Cleveland Indians beat Royals, 7-4, as Franmil Reyes ends 9-game losing streak with walk-off HR – cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — James Karinchak and Emmanuel Clase are supposed to carry the Indians’ bullpen for the next several years.

Right now the two late-inning relievers look like they need someone to carry them. Someone did. Actually quite a few people did.

Cesar Hernandez doubled with one out in the ninth inning off Greg Holland. Jose Ramirez was intentionally walked with two out. Then Franmil Reyes drove a three-run homer into the left field bleachers for a 7-4 win over the Royals. The victory ended the Indians’ nine-game losing streak.

Karinchak gave up a leadoff homer to Carlos Santana in the ninth just when the Indians had taken a 4-3 lead in the eighth. Clase did not appear in the game, but his last two appearances ended in two losses and a blown save.

Santana stunned Karinchak when he drove his 3-2 fastball over the fence in right centerfield to make it a 4-4 game. Santana’s second homer of the night came right after Roberto Perez’s three-run homer in the eighth gave the Indians a 4-3 lead and seemingly slammed the brakes on the losing streak.

“We’re not giving up,” said Perez, who just came off the injured list Saturday. “We went through a tough stretch, losing nine straight games. Last year we lost eight straight and came back and won nine of the next 11. I’m not worried about our team. . .It’s a long season and the idea is to stay compared and come to the ballpark every day expecting to win.”

Thursday night was supposed to be about the return of right-hander Zach Plesac to the starting rotation. Things went OK in that regard, but what about Reyes? It was his third homer since he came off the injured list a week ago. Manager Terry Francona has been using him cautiously for fear of Reyes reinjuring his left oblique muscle, but the caution may be disappearing into the rear view mirror.

“I don’t care how we won,” said Francona. “I just care we won. We needed it. It was a hard game to win.”

When asked about Reyes, Plesac said, “It’s just so good to have him back in the lineup. It’s awesome to see him swinging healthy. I’m glad he’s back to being Franmil.”

Reyes is hitting .381 (8-for-21) with three homers and nine RBI since coming off the injured list. He was thinking one thing when he walked to the plate in the ninth.

“When Carlo (Santana) hit that home run, I told myself if I get up to hit I’m going to do that for my team,” Reyes said when asked about the Royals intentionally walking Jose Ramirez to face him. “It was unbelievable. I swear on my kids, I was saying I hope they walk Josie. I was like, ‘Please, walk him. Give him this shot.’ And I got the pitch.’”

Plesac’s outing was a glorified rehab start. He did it in a big-league setting because the Indians are need of a glimmer of hope that what they’ve been through the last month or so isn’t what’s waiting for them coming out of the other side of the All-Star break.

He opened with seven straight outs, three on strikeouts. Michael Taylor doubled past third for KC’s first hit. Nicky Lopez followed with a drive to the wall in center that Bradley Zimmer caught on the warning track. Whit Merrifield sent a bouncer to deep short. Amed Rosario may have been screened by Taylor as he headed to third because Rosario stabbed at the ball awkwardly and couldn’t knock it down as the Royals took a 1-0 lead.

Oscar Mercado, who had a hit erased in Wednesday’s seven-inning no-hitter by the Rays, gave the Indians their first hit in 11 innings with a double down the left-field line in the third. The ball was originally called foul by third-base umpire Nick Mahrley. The Indians challenged and the call was overturned.

Nothing came of the double as Cesar Hernandez grounded into a double play, but at least the Indians had a hit.

Plesac, however, was about to show why starting pitchers need a long time to reach game strength after being on the injured list.

He struck out Salvador Perez to start the fourth only to have his former teammate Santana ambush him with a first-pitch homer into the right field seats for a 2-0 lead. Santana, who always seems to be hitting with a full count, turned Plesac’s 82 mph curveball into his 14th homer.

Hunter Dozier, one out later, homered into the left field seats for a 3-0 lead. Plesac worked his way out of the inning with no further damage, but his night was over.

Plesac, in his 10 starts before going on the injured list, threw a high percentage of strikes and didn’t issue many walks. He threw 69% (38-for-55) of his pitches for strikes and didn’t walk a batter. Another pre-injury trend was the nine homers he allowed in 58 2/3 innings. That continued as well.

“I think I was catching too much of the strike zone,” said Plesac, making his first start since May 23 when a broken right thumb put him on the injured list. “I need to expand a little better. I felt we worked ahead for most of the night so expanding the zone will get me out of trouble late in the count.”

Bobby Bradley, who struck out five times in six at-bats in Wednesday’s doubleheader sweep by the Rays, put the Indians on the scoreboard with a two-out homer in the fourth. He hit it off lefty Danny Duffy to make it 3-1. It was his ninth homer since being recalled from Columbus on June 5.

Next: RHP Triston McKenzie (1-3, 6.38) will be recalled from Class AAA Columbus to start against the Royals on Friday. RHP Brad Keller (6-9, 6.39) will start for the Royals. Game time is 7:10 p.m. with Bally Sports Great Lakes, WTAM, WMMS and the Indians radio network carrying the game.