The Cleveland Indians were defeated for the sixth time in their last eight games on Saturday evening, as Minnesota batters woke up in a big way to power the Twins to a 7-4 win at Progressive Field.
After being pounded for four runs in his very first inning, Indians starter Josh Tomlin did manage to settle down and pitch five innings of one-run ball to keep his team in the game. Tomlin wound up taking the loss after surrendering a solo home run to Trevor Plouffe in the sixth, as reliever Tony Sipp extended the deficit further by allowing a two-run homer to Minnesota's Joe Mauer the next inning.
Only a pair of Cleveland starters, Casey Kotchman and Johnny Damon, finished the game without a hit, on a night where pitching seemed to be the Indians' lone Achilles' heel. With its offense obviously not the issue at the moment, the Tribe will send their hot-and-cold righthander Justin Masterson to the mound for Sunday's series finale.
For more on the Indians, be sure to check out Let's Go Tribe. For more Twins coverage, visit Twinkie Town. And for the best MLB analysis and insight on the internet, head over to Baseball Nation.