Cleveland, OH – Jason Kipnis broke out of an 0-for-19 slump as he homered and drove in a pair to help the Cleveland Indians take the second of a three-game set from the Minnesota Twins, 7-2.
Kipnis went 2-for-3 and scored twice for Cleveland, which won for the fourth time in its last five outings. Carlos Santana also went deep while Nick Swisher contributed a two-run double.
"We needed a nice little offensive day like this," Kipnis said.
Zach McAllister (7-7) pitched well behind solid run support, yielding just two runs on four hits over 7 1/3 innings.
Liam Hendriks (0-2) was tagged for all seven runs, lasting just 4 1/3 innings before giving way to Anthony Swarzak, who tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief. Brian Dozier homered and drove in both Minnesota runs.
"It was another one of those games where we just kind of sat there and you're waiting for something to happen and it never does," said Twins manager Ron Gardenhire.
Cleveland wasted no time, putting up a two-spot in the first inning on Santana's 16th homer of the year. Kipnis broke out of his hitless slump with a single up the middle earlier in the frame.
The Twins manufactured a run two innings later when Clete Thomas drew a one- out walk, advanced to third on Pedro Florimon's single to center, and eventually scored on a Dozier sac fly.
Kipnis' two-run shot in the home half of the third put the Twins up 4-1.
The game got away from Minnesota in the fifth, when the Indians brought eight men to the plate en route to three more runs. Drew Stubbs led off with a single to left. Michael Bourn then drew a walk and Swisher followed with a double to deep right-center field, plating both base runners.
Swarzak relieved Hendriks and promptly walked Santana before Michael Brantley drove a single to left, allowing Swisher to cross the plate for a 7-1 Indians lead.
Dozier's eight-inning home run, his 12th of the campaign, resulted in the final margin.
Game Notes
The Twins fall to 3-5 at Progressive Field this season ... Minnesota hit 0- for-5 with runners in scoring position ... Stubbs had two hits, two runs scored and a steal.
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