CLEVELAND (92.3 The Fan) - A 4-homer day for the Cleveland Indians capped a nearly perfect home stand as the Indians rocked the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday afternoon. Jose Ramirez and Yu Chang led the Tribe offense as every player in the lineup recorded at least one base hit in a 10-3 blow out win.
The Indians complete the 7-game home stand against Seattle and Baltimore with only one loss as they try to keep pace with the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central. Cleveland’s record jumps to 10 games over .500 for the first time this season at 38-28. With the White Sox in Houston this evening, the Indians currently sit 4.0 games back in the division.
It also marks the best start to a season for a Terry Francona-managed Indians’ team through the first 66 games of the season.
Ramirez, Chang, Eddie Rosario and Bobby Bradley all homered for the Tribe.
Meanwhile, Baltimore lost it’s 19th consecutive road game. They have not won away from home since May 5 when John Means threw a no-hitter against Seattle.
Orioles and Diamondbacks Making History
For the first time since 1894, two Major League teams have lost at least 18 straight games on the road. Last night, the Arizona Diamondbacks lost their 22nd consecutive road game 13-7 to San Francisco, tying an all-time MLB record for most road losses in a row. Their defeat tied the 1943 Philadelphia Athletics and 1963 New York Mets for the longest such road losing streaks in history. While Baltimore’s ineptitude away from Camden Yards has been historic, it could be worse … even if that’s hard to believe.
Rosario Finally Goes Deep at Home
Eddie Rosario hit his fifth home run of the season, but hit first as an Indian in his home ballpark. Rosario used to torture the Tribe when he was a Minnesota Twin, hitting 11 home runs against the Indians at Progressive Field (2 in 2015, 1 in 2016, 2 in 2017, 2 in 2018, 4 in 2019).
After hitting 22 home runs against the Indians during his six years in Minneapolis, Cleveland hasn’t quite seen the same power surge yet from him. That was just Rosario’s third home run since May 3 after he averaged almost 28 homers per year from 2017-2019.
Long Balls and Second Looks
Thursday’s game featured two things more prominently than anything else: home runs and replay challenges. One of the more pivotal points in the game came in the fourth inning with Yu Chang batting and Josh Naylor at first base. Chang banged a sharp grounder to third, where the Orioles appeared to turn a 5-4-3 double play to end the frame. But Terry Francona challenged the call at first base and the call was overturned – Chang barely beat the relay throw to the bag.
It kept the inning alive for Tribe second baseman Ernie Clement.
With a 4-3 lead, on the very first pitch of his at bat, Clement scorched a double to left-center field and brought Chang home to add a fifth Indian run.
Yu Chang Lighting It Up
Speaking of Chang, the Tribe third baseman had his best game of the season today. After starting the day with a ground out and the previously described fielder’s choice, Chang ripped a 2-run single up the middle in the sixth inning and then clocked his second homer of the season in the eighth – a 2-run shot to left field. Chang now has two homers and 14 RBI on the season.
Morgan’s Second Start
Eli Morgan made just his second big league start on Thursday afternoon and he fared far better than the first time around. Morgan didn’t go particularly long, throwing only 67 pitches in 3.2 innings. But he pitched with a lead the entire time he was in the game and looked far more confident than he did while pitching in extremely windy conditions a few weeks ago. A third run scored on his line today after he exited the game, during which he surrendered five hits (including a pair of solo homers). Morgan struck out five and hit one batter.
Noteable
For the second night in a row, Jose Ramirez took the Orioles deep in the first inning. Five of his 16 home runs this year have come in the first inning.
Trevor Stephan, who came on in relief as the third of six Indians pitchers on the day, recorded his first Major League win. Stephan threw 1.2 innings and struck out three batters.
The Indians now head out for a 10-day, 3-city road trip that includes stops in Pittsburgh, Chicago (Cubs) and Minnesota. First pitch from PNC Park on Friday evening is set for 7:05 p.m.
The Indians rocked the Orioles, 10-3 on Thursday to win for the sixth time in seven games.
