Jun 15, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall (8) celebrates his three-run home run with first baseman Carlos Santana (41) in the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Progressive Field. Photo Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
MINNEAPOLIS — Lonnie Chisenhall homered twice and drove in four runs, and the Cleveland Indians beat the Minnesota Twins 6-2 on Saturday night to sweep a doubleheader and surpass Minnesota for the lead in the American League Central.
Cleveland won the first three contests of the four-game weekend series and leads the Twins by one game in the Central, the first time Minnesota hasn’t owned at least a share of the division lead since May 10.
The Indians are 7-2 against Minnesota this year.
Jose Ramirez had two hits in the nightcap after homering from both sides of the plate in Cleveland’s 9-3 victory in the first game. Ramirez is 8-for-14 with two home runs, four doubles, four RBIs and four runs scored in the series. He has multiple hits in each of his last five games.
Austin Jackson and Francisco Lindor also homered in the second game as the Indians pounded six homers in the doubleheader.
Nick Goody (1-0) earned his first major league win in his 58th career appearance. Goody pitched 1 2/3 innings and allowed one run on a homer by Brian Dozier after relieving starter Mike Clevinger.
Clevinger gave up one run on two hits, a walk and four strikeouts in four innings in his return to the rotation.
Jackson and Chisenhall hit homers in the fourth inning against Minnesota starter Adalberto Mejia before rain came in the fifth inning and delayed the game for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Both starters didn’t make it back after the delay.
Mejia (1-3) pitched 4 2/3 innings, yielding two runs, five hits and three walks. Tyler Duffey pitched for the Twins after the delay and walked Carlos Santana to lead off the sixth.
Jackson singled and Chisenhall hit a three-run homer to provide the big cushion and turn the game over to Cleveland’s bullpen.
Brian Dozier added a solo homer for Minnesota in the sixth.
NOTES: To make room for starter Ryan Merritt, Cleveland optioned LHP Kyle Crockett to Triple-A Columbus. Merritt was optioned back to Triple-A Columbus after pitching the first game as the team recalled 3B Giovanny Urshela. … RHP Mike Clevinger was recalled to start the second game as the Indians’ 26th man for the doubleheader. Clevinger will have to be returned to Columbus after the game but is expected to make a start in Baltimore next week. … Minnesota optioned RHP Ryan Pressly to Triple-A Rochester before the doubleheader and called up Saturday’s Game 1 starter LHP Adam Wilk. RHP Alex Wimmers was added as the 26th man for the doubleheader. … Cleveland RHP Danny Salazar, on the 10-day disabled list because of right shoulder soreness, will throw a bullpen session Monday. … Saturday was Minnesota’s third doubleheader of the season at Target Field. The Twins still have two doubleheaders on the road remaining this season to make up games.
