CLEVELAND: Tuesday night at the ballpark was another instance of Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor making the extraordinary look ordinary.
And in doing so, Lindor led the Indians over the Detroit Tigers for the fourth consecutive time this season with a 7-3 win.
Lindor went 3-for-4 with three RBI, three runs scored and was a triple shy of the cycle. He also made another highlight-reel defensive play to add to his collection this season, a diving stop-and-throw to his right to rob Tigers outfielder Justin Upton of a single in the second inning.
His main act, though, came in the fifth inning with the Indians leading 4-2. Facing Tigers starter Justin Verlander and already with a two-hit day under his belt, Lindor crushed a 418-foot home run to right field with two runners on to expand the Indians’ lead to 7-2.
That came after he singled and scored in the first inning and after he doubled off the right-field wall and scored in the third inning, not to mention the diving play at shortstop.
Just another night at the ballpark.
Meanwhile, the Indians (11-12) jumped on Verlander (2-3, 6.49 ERA) early for three runs in the first. With two runners on, Mike Napoli drilled a two-out, two-RBI double over the head of Tigers center fielder Anthony Gose. Yan Gomes then followed with an RBI single up the middle to make it 3-0, snapping an 0-for-16 skid.
That was a theme Tuesday night, as the Indians squared up a number of pitches and peppered the middle of the field. After Lindor’s double off the wall in right field in the third, Michael Brantley sent a Verlander pitch to center field to extend the Indians’ lead to 4-0.
Josh Tomlin (4-0, 3.13 ERA) turned in another strong performance, going six innings, allowing two runs on nine hits and striking out five. His lone blemish came in the fifth, when Ian Kinsler drilled a two-run home run to left field to cut the Indians’ lead in half at 4-2.
The Indians also had plenty of defense surrounding Lindor’s diving play. Marlon Byrd threw out J.D. Martinez at the plate to end the first inning in a play that was overturned after a replay review. Jason Kipnis later added a sliding catch in the grass in shallow right field to take a hit away from Victor Martinez.
The Indians’ bullpen prevented things from getting too interesting. Tommy Hunter, recently activated from the 15-day disabled list after rehabbing from offseason core muscle surgery, pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning before Zach McAllister ran into trouble in the eighth, recording just one out as the Tigers (14-11) scored a run on two hits.
Bryan Shaw, though, entered the game and retired the two batters he faced to escape the eighth with a 7-3 lead.
Cody Allen, who has struggled recently, pitched a scoreless ninth inning to save the first game of the series.
Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Indians blog at www.ohio.com/indians. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RyanLewisABJ and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RyanLewisABJ