MINNEAPOLIS _ Trevor Bauer won 17 games for Cleveland last season and continued his development this season, entering Tuesday fourth in the American League with a 2.32 ERA. He held to form on Tuesday in a matchup against Twins right-hander Kyle Gibson, who is in the middle of a season of growth himself.
Bauer limited the Twins to a sacrifice fly by Jake Cave in the second and solo home run by Logan Morrison in the sixth. He left after 6 1/3 innings and 102 pitches. The Indians bullpen did the rest, and the Twins lost, 6-2.
Gibson was handed a 1-0 lead in the second but Robert Perez led off the third with a double and eventually scored on a groundout, then Jose Ramirez's RBI double put the Indians ahead, 2-1. An RBI single by Ramirez in the fifth gave Cleveland a 3-1 lead.
It was 3-2 through six innings when Twins manager Paul Molitor lifted Gibson in place of right-hander Matt Belisle, who started the season with the Indians but was cut in April. Belisle ended up in a pickle when Greg Allen beat out a one out single to short. Francisco Lindor then reached base when his shift-adverse grounder to third forced Miguel Sano to rush to his right before attempting an ill-advised throw that was wild. Runners ended up on second and third.
After Michael Brantley grounded out, Molitor had the hot Ramirez intentionally walked to load the bases. Belisle went after Edwin Encarnacion, but gave up a two-run single to right as Cleveland took a 5-2 lead, adding an insurance run in the ninth.
Twins outfielder Byron Buxton, whose season has been marred by a migraine, broken toe, strained wrist and a sickly batting average, is likely headed back to the disabled list.
Buxton, on the comeback from a wrist injury suffered July 13, left during the second game of a doubleheader against Class AAA Scranton-Wilkes Barre with an apparent re-aggravation of the injury.
"That wrist that we thought was healed has resurfaced," Molitor said. "It wasn't until he took a couple of awkward swings in the game where it started to flare up. Last night I think he had to get pulled from the game and we're going to look at getting further testing, imaging."
Buxton was 0-for-3 with three strikeouts in the game when he was replaced by a pinch hitter late in the game.
"We'll figure out what we do," Molitor said. "Not sure if it's been confirmed that he's going back on the DL but that's what looks like it's going to happen."
