Alomar Saves Indians Day
Sandy Alomar was determined Sunday to keep the Cleveland Indians from their first two-game losing streak.
The Indians catcher blocked the plate to prevent the tying run from scoring with two outs in the ninth inning, preserving a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Twins.
Manny Ramirez hit his fourth homer of the season third against the Twins and had a two-run single for the Indians.
"I thought, `Well, if I'm going on the DL (disabled list), at least we won the game,"' Alomar said after he tagged Denny Hocking for the final out.
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Hocking tried to score from first base on a single by Matt Lawton on a 3-2 pitch. Center fielder Kenny Lofton hustled after the ball and threw in to second baseman Roberto Alomar, who made the relay to his brother.
Sandy Alomar caught the throw and pushed Hocking away from the plate.
"The key was the perfect throw from Robbie," Sandy Alomar said. "That was kind of cool. Robbie turns and throws the ball to his brother and the game is over. I can't remember us even doing that as kids to end a game."
Hocking tried to slide in head-first and touch the plate.
"That was flat-out stupidity," Hocking said. "I can't remember the last time I went in head-first. Why I did it, I have no idea except I saw Sandy giving me part of the plate and I thought maybe I could reach in there."
Sandy Alomar said that was part of his strategy.
"You want the make the guy slide, you don't want him to come crashing in there," the Gold Glove catcher said. "I tried to show him a bit of the plate and then take it away."
Ramirez, who has hit in all 11 games this season, put Cleveland ahead 1-0 with a sixth-inning homer off Mike Lincoln. He is hitting .419 (13-for-31) against Minnesota, and 14 of his major league-leading 22 RBIs have come against the Twins.
After Minnesota tooa 2-1 lead in the seventh, Ramirez lined a bases-loaded single off Mike Trombley in the bottom half. The Indians who had eight hits, falling below double digits for the first time in 11 games this season loaded the bases against Bob Wells (1-1) on walks to Kenny Lofton and Roberto Alomar around a bloop single by Enrique Wilson.
Paul Shuey (2-0) pitched 1 1-3 scoreless innings for the win. Mike Jackson got three outs for his second save.
Indians starter Dave Burba, who has a 1.93 ERA, allowed two runs and five hits in 6 1-3 innings with four walks and six strikeouts. Minnesota got its runs in the seventh.
Marty Cordova singled, Doug Mientkiewicz walked and Terry Steinbach grounded an opposite-field RBI single as Ramirez threw out Mientkiewicz at third from right field.
Torii Hunter singled and Hocking's pinch single drove in the tying run off Steve Reed. With the bases loaded, Lawton fouled out against Mark Langston and Ron Coomer grounded out off Shuey.
Lawton had a career-high six RBIs Saturday night, including a grand slam.
Notes: Lincoln allowed one run and five hits in six innings. ... Hocking is 9-for-17 (.529) in Minnesota's last six games. ... Ramirez is hitting .382 (26-for-68) with the bases loaded in his career. ... Cleveland's Wilfredo Cordero and Travis Fryman each extended their hitting streaks to nine games.
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