Homer-happy Indians rout Rangers
Rookie Zach Plesac allowed two hits over seven-plus innings, and Jose Ramirez and Jason Kipnis each drove in three runs as the Cleveland Indians recorded a 10-3 victory over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas.
Jake Bauers highlighted his three-hit performance by joining Roberto Perez and Tyler Naquin in belting back-to-back-to-back homers to open the seventh inning.
The barrage marked the first time that the Indians hit three consecutive homers in one inning since Matt Lawton, Victor Martinez and Casey Blake accomplished the feat against the Seattle Mariners on July 16, 2004.
Rookie Oscar Mercado scored three times and Ramirez also homered as Cleveland banged out 14 hits en route to its ninth win in 13 outings.
Plesac (2-2) worked around Rougned Odor's solo homer in the fifth inning and Nomar Mazara's single to lead off the seventh to allow just one run. He struck out six and walked five before exiting in the eighth inning.
Texas' Willie Calhoun launched a two-run homer in the ninth inning to cap the scoring.
Mercado set the tone early with a triple to right-center field with one out in the first inning before coming home with the game's first run on Kipnis' single to right.
Mercado led off the third inning by reaching on an error. Kipnis walked to set the stage for Ramirez, who deposited an 0-1 sinker from Adrian Sampson (5-4) into the second deck in right field for a three-run homer. Ramirez's homer was his fifth of the year and first since May 14.
Naquin gave Cleveland a 5-0 lead with an RBI single to center field later in the third. Kipnis extended the Indians' advantage to 7-0 in the fourth, ripping a two-run single to right-center.
In the fifth, Odor recorded the Rangers' first hit of the game by sending Plesac's 1-0 fastball into the second deck in right field. The homer was Odor's ninth of the season and second in five games.
Cleveland salted the game away in the seventh, with Drew Smyly surrendering three straight homers to start the inning. Bauers belted a 1-2 fastball over the wall in right for his ninth homer of the season, Perez followed with his 12th of the year before Naquin's third of the campaign went over the wall in center field.
--Field Level Media
