CLEVELAND _ Yasiel Puig hasn't had quite the type of impact he had hoped when he came to Cleveland in the July three-team trade. Though for one night, he knew he had found what he wanted the moment it left the bat, as he lifted the Indians to a 2-1 win in extra innings over the Detroit Tigers.
Tied 1-1, Roberto Perez reached base to lead off the bottom of the 10th via an error off pitcher Jose Cisnero. Ryan Flaherty followed with a sacrifice bunt that nearly turned into a second error on Cisnero, though it did advance the runner.
The Tigers had an easy decision to intentionally walk Francisco Lindor before Oscar Mercado grounded into a fielder's choice to put runners on the corners with two outs That then led to another intentional walk to Carlos Santana to load the bases for Puig.
One pitch. One swing. One ball drilled off the right-field wall to win it. Puig knew it the moment he hit it and walked the first several steps down the first-base line.
Aaron Civale's sparkling rookie season continued on Wednesday night. Civale was terrific against an albeit lighter Tigers lineup, allowing one run on just four hits in 7 2/3 innings to go with four strikeouts. He lowered his ERA to 1.82 and maintained his status within the Indians' long-term plans thanks to a stellar rookie showing.
His lone blemish came in the third inning, though the Indians quickly answered. Tigers catcher Jake Rogers doubled to open the inning and was moved to third via a sacrifice bunt by former Indians prospect Willi Castro. Victor Reyes than manufactured the run with a sacrifice fly to right field. Puig's throw was up the third-base line.
The Indians got that run back in the bottom half of the inning. Flaherty, one of the several utility infielders the Indians need to contribute over the final couple weeks of the season with both Jose Ramirez and Jason Kipnis sidelined with hamate bone fractures, singled to open the inning. A wild pitch then allowed Flaherty to advance to second.
With two outs, Santana tied it with a single to center, deadlocking the score at 1-1. The hit gave Santana 90 RBIs this season in what has been a resurgence in his return to Cleveland.
Greg Allen saved a run and preserved the tie in the top of the fourth inning. Christin Stewart doubled to right field with one out. With two outs, Brandon Dixon singled to left field on a ball that appeared to be giving the Tigers the lead. Greg Allen fielded it cleanly and fired a one-hopper to the plate that beat Stewart home, and Roberto Perez received the throw and applied the tag in a close play. Perez, who has been "banged up" recently, as he stated Tuesday night, was favoring his knee for a moment after the minor collision.
