CLEVELAND _ The stars on the left side of the infield shined on Sunday and Edwin Encarnacion added an emphatic exclamation point to power the Indians to a 12-2 win Sunday at Progressive Field and a three-game sweep of the Detroit Tigers.
The victory was the Indians' seventh in a row, all within the division. The Tigers (36-42), who used to pick on the Indians (43-33), were outscored 26-3 in the series and never held a lead.
Francisco Lindor (3-for-5) belted a two-run home run off Tigers starting pitcher Matt Boyd (4-6) in the fourth, putting the Indians on top 6-2. It was his 19th home run of the season and third in as many days, the first time in his career he's homered in three consecutive games.
Two innings later, Jose Ramirez (3-for-4) tied for the major-league lead with his 23rd home run, a solo shot off Tigers reliever Artie Lewicki. Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout and Boston Red Sox outfielder J.D. Martinez also have 23 home runs. Lindor's total is tied for seventh.
Sunday's game was the third in a row the Indians have scored at least three runs in the first two innings.
Michael Brantley also went 3-for-5 with two RBIs, Jason Kipnis went 2-for-3 with a home run, Rajai Davis finished 2-for-2 with an RBI and Encarnacion capped the day and series with a monstrous grand slam, finishing 2-for-4 with five RBIs.
With plenty of offensive support, Indians starting pitcher Adam Plutko (4-1) delivered a quality start, allowing two runs on six hits in six innings to go with four strikeouts.
