CLEVELAND: The Indians ran wild on the Los Angeles Angels and tied a nearly 100-year-old club record in a 13-3 win Friday night at Progressive Field.
The Indians had the green light against Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs (1-1, 4.37 ERA) and catcher Geovany Soto, stealing eight bases. Rajai Davis and Jose Ramirez each stole three bags, and Jason Kipnis and Francisco Lindor both swiped one as well.
The last time the Indians stole eight bases in a single game was on Aug. 27, 1917, against Walter Johnson and the Washington Senators. It’s also the most the Angels have ever allowed in a single game.
The Indians stole three bases in the first inning alone to help cut an early deficit to 2-1. Davis walked to lead off the inning, stole second and third and then scored on a single by Kipnis (4-for-5), who then proceeded to steal second as well.
With the Indians trailing 3-2 in the fourth, Ramirez singled, stole second and third and scored on Abraham Almonte’s game-tying single.
The Indians broke things open in the fifth. Davis singled and stole his third base of the night. Kipnis doubled him home to give the Indians their first lead at 4-3. Lindor followed with a bloop single to right field to score Kipnis.
Ramirez reached on a fielder’s choice and stole his third base of the game, the Indians’ seventh, to move into scoring position for Brandon Guyer — who earlier hit his first home run in Cleveland — to single home two more to push the Indians’ lead to 7-3.
Lindor added an RBI single in the sixth to score Davis and then stole second to tie the club record. Soto sailed his throw into center field, which allowed Kipnis, who was on third, to easily score.
Ramirez added to his night with a solo home run, his eighth of the year, in the seventh to put the Indians up 10-3. In the eighth, Ramirez doubled home a run and Guyer tacked on a two-run single, giving him five in the game to tie his career high.
Indians starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco (8-6, 3.21 ERA) turned in a quality outing, allowing three runs on eight hits in seven innings and striking out eight.
The Angels (49-66) took a 2-0 in the top of the first with a solo home run by Kole Calhoun and an RBI single by Albert Pujols.
But from there, with Davis, Ramirez and company nearly running at will on the Angels, Carrasco and the Indians (65-48) cruised to their second 10-run win in as many nights after taking down L.A. 14-4 on Thursday.
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