MINNEAPOLIS _ For the second consecutive time at Target Field, the Cleveland Indians went to extra innings. And for the second consecutive time, they put up a four-spot.
This time, it all came with two outs in the 11th inning, with the first two hits coming off Brusdar Graterol, the Twins prospect making his Target Field debut. Roberto Perez hit a tiebreaking RBI single, Francisco Lindor added an infield hit to drive in another run and Oscar Mercado hit a two-run single off Trevor Hildenberger. Cleveland beat the Twins, 6-2, to take the opener of a three-game series.
The Indians pulled within 5 { games of the Twins for the AL Central lead.
The last time these teams played last month, Cleveland scored all its runs on one swing _ Carlos Santana hit a 10th-inning grand slam off Taylor Rogers. That put the Twins and Indians tied for the AL Central lead, but since then the Twins gradually restored their division lead.
Michael Pineda pitched six strong innings for the Twins, holding Cleveland to one run over six innings on four hits and two walks while striking a season-high 10 batters. He left with a 2-1 lead, but the Indians tied it in the eighth off Sergio Romo.
Cleveland center fielder Mercado blooped a ball to right field to open the eighth _ but it was out of the reach of a diving LaMonte Wade Jr., who was playing toward right-center. Mercado ended up on third. Romo got Santana on a pop-up, but Yasiel Puig lifted a fly ball to center field deep enough for Mercado to score the tying run.
Right fielder Jake Cave led off the fifth with a single to right but pulled in gingerly to first base. He was visited by head trainer Tony Leo before leaving the game because of left groin tightness. He was replaced by Wade.
And Nelson Cruz also left the game because of a sore left wrist, the same wrist that caused him to land on the injured list last month. He and Cave were both listed as day-to-day.
