Cleveland Indians battered by Twins, 9-3; Carlos Carrasco knocked out of game by line drive

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Twins knocked Corey Kluber out of the game in the fifth inning Friday night. On Saturday afternoon they sent Carlos Carrasco to the hospital with a bruised right forearm.

The Twins beat Kluber, 6-2, Friday and continued the beating on Saturday with a 9-3 hammering of Carrasco and the Indians. Over 60,000 fans watched the Indians take two straight nosedives at Progressive Field.

So the Twins, who can't seem to get out of their own way against the rest of the big leagues, have dispatched the Indians' best two starters in two days like they were some ham-and-eggers up from Double AA for a spot start.

Speaking of spot starts, right-hander Justin Bieber is in line to make one Sunday after the Indians used scheduled starter Adam Plutko and outfielder Brandon Guyer to save the bullpen. Plutko pitched the seventh and eighth innings, while Guyer pitched the ninth in his first professional appearance on the mound.

Guyer retired the Twins in order in the ninth on eight pitches.

Carrasco (8-5, 4.24) gave up four runs on 36 pitches in the first inning. Then the Twins really hurt Carrasco as Joe Mauer hit him in the right forearm with a liner back to the mound to start the second. The ball deflected off Carrasco directly to first baseman Edwin Encarnaction, who stepped on first to retire Mauer.

The Indians announced that Carrasco was taken to the hospital for precautionary X-rays on his forearm.

The Twins took a 4-0 lead in the first on two-run doubles by Eduardo Escobar and Max Kepler. The Indians tried to answer as Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez hit solo homers in the first off Fernando Romero to make it 4-2.

Minnesota made it 5-2 on a double by Logan Morrison in the second off Oiver Perez, who relieved Carrasco. The Indians made it a 5-3 game in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Tyler Naquin, but that's as close as they got.

The Twins put the game away with three runs in the sixth off Zach McAllister and Tyler Olson.

What would a Twins' victory over the Indians be without an Eddie Rosario home run? Rosario make it 9-3 with a leadoff homer off Plutko in the eighth. It was the fifth homer he's hit against the Indians in the last three games between the two teams.

He hit three on June 3 at Target Field and one each on Friday and Saturday. For the season, he's six homers against the Tribe.

What it means

The Indians have lost five games straight to the Twins. They trail the season series 6-2.

The pitches

Carrasco threw 39 pitches, 25 (64 percent) for strikes. Romero threw 63 pitches, 43 (68 percent) for strikes.

Thanks for coming

The Twins and Indians drew 30,282 fans to Progressive Field on Saturday afternoon. First pitch was at 4:10 p.m with a temperature of 79 degrees.

Next

It's unclear who will be starting for the Indians on Sunday because Plutko came on in relief Saturday to save the bullpen. It's believed the Indians will recall Bieber from Columbus to face Minnesota right-hander Jake Odorizzi (3-3, 4.19). SportsTime Ohio, WTAM and WMMS will carry the 1:10 p.m. game.

Bieber made his big-league debut against the Twins on May 31.

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