Wednesday, July 02, 2014
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Indians ride 13-hit attack to blowout of Dodgers

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[July 02, 2014]  LOS ANGELES -- Enough was enough.
 
 "We were in one of those mindsets tonight that we were going to battle and fight and do whatever we had to do to win the game," said Cleveland Indians right fielder David Murphy, whose team managed a total of two hits and no runs in losses Sunday and Monday.

The Indians turned a triple play that sparked two video reviews, and they rolled to a 10-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday night.

"That was kind of a crazy game," Cleveland manager Terry Francona said. "There was a lot going on."

Third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall homered, and the Indians ended a two-game slide and knocked the Dodgers (48-38) from their perch atop the National League West with the San Francisco Giants defeating the St. Louis Cardinals. Cleveland, broke out offensively, finishing with 13 hits.

Murphy went 3-for-4. Left fielder Michael Brantley, second baseman Jason Kipnis, first baseman Nick Swisher and catcher Yan Gomes added two hits apiece. Chisenhall, Swisher, Gomes and Murphy each contributed two RBIs.

"It felt great," said Murphy, who was mired in a 1-for-44 funk entering the game. "We know what we're capable of, and when we play like we're capable of, good things usually happen, and we usually like the results. Tonight, that was the case."
 


Reliever Kyle Crockett (2-0) gave up a walk and a hit but no runs in his only inning, the fourth, and he was credited with the win.

Dodgers starter Josh Beckett had his string of 14 scoreless innings end in the first inning. Beckett (5-5) allowed five runs on six hits in five innings. He struck out five and walked one.

Murphy said scoring in the first inning was huge for Cleveland.

"Anytime you have a quality pitcher out there and you can get to him early, I think it helps everyone relax," Murphy said. "That kind of set the tone, and we were able to have quality at-bats up and down the lineup."

The Dodgers loaded the bases three times but failed to score on each occasion. Overall, they stranded 10 runners to only four for the Indians.

"We had opportunities to get back in the game," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "We just failed to take advantage of them."

Brantley's RBI double gave Cleveland a 1-0 lead with one out in the first inning. Chisenhall followed and drove a 2-2 pitch by Beckett into the seats in right for a two-run blast and a 3-0 advantage.

In the bottom of the inning, Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig doubled, and first baseman Adrian Gonzalez hit a two-run homer to cut the Indians' lead to one. It was Gonzalez's 14th home run of the season.

Swisher's two-run double in the third gave Cleveland a 5-2 cushion.

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Puig blooped a base hit to shallow right to plate Beckett, who reached on his second double of the game, to cut the deficit to two runs with no outs in the fourth.

That was when the Indians (40-43) turned a triple play. Gonzalez lined out to Brantley in left. Brantley's throw to the plate retired Dee Gordon, who attempted to score from third but was tagged out by Gomes. The catcher then threw out Puig, who tried to advance from first to second. Initially, second base umpire Paul Nauert ruled Puig safe, but the call was overturned after Cleveland manager Terry Francona requested a review of Kipnis' tag on Puig.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly asked for a review of Gordon being called out, but that call stood.

"Brantley (made) a really good throw, (Gomes) with a great tag and then we get Puig on the back side. That's a heck of way to get out of an inning," Francona said.

It was the first triple play for the Indians since April 3, 2011, when they turned one against the Chicago White Sox. For the Dodgers, it was the first one performed against them since Aug. 15, 2011, against the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Indians scored two runs in the sixth and three more in the eighth to pull away.

Indians starter Justin Masterson lasted just three innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and three walks. He struck out seven and threw 85 pitches.
 


NOTES: Los Angeles SS Hanley Ramirez didn't start for the third consecutive game as he nurses a strained left calf. Ramirez struck out as a pinch hitter. ... The Dodgers failed to win four in a row for the seventh time this season. ... Cleveland RHP Trevor Bauer (2-4, 4.39 ERA) will face Los Angeles LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (9-4, 3.12 ERA) in the series finale Wednesday. ... The game drew a crowd of 46,300.

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