CLEVELAND _ The Twins were not going to destroy the Indians blueprint for success this time.
With Twins hitters still coughing up smoke from right-hander Danny Salazar's blazing fastballs, Indians manager Terry Francona brought in the relievers he expects to carry them to the World Series title this season. Even when they took a four-run lead, Francona brought in the indomitable Andrew Miller in the seventh inning to protect against any rally the Twins had in mind.
The Twins fought back for a win on Tuesday, but it wasn't happening on Wednesday, as Cleveland prevailed 4-2 to keep the Twins from celebrating a playoff berth on their turf. The Twins were limited to two hits and one walk through the first eight innings before Jorge Polanco's two-run homer in the ninth.
Max Kepler, batting as the tying run, grounded out to short to end the game.
So any celebration would have to take place in the visitor's clubhouse, where the Twins headed after the game to watch the rest of the White-Sox-Angels game. A loss by the Angels and the Twins were headed to the wild card game on Tuesday. That game will be, presumably, against the Yankees. But they still have a chance to catch Boston to the AL East tile. So hold on there.
The Twins were ready for a celebration. Several officials, including president Dave St. Peter, are on hand for the series. Team owner Jim Pohlad was present Tuesday but had to return to the Twin Cities for personal reasons.
The players have largely curbed their enthusiasm, but began to show it on Tuesday when they beat Cleveland to lower their magic number to one. They just needed one more win so they can act like a team preparing for the postseason.
But Cleveland entered Wednesday one game ahead of Houston for best record in the American League, and still with a realistic chance of catching the Dodgers for baseball's best record. Francona certainly managed as if a lot was on the line, bringing in an defensive replacement for third baseman Yandy Diaz in the sixth inning _ then pinch hitting Lonnie Chisenhall for Urshela in the seventh. It was if the Twins were in a wild card playoff without being the wild card yet.
Twins left-hander Adalberto Mejia was largely sloppy during his 3 2/3 innings, falling behind 2-0 six times and throwing first pitch strikes to just eight of the 18 batters he faced. The Indians took a 1-0 lead in the first when Jose Ramirez hit his 53rd double of the season then scored on a single by Edwin Encarnacion.
Mejia fell apart in the fourth. Three 2-0 counts. A walk to Jason Kipnis to load the bases. Then he hit Yan Gomes in the left ankle with a 1-2 breaking ball to force in a run and end his night.
Eduardo Escobar's throwing error _ with two outs in the fourth, allowed Austin Jackson to score and make it 3-0. Gomes' ankle wasn't that bad, as he homered off of Michael Tonkin in the sixth as Cleveland took a 4-0 lead. The Indians took it from there, continuing the pitching dominance started by Salazar.
The Twins acted like they've never seen Salazar pitch before, as the right-hander had them chasing pitches above the zone. And, honestly, the ones in the strike zone were pretty devastating too, as he threw several in the upper 90's that the Twins had no chance hitting.
Salazar struck out two batters each in the first, second and third innings, one pitch registering 97.5 miles an hour.
After striking out Escobar for the second out in the fifth, Francona replaced Salazar with Mike Clevinger. Salazar, with 64 pitches on Wednesday, is being preserved for the playoffs.
The Twins wished they were in that mode on Wednesday.
