Encarnacion, Chisenhall power Indians past Cardinals, 5-1

[June 28, 2018]    Chisenhall hit back-to-back homers to help the Cleveland Indians notch a 5-1 victory over the host St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday night.

 Indians first baseman Edwin Encarnacion (10) is congratulated by right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall (8) after hitting a solo home run off of St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Jack Flaherty (not pictured) during the second inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Rookie right-hander Shane Bieber pitched six strong innings and got his first major league hit as Cleveland salvaged the finale of the three-game set.

Jason Kipnis and Tyler Naquin each had two hits and one RBI for the Indians.

Jose Martinez had two hits and one RBI for St. Louis, which had a four-game winning streak halted.

Bieber (3-0) gave up one run and six hits before exiting. He struck out five and walked one.

Bieber also lined a double into the left-center field gap in the fourth inning in his second big league at-bat.

Right-hander Neil Ramirez replaced Bieber to open the seventh and retired five straight hitters. Left-hander Oliver Perez recorded the final out in the eighth, and right-hander Cody Allen worked a flawless ninth in a non-save situation as the Indians' bullpen stymied the St. Louis bats.

Cardinals rookie right-hander Jack Flaherty (3-3) gave up four runs and six hits over four innings. He struck out five and walked two.

Encarnacion got Cleveland on the board with a leadoff homer in the second when he drove a 2-0 fastball 402 feet into the stands in left. It was Encarnacion's 13th career blast against the Cardinals, but his first since June 25, 2011.

Chisenhall followed by slugging a 3-2 fastball from Flaherty over the fence in right. His homer traveled 366 feet.

The Indians added two runs in the third, with Chisenhall plating the first on a fielder's choice and Kipnis following with a run-scoring single to center.

St. Louis got on the board in the bottom of the third as Martinez stroked a two-out single to right to score Matt Carpenter from second.

Cleveland increased its advantage to 5-1 in the sixth when Kipnis led off with a single, was sacrificed to second and scored on Naquin's double into the left-center field gap off left-hander Austin Gomber.

--Field Level Media

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