UPDATED: The Indians have won six straight games. No kidding, they’ve won six straight since the All-Star break. They did it Tuesday night with a 4-3 victory over the Twins.
View full sizeThe Indians' Carlos Santa races home to score the go-ahead run on a double by Travis Hafner in the eighth inning Tuesday in Minneapolis. Updated at 12:42 a.m.
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Who kidnapped the Indians? Somebody has to come clean. These guys have mothers and fathers and wives and girlfriends. They're probably worried about them.
This has nothing to do with the Indians who beat the Twins, 4-3, Tuesday night at Target Field in the kind of gut-check game usually reserved for contenders. Those Indians have won a season-high six straight games, delivering heartburn to rival managers Ron Gardenhire and Jim Leyland since the start of the second half.
The missing Indians are the ones who went into the All-Star break at 34-54 and on pace to lose 99 games. They haven't been seen since losing in extra innings at Tropicana Field on July 11.
Travis Hafner, who doubled home Carlos Santana for the winning run in the eighth inning -- on one of his best swings of the season -- says it's simply a case of mistaken identity. The new Indians are really the old Indians with a different haircut and a little plastic surgery around the eyes.
"We're playing really good baseball," Hafner said, referring to the Tribe's longest winning streak since September 2008. "The starting pitching has been great. The bullpen has been lights out. We're getting a lot of two-out, key hits."
All of that was on display in front of the 47th straight sellout crowd at the Twins' new ballpark.
Lefty Jose Mijares (1-1) started the eighth by walking Santana in a 3-3 game. Hafner, showing quick hands and good pop, drove a 2-1 pitch to the wall in right-center for the lead. Of the Tribe's four runs, it was the only one not to come with two outs.
Relievers Rafael Perez (3-0), Joe Smith and Chris Perez did a nice job in support of Justin Masterson's strong start. Smith, the sidearming righty, pitched the eighth and retired the side in order, including getting lefty Jim Thome on a grounder to short. Chris Perez worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his ninth save.
The Twins, trailing, 3-1, finally reached Masterson in the seventh. After Masterson retired Delmon Young to start the inning, J.J. Hardy and Nick Punto hit consecutive singles to put runners on first and second.
Rafael Perez relieved, and the Twins dinked and dunked their way to a 3-3 tie. Denard Span blooped a single into short left field to score Hardy. Orlando Hudson sent a 20-hopper through the hole at short to score Punto. Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, playing his first game since July 17, dove for the ball too late.
Joe Mauer, three-time AL batting champ, gave the Tribe a break when he tried to bunt his way on. Santana threw out Mauer, and Perez, with runners on second and third, ended the inning by getting Jason Kubel to ground out.
Tribe relievers have allowed three earned runs in 20 innings since the break.
Masterson allowed three runs on seven hits in 61/3 innings. He struck out seven and walked one while throwing 104 pitches. The start was Masterson's third this season against the Twins.
"It was just great to be out there and see everything come together for another win," said Masterson, who didn't start Sunday because of a sore left ankle. "There's a good energy on this team. It's a confidence that comes from winning."
View full sizeIndians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera returned to the lineup for the Indians earlier than expected on Tuesday. Shelley Duncan gave the Indians a 3-1 lead with a two-run single off Jesse Crain with two out in the sixth. Duncan delivered with the bases loaded after the Tribe knocked Kevin Slowey out of the game after 5 innings. The Indians loaded the bases on singles by Santana and Jhonny Peralta and Matt LaPorta's walk.
Duncan was hitting .500 (1-for-2) with the bases loaded when he came to the plate. He sent a liner past third that hit the left-field line. "It split the chalk," Duncan said.
The Indians entered the fifth trailing, 1-0. New second baseman Jason Donald took care of that with a two-out double to left to make it 1-1.
The Twins took a 1-0 lead in the first. Span hit a leadoff double. Hudson sent a liner toward Donald at second for what should have been an out. Donald, named the regular second baseman before the game following Cabrera's return, jumped for the ball but didn't come down with it as Span went to third on the single.
Hudson was credited with a hit, but it could have just as easily been an error. Mauer grounded to first to score Span.
"A well-played, beautiful ballgame," Tribe manager Manny Acta said. "It probably looked more beautiful to me because we won."
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: phoynes@plaind.com, 216-999-5158
