Indians bats stay cold in squirrely 4-1 loss to Twins
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Jose Berrios pitched neatly into the eighth inning in his first start of the season and the Minnesota Twins beat the Cleveland Indians 4-1 Saturday in a game delayed several minutes when a squirrel ran around the field.
Max Kepler connected to give the Twins a home run in 14 straight games, their longest streak since 1988. He also had an RBI single in a three-run fourth for the AL Central leaders, who handed Cleveland its third straight loss.
The squirrel appeared from right field with Michael Brantley batting in the Cleveland sixth. Play was halted as the squirrel cut across the infield, angled past the mound and ran around the home plate area, drawing a loud cheer from the crowd at Progressive Field.
Twins manager Paul Molitor left the dugout to speak with plate umpire CB Bucknor, and Berrios threw his arms up in frustration. Chased toward right field by members of the grounds crew, the squirrel eventually hopped into the stands and play continued, with Berrios retiring Brantley on a flyball.
Berrios (1-0), called up from Triple-A Rochester on Friday, gave up one run and two hits in 7 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked one.
The right-hander was 3-0 and led the International League with a 1.13 ERA in six starts at Rochester. He 3-7 with an 8.02 ERA in 14 starts for Minnesota last season.
Brandon Kintzler pitched the ninth for his 10th save and third in three games.
Cleveland broke a 17-inning scoreless stretch on Berrios' wild pitch in the third, but the Indians were held to three hits for the second straight game. Minnesota won the series opener 1-0 Friday night.
The Twins' output in the fourth consisted of two walks, two wild pitches, a bunt hit, a throwing error by pitcher Mike Clevinger (1-1), a run-scoring groundout and Jorge Polanco's RBI single.
Minnesota has won 11 of 15 overall and is 11-4 on the road.
Clevinger allowed three runs and three hits while walking five in 4 1/3 innings.
Carlos Santana tripled in the third with two out on a drive to the center field wall. Byron Buxton leaped and got a glove on the ball, which bounced toward the field as Santana reached third.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Indians: OF Lonnie Chisenhall remained in the game after being hit on the right hand by a pitch in the eighth.
UP NEXT
Twins: LHP Hector Santiago seeks his first win over the Indians since Oct. 1, 2012. He has pitched against Cleveland 15 times in his career, posting a 2-3 record with a 4.77 ERA.
Indians: RHP Trevor Bauer allowed four runs in six innings in his last outing, taking a 4-2 loss at Toronto on May 8. He is 1-1 with an 8.18 ERA in two home starts this season.
