Salazar falters in 5th as Indians drop opener to Twins
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Danny Salazar had locked the Minnesota Twins' struggling offense down for four innings and seemed headed toward another deep start.
Then things got all out of whack in the fifth, and Salazar's night was done before he even knew what hit him.
Salazar's shortest out of the season helped the Twins get back in the game, and Oswaldo Arcia led off the ninth inning with a solo homer to lift the Twins to a 4-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Monday night.
Salazar gave up three runs on just three hits and walked four in 4 2-3 innings, and the Indians had their three-game winning streak snapped on a night when outfielder Michael Brantley made his long-awaited season debut.
"We could have won that game," Salazar said. "I think that's on me. I got in trouble. We lost."
Salazar breezed through four innings, but got out of whack in the fifth. He had a balk, a wild pitch and gave up a two-run double down the line to Brian Dozier, who was hitting .187 when he came to the plate.
Miguel Sano added a cue-shot single off of Jeff Manship to push the Twins ahead 3-2.
"I just thought with the stuff he had tonight, that's a night where he should go deeper into the game," Indians manager Terry Francona said.
Yan Gomes tied the game with a home run in the eighth, but Zach McAllister (1-1) grooved a fastball that Arcia ripped to the seats in right field in the ninth. It was the first run McAllister has given up this season in nine appearances.
Kevin Jepsen (1-3) pitched the ninth for the win.
BRANTLEY DEBUTS
Brantley, an All-Star in 2014, missed the first 17 games while recovering from right shoulder surgery. He was originally slated to make his debut on Tuesday, but Francona sent him to the plate with two outs, runners on the corners, and the score tied 3-3 in the eighth inning. Brantley flew out to left field against Ryan O'Rourke and finished the game in the outfield.
"I didn't want him to face (Fernando) Abad," Francona said. "Once he was done, we knew O'Rourke wasn't going to pitch. That seemed like a pretty good chance for him."
LINDOR SHINES
Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor was sensational in the field on Monday night. He made a slick play in the fifth on a ball off of Salazar's glove, hauling in the ricochet, bobbling it and still getting the speedy Eduardo Escobar at first base.
He got Escobar again in the sixth, ranging deep in the hole between shortstop and third base for the backhand pickup, then making a strong throw all the way across the diamond for the out.
PRINCE TRIBUTE
Both teams paid tribute to Minneapolis music legend Prince, who died last week. The Twins used a purple hue on their scoreboard with the musician's famous symbol in the corner, and every hitter walked up to the plate to a Prince song. Twins star Joe Mauer used the song "7," the first time he has used a walkup song other than T.I.'s "What You Know" in 12 years.
Prior to the game the team released a flock of doves, a nod to Prince's hit "When Doves Cry." And players on both teams wore purple wristbands.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Indians: Placed RHP Carlos Carrasco on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring that could sideline him for up to six weeks. ... Francona said Brantley would get his first start on Tuesday because the team wanted him to play back-to-back days before the team has an off day on Thursday. The plan will be to then play him Friday and Saturday before evaluating him again for the game on Sunday.
Twins: RHP Ervin Santana continues to be slowed by back spasms. The team is hopeful to have a clearer picture on his situation in the next day or two. ... 3B Trevor Plouffe (intercostal strain) is on track to come off the DL when his 15 days are up on Tuesday, manager Paul Molitor said.
UP NEXT
The Indians send RHP Cody Anderson (0-1, 7.53) to the mound to face Twins RHP Ricky Nolasco (1-0, 2.66). Anderson has given up 10 earned runs in his last two starts. Nolasco has been one of the few bright spots for the Twins after two injury-riddled seasons.