LDN - Sports

Santana belts pair of homers as Indians jolt Angels

[June 13, 2016] ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Carlos Santana culminated his recent surge during a personally frustrating season with one of his most productive games of the year.

Santana hit two home runs and drove in three runs scored to lead the Cleveland Indians to an 8-3 rout of the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday in front of 36,383 at Angel Stadium.

Santana hit a solo homer in the second inning and a two-run drive in the ninth to increase his total to 12 home runs. The 30-year-old switch hitter collected hits in six of his past eight games, and is batting .323 (10-for-31) with three home runs, seven RBIs and seven runs scoring during that span.

"I've been struggling a little bit but I've been working hard," said Santana, who entered the game with a .222 average. "My approach now is not to try to do too much. I try to make contact and think about what I'm going to do when I get to the plate."

Francisco Lindor added three RBIs and three hits, including his own solo home run, as the Indians maintained their three-game lead over the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals in the American League Central.

"The team is doing the little things the right way," Lindor said. "We're pushing each other. We're holding each other accountable. Everybody knows their job, knows their role, and we're having fun."

Right-hander Danny Salazar earned his fourth win in five starts. Salazar (7-3) amassed eight strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings while conceding just one run, three hits and four walks.

Los Angeles center fielder Mike Trout left the game in the eighth inning when right-hander Tommy Hunter hit him in the right hand. X-rays revealed no fracture but Trout suffered a right thumb contusion during the Angels' seventh loss in nine games.

"Certainly, you're always worried when a pitch hits you in the hand or around the fingers," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "But Mike's fine. His thumb was a little numb for a while but he should play (Monday)."

Indians third baseman Juan Uribe left the game in the fourth, when Trout hit a hard ground ball off his groin for a single. Uribe needed help to reach an electric cart that took him off the field. Michael Martinez moved from center field to replace Uribe, who went to a hospital for evaluation.

Lindor's seventh home run of the season gave the Indians a 1-0 lead in the first inning. On a 1-1 count, Lindor deposited an 83 mph change-up from left-hander David Huff into the visitors' bullpen in left field.

Cleveland then sent nine batters to the plate in the second to combine four hits, a walk, an error and a fielder's choice into four runs and a 5-0 advantage. Santana began the inning by propelling Huff's 89 mph fastball into the Indians' bullpen for his 11th homer.

Yan Gomes followed by hitting a double over right fielder Kole Cahoun's head. Then came the inning's pivotal play; Uribe hit a ground ball that third baseman Jefry Marte bobbled for an error sending Gomes to third. After Lonnie Chisenhall struck out, Martinez hit into a fielder's choice that scored Gomes.

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Indians designated hitter Carlos Santana (41) beats the tag back to first base in the fourth inning of the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The Indians used Rajai Davis' single and Jose Ramirez's walk to load the bases. Lindor ended the outburst by lining a two-run single into right field that chased Huff.

Huff (0-2) allowed five runs (two earned), one walk and five hits -- including two home runs -- while striking out two and throwing 39 pitches in 1 2/3 innings. The left-hander has permitted four home runs in 5 1/3 innings over two starts since being recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake on Tuesday.

"He spun the ball a little better and threw a couple of good breaking balls," Scioscia said. "But he never brought his good stuff into the game, where he could change some speeds."

Marte ended Salazar's bid for a shutout in the sixth with his fourth home run of the season into the Indians' bullpen off an 85 mph slider. Cleveland responded in the seventh with Mike Napoli's run-scoring single.

Pinch runner Shane Robinson replaced Trout in the eighth and scored when second baseman Ramirez bobbled C.J. Cron's ground ball. Santana followed in the top of the ninth with his 12th homer, a two-run drive down the right-field line. Calhoun's RBI single in the bottom of the ninth ended the scoring.

NOTES: Cleveland SS Francisco Lindor returned to the starting lineup after getting an abbreviated night off Saturday. Lindor, who appeared as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning of a 4-3 loss, has started 60 of the Indians' 62 games this season. ... Los Angeles DH Albert Pujols tied Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig in career hits Saturday night. Both have 2,716 and are tied for 61st place all-time. ... Angels LF Todd Cunningham, who made his season debut Saturday night, is the 40th player that the club has used this season. ... Angels INF Brendan Ryan got his first hit of the season on Saturday night after starting 0-for-12.

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