CLEVELAND _ The weather is warming and the Indians lineup is beginning to find its rhythm.
Free of the icy shackles of the frigid Cleveland weather, the Indians put up their best offensive game of the season, routing the Detroit Tigers, 9-3, Thursday night at Progressive Field.
It marked the Indians' fifth consecutive win, as well as the 11th consecutive victory against the Tigers dating back to last season. The first-pitch temperature of 74 degrees was also more than 40 degrees warmer than some games earlier this homestand.
The Indians (8-5) piled on Tigers starting pitcher Michael Fulmer for six runs in the first two innings to jump out to a sizable lead. Francisco Lindor led off the bottom of the first inning with a solo home run, his first of the season. With Jason Kipnis on third, Michael Brantley later grounded a ball to first baseman Miguel Cabrera, who threw home to catch Kipnis in a run-down. But catcher John Hicks' throw sailed off Jeimer Candelario's glove and into left field, putting the Indians up 2-0.
Lindor followed up his solo home run in the first with a two-run double to right field in the second inning to make it 4-0. Two batters later, Jose Ramirez hit a two-run home run that appeared to get caught up in the wind _ this time in a positive way after numerous fly balls were knocked down during this homestand _ and just cleared the right-field wall. It was his third home run of the season.
Kipnis ended Fulmer's day in the fourth inning with a two-run single, and Brantley added an RBI double to extend the Indians' lead to 9-1.
After the Indians failed to record 10 hits in any of their first 11 games, they have now accomplished that feat twice in a row. Lindor (2-for-4), Kipnis (3-for-4), Brantley (2-for-4) and Bradley Zimmer (3-for-4) all registered multi-hit games.
Indians starting pitcher Trevor Bauer (1-1) allowed two runs on seven hits and two walks and struck out seven in seven innings, bringing his season ERA to 2.25.
