: CF Byron Buxton was in the lineup for a second straight day and manager Paul Molitor said the knee injury that occurred when Buxton crashed into the wall three games before the All-Star break is behind him now.
UP NEXT
Twins RHP Kyle Gibson (2-5, 5.02 ERA) will face Indians RHP Josh Tomlin (9-2, 3.51) in the series finale. Tomlin has not started since June 6 because of the All-Star break. He gave up eight runs in his last outing against the Tigers.