CLEVELAND, OH – 92.3 The Fan: Sunday afternoon’s at the ballpark are supposed to be lazy days without a lot of drama.
This Sunday didn’t cooperate.
Give the Indians credit for their mettle. This has been a very trying last two months and the Tribe continues to fight hard. A 3-hour, 10-minute delay before the 1:10 scheduled first pitch, a 4-0 deficit on get-away day and five hitless innings might have been enough for some teams to mail it in and move on.
But not this team – and certainly not with a guy like Jose Ramirez in the heart of the order.
In one of the more dramatic and biggest come-from-behind wins of the season, the Indians took Sunday’s series finale from Boston with a 7-5 victory.
The real drama began in the sixth inning. Boston led 4-0, thanks to three solo homers from Rafael Devers (2) and Bobby Dalbec (1). Red Sox starter Tanner Houck had a no-no brewing and Amed Rosario opened the frame by getting robbed of a double on a phenomenal running grab at the track in right field. It felt like perhaps, it would be one of “those days” again.
But in the very next at-bat, Cleveland’s unquestioned leader delivered.
Ramirez torched his 31st home run of the season deep into the right field seats. It also jump started a Tribe rally that featured a Wilson Ramos 2-run single and an RBI double from Ramirez in the seventh. Ramos’ clutch single snapped an 0-for-12 streak.
Unfortunately, Ramos wouldn’t finish the game as he becomes the latest Indian to succumb to an injury.
In the top of the 7th inning with a runner on first and one out, Alex Verdugo hit a little nubber out in front of home plate. Ramos got out of his stance, fielded the ball cleanly and threw out J.D. Martinez at second base for a force out.
But when Ramos planted his left leg and threw to second, he immediately went down in agony. Ramos needed help leaving the field, but appeared to be able to put some weight on his injured left leg. The club says further imaging will be required before they can give an official diagnosis. He was replaced by Austin Hedges.
Ramirez’s RBI double brought the deficit to 5-4 heading into the eighth inning, when the Tribe offense ignited a big 2-out rally that all began with Hedges.
The Tribe catcher launched a no-doubt solo shot to the home run porch in left field to tie the game at 5-5, sending Progressive Field into a frenzy. Then Oscar Mercado singled up the middle, setting the table for a very strange play.
Yu Chang (who entered the game as a pinch hitter in the seventh) ripped a liner inside the bag at third and down into the left field corner.
At first glance Oscar Mercado’s trip around the bases appeared to be slow and it left fans scratching their heads at third base coach Kyle Hudson’s decision to try and score the go ahead run. Mercado was out at home plate by 30 feet.
But it turned out to be a genius move by Hudson.
While Mercado was running between second and third base, he collided with Boston’s second baseman Yairo Munoz. Mercado stumbled, but kept his balance and continued running. The umpires recognized the interference and when Mercado was thrown out at the plate, he was immediately ruled safe.
“The only thing going through my mind was to score … I wasn’t really sure what was going on there, as I was rounding second, I look up and their infielder was in the way. I kinda pushed him out of the way so I could keep my momentum going.”
While the interference was appropriately called on Munoz, Boston pitcher Austin Davis also appeared to interference with Mercado when he came across third base.
“I think Huddy did an unbelievable job sending me. He knew what that call was most likely going to be. So he took a leap of faith there and it paid off.”
It’s not often that a third base coach – who wasn’t your third base coach at the beginning of the season – turns out to be the hero of the game.
“Yeah that was a huge play,” acting manager DeMarlo Hale said postgame of Hudson. “Huddy was right on target with it in terms of timing because that play can go to a review of timing and they can start looking at where the baserunner is at. With Mercado was at full speed and Huddy didn’t hesitate, it was a big play.
“He (Hudson) is learning out there, I think every day he’s getting comfortable. These are the things that take place that you can’t script that as a third base coach, your instincts have to take over. He was right on top of it. I think probably him being a former good baserunner, that situation probably came up with him running at some point. So just great instincts and effort from him, he’s getting comfortable out there and he’s doing a good job.”
Chang wound up at third base on the play, though he was credited for an RBI double. Chang’s heads-up base-running also proved to be fruitful, as Myles Straw lined the next pitch off the shortstop’s glove and allowed a 7th Indians run to come home.
CREDIT THE FANS
The Indians announced 22,883 fans paid for a seat at Sunday’s series finale and I have to say: well done by them. The vast majority of that group waited out the more than 3-hour delay before the day ever got started.
They were fun, loud and very into the game. Especially considering the Browns are playing on national TV on Sunday night and the weather didn’t cooperate early on, I was very impressed by the fans that stuck around for a great game.
UP NEXT
The Indians have Monday off before opening a road set at Kansas City on Tuesday night. It’s a 3-game series with the Royals on deck, followed by three in Boston this coming weekend.