CLEVELAND – It would have been a tough one to lose for the Indians on Friday night. Matt LaPorta ensured that it didn’t happen.
With his team on the verge of heading to extra innings after squandering a lead it had held nearly the entire night, LaPorta blasted a walk-off solo home run to lead off the bottom of the ninth, lifting Cleveland to a 7-6 victory.
LaPorta hit the second pitch from Twins reliever Matt Guerrier, launching it over the wall in left-center field to touch off the celebration.
“It was a great feeling,” said LaPorta, who said he had never hit a walk-off homer on any level in his baseball career. “I think we did a good job of keeping our composure, then we came out and did what we had to do.”
The Indians scored three times in the first inning and held the advantage until the ninth, when Minnesota rallied for two runs to tie the game off closer Chris Perez.
Instead of buckling, the youth-laden Indians bounced back big time behind LaPorta.
“That was a young-team victory,” said Indians manager Manny Acta, whose club is 13-9 since the All-Star break. “We had a chance to put the game away and we didn’t. Then we come back and win the game. We got the win. That’s what counts.”
Minnesota’s rally deprived Indians starter Jeanmar Gomez of putting himself in select company.
Gomez was in line for the win after allowing just a run on four hits over 5 1/3 innings. He would have become just the third Cleveland pitcher since 1920 to record wins in each of his first three appearances on the big league level, joining Scott Lewis, who won his first four starts in 2008, and reliever Frank Funk (1960).
As it was, Gomez could take solace in another positive outing, while giving his team the chance to win.
“Gomez threw the ball OK,” Acta said. “He didn’t have his good slider but that movement on his fastball continues to help him. He gave us five innings without his good stuff.”
Facing a Twins team that is still in the division race – entering the night 1½ games behind first-place Chicago – and that had ace Francisco Liriano on the mound, Gomez remained in the comfort zone he has occupied since making his big league debut July 18.
“I just tried to do what I did before,” Gomez said. “I threw a lot of pitches in the first and second innings. I learned that I don’t have to try to be too fine.”
Gomez’s effort trumped that of his high-profile counterpart, Liriano, who was shaky early and lasted just 4 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits. He struck out six and walked six.
It was a surprising sight from Liriano, who entered the outing 3-0 with a 1.23 ERA in three starts against the Indians this year.
Perez allowed the game-tying runs on a two-run single from Alexi Casilla, but it looked like former Indian Jim Thome had tied the game two batters earlier on a drive to left-center that would have gone for a two-run homer.
It was originally ruled a double and stayed that way despite a review of instant replay that appeared to show the ball crossing the yellow border line for a homer.
“I thought it was gone,” Perez said.
So did Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire, who was ejected after arguing the reviewed call.
“Go ask the (clubhouse) cook, he’ll tell you (it was a homer),” Gardenhire said. “And he’s from Cleveland.”
Perez put the caps on a forgetful night from Cleveland’s bullpen, which had been extremely stingy as of late.
With Gomez gone, a trio of relievers – Justin Germano, Joe Smith and Perez – allowed the Twins to get back in the mix by surrendering five runs over the last three innings.
Perez entered the game riding a 14 1/3-inning (15 games) scoreless streak – a season-high by a Cleveland pitcher. He had converted eight straight save opportunities.
“I’d rather get a save,” said Perez, who wound up with the win. “LaPorta picked me up there. I’ve been going good for a month and half. It’s no big deal. We got the win. That’s all that matters.”
The Indians drew 25,275 fans, boosted by the largest walk-up crowd of the season (5,692). It was the sixth largest walk-up crowd in Jacobs/Progressive Field history.
Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.
TONIGHT
• WHO: Cleveland vs. Minnesota
• TIME: 7:05
• WHERE: Progressive Field
• PITCHERS: Carmona (11-8, 3.78 ERA) vs. Pavano (13-7, 3.32)
• TV/RADIO: SportsTime Ohio; WEOL 930-AM, WTAM 1100-AM
