LORAIN — The shooting of two men about 10:50 p.m. Thursday in the 2200 block of Lorain Drive by the intersection of West 21st Street is under investigation by police.

The two victims are city men in their 20s, said police Sgt. Michael Hendershot, who wouldn’t give their names. He said one man was shot in the right hip and the other in the left buttock. Hendershot said both men were uncooperative and police are unsure if the shootings are connected.

One man was found at the scene while the other was driven to Mercy Regional Medical Center in Lorain. The men were then taken by helicopter to MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland and St. Vincent’s Hospital in Toledo.

CLEVELAND – Jim Thome will be back in an Indians uniform tonight.

With reports circulating for much of Thursday, Indians officials finally confirmed that the club had reached a deal with the Twins to bring Thome, the team’s all-time home run hitter, back to Cleveland. He was acquired for a player to be named.

Reports that the Indians had claimed Thome off waivers were prevalent Wednesday night, but there were also reports that the White Sox did the same to block Cleveland’s attempt to land the slugger, who turns 41 Sunday. It was reported Thursday afternoon that Chicago did put a waiver claim in on a Minnesota player, but it was Jason Kubel, and not Thome.

The Indians public relations department acknowledged Thursday afternoon on Twitter that the team had claimed Thome off waivers and were working on a deal with the Twins.

Thome, batting .243 with 12 home runs and 40 RBIs in 71 games for the Twins, did have a no-trade clause in his one-year, $3 million contract with Minnesota that could have nixed the deal, but he waived the clause.

“I think it’s important to note that Jim had a choice, and he ultimately chose to come back to Cleveland,” said Indians general manager Chris Antonetti. “He could have remained in Minnesota or he could have pursued other options, but he chose to come back to Cleveland. We’re elated that he did.”

Thome’s return to Cleveland, where he starred from 1991-2002, figures to boost attendance at Progressive Field, and it should help the Indians on the field as well. With designated hitter Travis Hafner possibly lost for the season thanks to a right foot strain, Thome, who this season became the eighth player in history to hit 600 career homers, is expected to log the majority of at-bats in Hafner’s absence.

At this point in his career, Thome, a 17-year veteran, is not an every-day player, but his addition is expected to lift an anemic Cleveland offense that has struggled for much of the year. Cleveland, which was off Thursday, trails the first-place Tigers by 6 ½ games in the Central Division standings. The Indians have lost six of their last seven games and open a three-game series against the Royals tonight at Progressive Field. Thome is expected to be in the lineup.

“We know (Hafner) is going to be out a minimum of two weeks,” Antonetti said. “Right now, every game is meaningful, and we feel bringing Jim back will help us be more competitive and help us win games.”

Cleveland is expected to pick up the remaining $500,000 on Thome’s contract with the Twins.

His return to Cleveland will be cause for celebration.

Thome was a member of six Central Division championship teams after breaking into the majors with Cleveland, appearing in both World Series for the Indians in 1995 and ’97. He still owns all-time records in homers (334) and walks (997), while ranking in the top five in six other offensive categories.

His departure to the Phillies via free agency in 2003 was a tough pill to swallow for Indians fans that listened when Thome said his preference was to finish his career in Cleveland. Boos outweighed cheers for Thome, a member of the Indians 100 greatest players roster, whenever he returned with an opposing team.

Now, Thome might indeed finish his career where it started – in Cleveland.    

“Jim Thome is a Hall of Fame-caliber player and person,” Antonetti said. “He has meant so much to this organization, both on and off the field, and it is an honor to bring him back in an Indians uniform, where he created so many great memories.

“Having his bat and presence in the middle of the lineup, certainly improves our team.”

Omar Vizquel, a longtime teammate of Thome’s in Cleveland, tweeted, “That’s so great that big thome is back with the tribe. Awesome.”

Man down?

The injury-depleted Indians could be dealing with another medical issue.

Acta said starting pitcher Josh Tomlin (12-7, 4.25 ERA) will likely miss his next start with an undisclosed injury.

Tomlin was the loser Sunday against Seattle, with his streak of lasting at least five innings ending at his first career 37 starts – tied for the longest such streak since 1919.

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com. Fan him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.

ELYRIA – An Elyria motorcyclist died overnight following an accident in which he struck a traffic sign on Hilliard Road.

William C. Dalton Jr., 56, was conscious at the scene when police responded to reports of a crash at 6:22 p.m. Wednesday. The man, who police said sustained injuries to his left leg, was first taken to EMH Elyria Medical Center and later flown to Metro Health Medical Center in Cleveland where he was pronounced dead at 12:38 a.m. today. Dalton was not wearing a helmet, police said.

Police said officers at the scene detected a strong odor of alcohol on Dalton. It was not immediately known how fast he was traveling at the time of the crash, Elyria Police Sgt. Lee Frank said.

Initial investigation of the crash revealed that Dalton was westbound on Hilliard Road on his 2003 Harley Davidson motorcycle when he apparently crossed over into the eastbound lane, left the road, and hit a traffic sign east of Vermont Street.

There were no witnesses to the accident, and no other vehicles were involved, Frank said.
Police are asking that anyone with information relating to the crash contact them at (440) 323-3302.

See Friday’s Chronicle for more on this story.

Indians catcher Carlos Santana wipes his forehead Wednesday as Seattle’s Dustin Ackley crosses the plate with another Mariners’ run in the fifth inning of Cleveland’s 9-2 loss at Progressive Field. (AP photo).

CLEVELAND — The Seattle Mariners are the lowest-scoring and worst-hitting ballclub in the American League.

Against the Indians, though, they look like the most explosive team on the planet.

Journeyman slugger Wily Mo Pena knocked in four runs and rookie third baseman Kyle Seager had three doubles Wednesday afternoon, powering the Mariners to a 9-2 victory over the free-falling Tribe.

The loss knocked Cleveland (63-64) below .500 for the first time since April 3, leaving the Indians six games behind Detroit in the AL Central Division with 35 games to play.

“For some reason, Seattle just beat us up and caught us at the wrong time,” said Indians manager Manny Acta, whose club has lost six of its last seven games. “Those guys hit us around pretty good the whole series.
“Really, this last week, we just didn’t pitch well, and that’s been our strength the whole season. This day off comes at a good time for us.”

Staff ace Josh Tomlin was the latest Tribe pitcher to be knocked around by Seattle (56-73), which banged out 51 hits and scored 29 runs in winning three times in the four-game set.

Tomlin (12-7, 4.25 ERA) only lasted 4 2/3 innings in the oven-like confines of Progressive Field, allowing six runs on 11 hits while striking out six. That performance also ended his MLB all-time record streak of 37 straight appearances of at least five innings to begin a career.

“I wasn’t thinking about that streak at all when I was out there, but I will now — and it doesn’t feel good,” said Tomlin, who failed in his bid to break the MLB mark of 37 consecutive, five-plus inning starts to open a career held by John Farrell.

“You don’t ever want to leave those guys (in the bullpen) out to dry, which is my worst fear. I just couldn’t put anyone away today, and every time I was missing, I was missing over the plate.”

Pena and Seager, of all people, did much of the damage from the 7-8 spots in the Mariners’ batting order. They reached base in all 10 of their plate appearances and collected five runs and five RBIs.

Designated hitter Pena, who was released by Arizona in July, went 3-for-3 with four RBIs, two runs, one walk, and a hit by pitch. He ripped a two-run homer off Tomlin in the fourth and a two-run double off the right-hander one inning later.

Seager — playing in just his 23rd MLB game — was 4-for-4 with three runs, one RBI, and one walk. All three of his doubles came in the first five innings as Seattle jumped out to a 6-2 lead and disposed of Tomlin.

“We couldn’t get him out. He just caught fire and killed us,” Acta said of Seager, who hit .769 (10-for-13) in the series. “It was the bottom of the order that really hurt Josh today with him and Pena.”

Mariners righty Felix Hernandez (12-11, 3.37 ERA) earned the victory with six innings of two-run ball, scattering seven hits while striking out 10.

Jamey Wright and Josh Lueke added six whiffs in relief, raising Cleveland’s team strikeout total to a season-high tying 16.

“We’ve been leading the league in that category for two years in a row, and we’re still striking out way too much,” Acta said. “It’s unacceptable when you don’t have a team loaded with sluggers, and it’s something we’ll address in the offseason and next spring.”

Left fielder Shelley Duncan led the Indians with three hits, while first baseman Matt LaPorta and shortstop Jason Donald had two apiece. Duncan and Jack Hannahan each had one RBI, coming in the third and fourth inning, respectively.

Seattle committed four errors in the game, giving it eight in the series, but the Tribe was unable to turn any of them into runs.

Cleveland reliever Rafael Perez also contributed to the misery by giving up the Mariners’ final three runs. He walked three and gave up two hits in his lone inning, the seventh.
Adding injury to insult, Cleveland outfielder Shin-Soo Choo experienced “left trunk soreness” during batting practice and was a last-minute scratch. He is listed as day-to-day.
Additionally, Indians catcher Carlos Santana took a foul ball off his head during Brendan Ryan’s at-bat in the ninth. He exited the game with neck pain.

“We’re not the only team that goes through injuries, so we’ve got to keep playing through it,” Tomlin said. “You saw what happened to us (being swept by Detroit and overpowered by Seattle in a six-day span). That could happen to anybody.

“This week will not make or break us, hopefully.”

Contact Brian Dulik at brisports@hotmail.com.