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 Mike Pelfrey pitched six innings of one-run ball and Trevor Plouffe hit a two-run homer, leading the Minnesota Twins to a 4-2 victory over the Indians on Sunday.
Cleveland won the first two games in the series, but never led in the finale. Despite falling back to .500 on the season, the Indians remained optimistic.
"We're not going to win them all, but we gave ourselves a chance again today," first baseman Mark Reynolds said. "We still took two out of three in this series, and if we keep doing that, we're going to be in a pretty good place at the end of the year.
"We've got some momentum, so hopefully we can carry it over to the next one (a four-game series starting Monday against Oakland)."
Pelfrey (3-3) became the first pitcher to shut down Cleveland's bats, after a week in which they scored 53 runs during the streak. The right-hander tossed a season-high six innings, allowing one run, and matched his strikeout total for the season with seven.
All four of the Indians' hits off Pelfrey came in the third and fourth innings, including a sacrifice fly by Reynolds that cut their deficit to 2-1 in the fourth.
"My hat's off to Pelfrey, that's probably the best game he's pitched all year," Cleveland designated hitter Nick Swisher said, taking a break from spinning Reynolds' young son around on his chair. "But we've still got a great team in here. We're going out there growling every day. We'll be right back at it tomorrow."
Carlos Santana added a two-out, solo home run in the ninth off Minnesota closer Glen Perkins, who recovered to earn his seventh straight save. The Indians did send the potential tying run to the plate in pinch-hitter Mike Aviles, but he struck out to strand Ryan Raburn and end the game.
Santana went 2 for 3 and is batting .382 over his last 19 games. Raburn was 2 for 4, making him 17 for 39 (.436) in his last nine contests.
Indians right-hander Corey Kluber (2-1) took the loss, which was his fifth in five career decisions at home. He gave up three runs in 5 2-3 innings with four walks and five strikeouts.
"There were a lot of pitches that I just missed with," said Kluber. "It could have been a lot worse for me, I guess, with four walks. Even though I put some runners on, I didn't think I was making bad pitches. I liked a lot of what I was throwing out there."
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Cleveland also was feeling good about the injury news it received earlier in the day.
Setup man Vinnie Pestano (sore right elbow) threw without pain in the bullpen, and manager Terry Francona said, "Everything points toward him being ready tomorrow."
Outfielder Michael Bourn (right index finger laceration) will begin a rehabilitation assignment Monday at Triple-A Columbus. The two-time All-Star has been sidelined since April 14, when White Sox pitcher Matt Thornton spiked him while diving into first base.
"I just want to see some pitches and get my timing back before I face major-league pitching in 2-3 days," Bourn said. "The guys have been hitting great without me, so I don't want to let them down when I come back."
Plouffe's two-run shot into the left field bleachers opened the scoring with one out in the second, but the Twins didn't chase Kluber until the sixth when Justin Morneau singled home Jamey Carroll to put Minnesota ahead 3-1. Carroll had two hits and two runs to pace the Twins.
In the seventh, Twins catcher Joe Mauer made it 4-1 with an RBI double off Cleveland reliever Matt Albers. It was the 1,300th career hit for Mauer, who had been in a 5-for-43 slump.
Josh Roenicke and Jared Burton each tossed one scoreless inning in relief of Pelfrey, who is one year removed from Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow.
"(Pelfrey) threw the ball great," Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said. "This has been a heck of a comeback. We're still just a year out of the surgery. We're taking small steps. Hopefully, we'll keeping progressing."
NOTES: Indians LHP Scott Barnes was recalled from Triple-A Columbus prior to the game. Barnes pitched two scoreless innings while striking out four Twins. OF Ezequiel Carrera, who was claimed off waivers from the Phillies on Thursday, was designated for assignment. ... Cleveland continues its 10-game, nine-day homestand Monday against Oakland. RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (1-2) pitches against Athletics RHP Jarrod Parker (1-4). ... Twins DH Morneau was initially penciled into the lineup at first base, but told Gardenhire he "felt a little stiff." The skipper subsequently moved Chris Parmelee from right field to first, while RF Oswaldo Arcia ceded his designated hitter spot to Morneau. ... Minnesota begins a four-game series at Boston on Monday. RHP Vance Worley (0-4) takes on Red Sox RHP Clay Buchholz (6-0).
[Associated
Press]
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