CLEVELAND _ At about 11:05 a.m. on Wednesday, Indians manager Terry Francona was being asked about Jose Ramirez's slow start to the season.
Francona spoke about how Ramirez had yet to show the type consistency he normally has in the past, and how the team needed to be patient even when it was difficult to do so. But, he then offered reassurance.
"I'm telling you, he's going to be fine," Francona said.
Roughly two hours later, Ramirez crushed the first pitch he saw for a home run and went on to help power the Indians' offense in a 6-2 win over the Miami Marlins.
Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara left a sinker down the middle of the plate, and Ramirez turned on it for his second home run of the season. Two innings later, Ramirez singled up the middle to score Leonys Martin, who had singled and advanced to second on an error, to put the Indians ahead 2-0.
Ramirez wasn't done.
The Indians (13-10) entered the bottom of the eighth in a 2-2 tie after the Marlins (7-17) chipped away at the lead. With two runners on, Jake Bauers poked a single through the left side of the infield to allow the Indians to retake the lead. Francisco Lindor added a bloop single to make it 4-2.
Martin was then hit by a pitch, loading the bases for Ramirez, who delivered a two-run double to make it 6-2. Ramirez finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs and was a triple short of the cycle.
It was enough to single-handedly support starting pitcher Jefry Rodriguez, who was making his second spot start in place of Mike Clevinger. Rodriguez again offered a solid outing, allowing just one run on three hits with two walks and three strikeouts in seven innings. In his two starts with the Indians, he has a 2.13 ERA.
Rodriguez wasn't credited with the win, though, after Nick Wittgren allowed a solo home run to Martin Prado that tied it 2-2 in the top of the eighth. It was the first earned run Wittgren had allowed this season.
Bauers, Lindor and then Ramirez all delivered in the bottom half of the inning, though, before Brad Hand finished it in the ninth.
