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Yan Gomes' grand slam helps Cleveland Indians beat Los Angeles Angels

By Jim Ingraham, The Sports Xchange
Cleveland Indians' Jose Ramirez. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
Cleveland Indians' Jose Ramirez. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

CLEVELAND -- After getting one hit in the previous four innings, the Cleveland Indians erupted for five runs on five hits in the eighth, triggered by a long at-bat by rookie shortstop Francisco Lindor.

Lindor helped set the table and catcher Yan Gomes cleared it.

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Gomes' grand slam capped the five-run eighth inning as the Indians beat the Los Angeles Angels 8-3 on Saturday night at Progressive Field.

Angels right-hander Joe Smith relieved right-hander Garrett Richards to start the bottom of the eighth in a 3-3 game. Smith, who pitched for the Indians from 2009 to 2013, engaged in an eight-pitch duel with Lindor, which ended with a single to right field.

"That was a great at-bat. He made Smitty throw all his pitches and kept fouling them off until he got something he could handle," said Indians manager Terry Francona.

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Left fielder Michael Brantley followed with a single to right field, moving Lindor to second. First baseman Carlos Santana pulled a double into the right-field corner, scoring Lindor and sending Brantley to third.

The Angels intentionally walked right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall to load the bases. Gomes then hit Smith's first pitch over the wall in center field for his ninth home run of the season and first career grand slam.

"I just wanted to do anything I could to get the run in, a sac-fly or anything," said Gomes. "I got a pretty good pitch to hit and I knew I got it."

The grand slam came on "Yan Gomes Jersey Night" at Progressive Field.

"I did see a lot of Gomes jerseys. Everyone is liking me today, I guess," he said.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia said he had no second thoughts about going to Smith in relief of Richards.

"We feel good about Joe's sinker in any situation, his ability to keep the ball down and get groundballs," said Scioscia. "He's been phenomenal for us all year, but this one got away from him a little bit."

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The win went to right-hander Bryan Shaw (3-2), who pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief. Smith (4-4) took the loss for the Angels, who have lost seven of their last nine games.

"We're trying to get back in sync offensively," said Scioscia.

One hitter out of sync is center fielder Mike Trout, who is hitless in the first two games of this series and is hitting .194 (18-for-93) in the month of August, with one home run and six RBIs.

"Even if Mike was doing his normal stuff it might not be enough," Scioscia said. "We need to re-establish the depth of our lineup. There are some things we need to re-boot."

After taking a 3-1 lead in the third, the Indians, who have won four in a row, were held scoreless on one hit in the next four innings by Richards, who was removed from the game after seven innings and 117 pitches.

"He was nasty," said Francona. "Even after 100 pitches he was still ripping off breaking balls."

Richards gave up three runs and seven hits with nine strikeouts and no walks.

"He got stronger as the game went on, maintained his stuff and gave us a chance to win," Scioscia said.

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Right-hander Corey Kluber started for the Indians and in six innings gave up three runs (two earned) and five hits with six strikeouts and three walks.

The Angels needed just one pitch to take an early lead. Right fielder Kole Calhoun hit the first pitch of the game from Kluber into the seats in right field for his 20th home run of the year, giving the Angels a 1-0 lead.

The Indians tied it with a sacrifice fly by Gomes in the second inning.

Cleveland took a 3-1 lead on a two-run single by Chisenhall in the third.

In the top of the fourth, after a 38-minute rain delay, Kluber gave up another first-pitch home run, this one to left fielder David Murphy leading off the inning. That cut the Cleveland lead to 3-2.

"I think the rain delay took a little out of him," said Francona of Kluber. "He was more tired after six innings than he usually is after eight. But he put us in a position to win."

Shortstop Manny Aybar followed with a single. Two outs later, third baseman Kaleb Cowart doubled down the left-field line. Aybar went to third on the hit and then scored the tying run when Brantley bobbled the ball in left for an error.

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NOTES: Indians RHP Gavin Floyd will be activated off the disabled list on Tuesday. Floyd has been on the DL all season recovering from surgery in March to repair a broken right elbow. ... For the first time in franchise history, the Indians have four pitchers with 150 or more strikeouts: RHP Corey Kluber (213), RHP Carlos Carrasco (173), RHP Danny Salazar (162) and RHP Trevor Bauer (152). ... Entering Saturday, the Angels had been held to two runs or fewer in 13 of 26 games in the month of August.

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