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CLEVELAND -- For the Cleveland Indians, who have played 13 one-run games this year, second most in the American League, this was a breath of fresh air. "It's nice to be able to spread a game out and be able to relax a little," Cleveland manager Terry Francona said after his team rolled to a 15-6 rout of the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night at Progressive Field.
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Home runs by Yan Gomes and Marlon Byrd in a five-run sixth inning rally helped power the Indians to the victory.
Trailing 4-0 after the top of the third, Cleveland scored 15 runs over the next six innings, unleashing a 19-hit assault on four Cincinnati pitchers.
"It was a tough night for everybody. Nothing came easy," said Reds manager Bryan Price.
Tommy Hunter (1-1) pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief to get the win. Reds starter John Lamb (0-1), who gave up seven runs on 10 hits in four innings, took the loss.
Adam Duvall and Eugenio Suarez both homered for the Reds, who were unable to keep up with Cleveland's overwhelming offense.
Byrd and Francisco Lindor each had three hits and Gomes had four RBI as the Indians set season highs for hits and runs scored.
"Falling behind 4-0, that's not an easy way to win," Francona said. "But Hunter got five outs on 10 pitchers and that allowed us to continue to swing the bats."
Leading 7-6 after five, the Indians broke open the game with their five-run sixth. With one out Mike Napoli drew a walk from reliever Layne Somsen. Carlos Santana singled, and Gomes then belted a three-run home run over the wall in center field, giving the Indians a 10-6 lead. It was the sixth home run of the year for Gomes, who came into the game hitting .167, but has homered in each of his last three games.
"I've been a slow starter the last few years, but you can't lose your confidence. I know I can hit," Gomes said.
Jose Ramirez walked and Byrd belted his second home run, a two-run shot to left field that made it 12-6.
The Indians came into the game last in the AL with 31 home runs, but hit two homers in the span of three batters in the sixth.
Cleveland added two more runs in the seventh on sacrifice flies by Santana and Gomes.
The Indians scored their final run in the eighth on a Cincinnati error.
Reds pitchers gave up 19 hits and six walks.
"Baseball is not played that way from a pitcher's standpoint," said Price, whose team is languishing in last place in the NL Central.
"A lot of things didn't work tonight, but we've got to play the hand we've been dealt."
The Reds took a 4-0 lead by scoring runs in each of the first three innings against Cleveland starter Cody Anderson. Two of the runs came on home runs by Duvall and Suarez. Duvall's came on a 0-2 pitch.
"That 0-2 pitch was right where (Anderson) wanted it -- out of the zone, and it got hit for a home run," said Francona.
In the bottom of the third, Cleveland sent eight men to the plate, four of them scoring, against Reds starter John Lamb. Two of the runs came on a double by Lindor.
The Indians took the lead in the fourth, thanks to some nifty base running by Rajai Davis, who scored from first on a single. Jose Ramirez led off with a double, but Lamb retired the next two batters.
Davis drew a walk. Jason Kipnis lined a single to right field, scoring Ramirez. Davis, who was running on the play, raced around the bases, and stumbled across home plate. Umpire Paul Emmel ruled Davis was out on the throw home. But the Indians challenged the call, and after a video review the call was reversed, and Davis was ruled safe, giving Cleveland a 6-4 lead.
"Rajai wanted to slide there, but his feet got mixed up. That was a big play in the game," Francona said.
Kipnis later scored on a single by Napoli, giving Cleveland a 7-4 lead.
The slugfest continued in the fifth, when a two-run single by Jay Bruce cut the Cleveland lead to 7-6.
NOTES: Prior to the game, the Reds reinstated OF Billy Hamilton from the bereavement list and optioned RHP Drew Hayes to Triple-A Louisville. ... In his first appearance on a rehab assignment with Louisville Sunday vs. Columbus, Reds RHP Jon Moscot, who is on the disabled list with inflammation in his non-throwing shoulder, allowed two runs in five innings. ... The Reds have already used 20 pitchers, including nine starters, this season. The team records for both categories is 30 pitchers and 17 starters, both set in 2003. . . Indians OF Lonnie Chisenhall will be activated off the bereavement list on Tuesday. ... Indians OF Michael Brantley will be examined Tuesday by Dr. Craig Morgan in Wilmington, Del. Brantley was placed on the DL on Friday with inflammation in his right shoulder. Dr. Morgan performed the surgery last November to repair Brantley's torn labrum.
