MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Carlos Carrasco pitched one-hit ball into the sixth inning, Jose Ramirez had three hits and Edwin Encarnacion homered as the Cleveland Indians beat the pitching-thin Minnesota Twins 8-1 Friday night.
Carrasco (7-2) gave up four hits in 6 1/3 innings, with three walks and seven strikeouts. The only run he allowed came on Eddie Rosario’s solo homer leading off the sixth.
The Indians pulled a game behind the Twins at the top of the AL Central standings.
Minnesota has had at least a share of first place since May 11, but the team with the worst home record in the major leagues could see that streak disappear this weekend.
A cramped schedule and injuries to Phil Hughes and Hector Santiago have left the Twins scrambling for starting pitchers of late. On Friday they turned to Nik Turley (0-1), a 27-year-old journeyman who was making his second major league appearance.
The lefty allowed eight runs on nine hits with four walks and a hit batter in 4 2/3 innings. Encarnacion’s three-run shot in the third inning put Cleveland up 4-0, while Lonnie Chisenhall’s long two-run double chased him in the fifth.
Encarnacion’s home run was his 14th of the season and continued his hot streak the past month. Since May 16 he’s hitting .337 (30-for-89) with nine homers and 19 RBIs.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Indians: OF Brandon Guyer, who has been sidelined list since May 13 with a sprained left wrist, began a rehab assignment Friday at Triple-A Columbus.
Twins: Santiago will throw again in the bullpen on Saturday before the Twins decide on his next steps. Santiago was put on the 10-day DL on June 7 with a strained left shoulder.
UP NEXT
Indians: RHP Steve Clevenger (2-3, 4.09 ERA) and LHP Nate Merritt (making his 2017 debut) will be Cleveland’s starting pitchers in Saturday’s day-night doubleheader at Target Field. The team did not announce which pitcher will start which game.
Twins: LHP Adam Wilk (0-1, 1.86) will start Game 1 and fellow lefty Adalberto Mejia (1-2, 5.75) will take the mound for the nightcap against Cleveland.