Jim Thome doesn’t seem too worried Sunday despite playing third base for the first time in almost 15 years. Then again, he was only in the field for one pitch as part of a special moment thought up by Tribe manager Manny Acta. (AP photo.)
With a chance to secure a second-place standing in the Central Division and a .500 finish while sweeping Minnesota in the process, the Indians instead fell 6-4 in 10 innings.
Minnesota won it off reliever Tony Sipp, who allowed a pair of runs in the 10th, the first on a solo home run to Rene Tosoni with his third pitch.
But the result almost became an afterthought when, on “Fan Appreciation Day,” those in attendance got to see Indians legend Jim Thome make his first appearance at third base in nearly 15 years.
Manager Manny Acta concocted the idea and ran it by Thome, who began his big league career as Cleveland’s third baseman and was open to the notion.
“I just felt that if this is the end, at least with this franchise, it was proper that he end at third base,” Acta said of Thome, the Indians’ all-time leader with 337 home runs.
Thome, who returned to Cleveland in an August waiver wire trade with Minnesota, entered the game to a standing ovation as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning.
Relegated to designated hitter status since 2006 after years as a first baseman, Thome then left the dugout to man third in the ninth, as the crowd got louder in recognition. He was only there for one pitch before being replaced, leaving to cheers and beckoned back out of the dugout for a curtain call.
“It was fun to be out there,” said Thome, who took one warm-up grounder and made the throw across the diamond to first baseman Carlos Santana. “It was a nice gesture. To get that opportunity to be back out there, it felt good. It felt like old times.”
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Even in defeat, Cleveland was able to clinch second place in the division, thanks to a White Sox loss.
The Indians appeared to be in line for better when left fielder Shelley Duncan clouted a two-run home run to break a 2-2 tie in the third off Twins starter Liam Hendricks. But Minnesota got single runs in the fifth and sixth innings off Cleveland starter Fausto Carmona before beating Sipp in the 10th.
Carmona’s outing mirrored his inconsistent season performance. He allowed four runs on seven hits over 61⁄3 innings, surrendering two in the first before stringing together three scoreless innings.
The right-hander began the season as the Indians’ ace but finishes it as a question mark after going 7-15 with a 5.25 ERA in 32 starts. The Indians own a $7 million option next year on Carmona, who went 3-5 with a 4.59 ERA in 13 second-half starts after leaving the disabled list with a strained quadriceps.
“I had a lot of trouble in the first half,” said Carmona, who won just one of his final eight starts. “The second half was much better. I finished strong.”
If Thome’s career is finished, he went out on a nostalgic note, reaching the career 600-homer plateau this season and ending where he started — wearing an Indians uniform.
A strong candidate for the Hall of Fame, Thome has stated that he would make a decision on retirement this offseason, but he sounded as though his rare appearance at third base was not part of his big league swan song.
“I wouldn’t read into that too much,” said the 41-year-old Thome, who is at the tail end of his 21st season in the majors. “I still love to play. The percentage of me coming back next year is higher than me not coming back. Let’s just leave it at that.”
Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com. Like him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.
