CLEVELAND _ Jose Ramirez's favorite line for quite some time now, after hitting a home run and being asked what pitch was thrown, has been, "Home run pitch."
Well, as long as pitchers keep throwing him home run pitches, he's likely to keep hitting them. And on Wednesday, two "home run pitches" helped to support Zach Plesac and the bullpen, as the Indians took both games against the Texas Rangers in a traditional doubleheader, 2-0 and 5-1, at Progressive Field.
With those two wins and the Minnesota Twins falling to the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday, the Indians' deficit in the American League Central race was cut to two games.
The Indians (68-46) were hitless until the fifth inning in the first game and entered the bottom of the seventh still scoreless with the Rangers (58-56). Carlos Santana singled to open the inning against Rangers starter Ariel Jurado, which brought up Ramirez with one out. Jurado then threw a 91-mph fastball middle-up in the zone, and Ramirez crushed it down the right-field line for a go-ahead, two-run home run that ended up being the difference.
Plesac turned in a terrific outing, tossing six scoreless innings and striking out seven to go with five hits and two walks, lowering his ERA to 3.13.
Nick Goody followed with two innings (one hit, three strikeouts) and Brad Hand struck out the side in the ninth for his 28th save.
"(Plesac) battled," said manager Terry Francona. "There were some deeper counts. He never gave in. He made some huge pitches. Stayed out there through six. And then Goody going two. That really helped us in the first game."
The second game followed a similar script. Ramirez, against Rangers pitcher Lance Lynn, in the second inning launched a solo home run down the right-field line that cleared the seating and reached the concourse.
The two-homer day gave Ramirez 16 home runs for the season. And the Indians' bullpen was able to make that stand up for the rest of the day. Franmil Reyes in the seventh inning added a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0.
The Indians went with a bullpen game in the capper to allow Mike Clevinger to start Thursday's game in Minnesota. Tyler Clippard (two innings, three strikeouts), Hunter Wood (two innings, two strikeouts), A.J. Cole (2 2/3 innings, two strikeouts), Oliver Perez (2/3 of an inning, two strikeouts) and Nick Wittgren (2/3 of an inning) combined to allow one run on four hits.
The only run allowed by the Indians on the day came with Perez on the mound. In the top of the eighth, the Rangers' Willie Calhoun hit a solo home run to right field that at the time cut the Indians' lead to 2-1.
The Indians answered and then put the game out of reach in the eighth. Doubles by Francisco Lindor and Carlos Santana gave the Indians an insurance run, and Yasiel Puig added another with an RBI single to left. Later, with two outs and a runner on, Jason Kipnis roped a double to right to extend the Indians' lead to 5-1.
