Mike Napoli hit a majestic two-run homer in the seventh inning to break a tie as the Cleveland Indians toppled the Detroit Tigers, 5-3, Monday night in Cleveland. The Tribe is 10-0 against the Tigers this season.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Mike Napoli went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer in the seventh inning as the Cleveland Indians defeated the Detroit Tigers, 5-3, Monday night at Progressive Field. The Tribe won its 12th consecutive home game and improved to a tidy 10-0 against the Tigers this season.
Here is a capsule look at the key aspect(s) of the game, which was televised by Fox Sports Time Ohio:
Nick Camino Scoreboard Watch: The Indians (50-32) increased their lead in the AL Central to 6.5 games over Detroit (44-39). The Tigers had won six in a row.
Defending world champion Kansas City (43-39) slipped to 7.0 back after a 6-2 loss in Toronto.
Back on track: The Tribe had dropped two straight after a franchise-record 14-game winning streak.
Quite comfortable: The Indians' home winning streak is longest in the majors this season. Overall, they are 24-12 at home.
Shock value: The Tribe has outscored the Tigers, 65-23, this season. In three previous series, all three games, the counts were 18-5 (April 22-24 in Detroit), 20-7 (May 3-5 in Cleveland) and 22-8 (June 24-26 in Detroit).
Even the most ardent of Tribe supporters could not have envisioned their team clinching the 19-game season series on July 4. The Tigers are talented, as evidenced by their 44-29 record against opponents not from Cleveland.
Anyone who claims to have known the Tigers would lead for one-half inning total in the first 10 games is, to put it bluntly, lying.
Party at Napoli's: Napoli is batting .237 with a .308 on-base percentage but has compensated by slugging .464. He has hit 14 doubles, one triple and 17 homers, with 55 RBI and 48 runs in 76 games.
In a combined 133 games with Boston and Texas last season, Napoli hit 18 homers, drove in 50 runs and scored 46.
Appetizer: First baseman Napoli led off the second inning with a double to left-center against lefty Daniel Norris. Napoli, refusing to spot Norris anything, pounced on a first-pitch fastball (91 mph).
Carlos Santana muscled an 0-1 fastball (92) to center for a single. Detroit's Cameron Maybin was too casual approaching the ball and compounded with a bobble, ensuring that Napoli scored easily.
(The Indians made it 2-0 in the third on Francisco Lindor's sacrifice fly. The Indians led, 2-0, after three innings, meaning they have outscored the Tigers, 25-1, in the first three innings this season.)
Main course: With one out and the score tied, 3-3, in the eighth, Lindor drew a four-pitch walk against hard-throwing righty reliever Bruce Rondon. Credit Lindor for not trying to be the hero and chasing pitches out of the zone, especially with Napoli on deck.
Napoli's eyes lit up at a first-pitch fastball over the plate, but it was just hard enough (95) and up enough (belt) that he was unable to square it and fouled. Rondon came back with a fastball (96) on the inner half above the knees, and Napoli had no choice but to park it halfway up the left-field bleachers.
If a pitcher is going to challenge Napoli with heaters, the pitcher is advised to put them belt or above. Rondon's second one veered onto Napoli's power-swing plane. It is possible that Lindor's speed forced Rondon into hurrying his delivery a tad, which, in turn, affected his command. Catcher James McCann's target was on the outer half.
Kip, Kip, hooray: Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis went 2-for-4 with one enormous defensive play.
Both of the hits helped the Indians score a run. A double in the third pushed Rajai Davis to third with none out. Davis, who had walked, trotted home on Lndor's sacrifice fly. A single in the fifth pushed Davis to third with none out. Davis, who had singled, trotted home on Lindor's sacrifice fly.
Kipnis might have saved the game for the Tribe in the top of the eighth. Miguel Cabrera led off with a single against Bryan Shaw and moved to second on Victor Martinez's walk.
Nick Castellanos, who had doubled and homered, sent a low liner to the left of Shaw. The ball struck the infield grass and shot toward the outfield, but Kipnis, who was pinching up the middle, smoothly reached to grab it with the backhand. Kipnis flipped to shortstop Lindor, who turned the double play.
The more I watched Kipnis' work on replay, the better it got. He made a very difficult chance seem routine.
Shaw retired Justin Upton on a fly to right to preserve Cleveland's 5-3 lead.
Serviceable: Tribe righty Danny Salazar allowed three runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out six in a no-decision.
Here is the outcome of each plate appearance against Salazar:
1st inning
Ian Kinsler -- called strikeout (0-2 fastball/94 mph).
Skinny: Comeback to outside corner.
Cameron Maybin -- called strikeout (2-2 changeup/87).
Skinny: Outer half.
Miguel Cabrera -- grounder to second (0-0 fastball/96).
Skinny: Kipnis positioned up the middle.
2nd inning
(L) Victor Martinez -- foul pop to catcher (3-1 fastball/95).
Skinny: Above belt.
Nick Castellanos -- double into left-field corner (0-2 changeup/86).
Skinny: Pitch was supposed to be down and away; it went inside edge above the knees.
Justin Upton -- grounder to third (0-1 fastball/94).
Skinny: Chopper off plate. Napoli handled low throw.
(L) Steven Moya -- grounder to first (2-0 fastball/95).
Skinny: Velocity and location enabled Salazar to get away with missed target. Catcher Yan Gomes set up on outside edge; pitch was down and in, tying up Moya.
3rd inning
James McCann -- single to right (2-1 fastball/94).
Skinny: Pitch had too much plate.
Jose Iglesias -- GIDP 6-3 (3-2 fastball/94).
Skinny: Salazar was behind, 3-0. Iglesias hit elevated pitch hard to shortstop side of second; Lindor, positioned up the middle, barely moved in order to field it.
Ian Kinsler -- grounder to short (0-2 fastball/96).
Skinny: Salazar got away with an 0-2 pitch over the plate. Kinsler hit it hard; Lindor backhanded.
4th inning
Cameron Maybin -- single to center (0-1 slider/84).
Skinny: Chopper over mound.
Miguel Cabrera -- single to third (2-1 fastball/94).
Skinny: Should have been ruled an error; Juan Uribe, moving toward the hole, crumpled and mishandled the ball. Maybin to second.
(L) Victor Martinez -- called strikeout (1-2 changeup).
Skinny: Tickled outer edge.
Nick Castellanos -- swinging strikeout (2-2 changeup/86).
Skinny: A 1-2 fastball away set up changeup down and away.
Justin Upton -- swinging strikeout (1-2 fastball/95).
Skinny: Previous pitch was fastball too high to get Upton to bite. Strikeout pitch was over plate but above belt.
5th inning
(L) Steven Moya -- homer to right (2-2 changeup).
Skinny: Hanger on inside edge. Pitch was supposed to be down and away.
James McCann -- swinging strikeout (1-2 changeup/86).
Jose Iglesias -- fly to left (1-2 changeup/87).
Skinny: Shin-high.
Ian Kinsler -- liner to third (1-2 changeup/87).
Skinny: Uribe, moving toward the line, made quality catch inches off dirt.
6th inning
Cameron Maybin -- fly to center (1-1 curve/79).
Miguel Cabrera -- fly to left (2-0 fastball/93).
Skinny: Jose Ramirez made catch in front of wall. Pitch location -- inside edge at thighs -- saved Salazar.
(L) Victor Martinez -- single to right (2-0 fastball/94).
Skinny: Too much plate.
Nick Castellanos -- two-run homer to left (1-1 changeup/83).
Skinny: Castellanos crushed a hanger.
Justin Upton -- walk (3-1 fastball/95).
(Tribe pitching coach Mickey Callaway visits mound.)
(L) Steven Moya -- single up middle (2-2 fastball/94).
Skinny: Plenty of swinging room. A pitcher with Salazar's stuff should have been able to put away Moya after count went 1-2.
(Jeff Manship relieves Salazar.)