Jose Ramirez homered and drove in four runs as the host Cleveland Indians snapped a three-game losing skid with a 6-2 victory over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday afternoon.
Jake Bauers and Francisco Lindor each had an RBI single before Ramirez ripped a two-run double to cap a four-run eighth inning for the Indians.
After Miami's Martin Prado belted a solo homer to forge a tie at 2 with two outs in the eighth inning, Cleveland went to work against reliever Adam Conley (0-3) in the bottom of the frame.
Carlos Gonzalez worked a lead-off walk and advanced to second on Jason Kipnis' single to center field. Bauers followed two batters later by slapping a low fastball through the shift and into left field to plate Gonzalez to give the Indians a 3-2 lead.
Lindor added a bloop single to center field off Tayron Guerrero to score Kipnis before Ramirez capped the uprising with a two-run double down the first-base line.
Former Marlins reliever Nick Wittgren (1-0) picked up the win despite seeing Prado send his inside fastball over the wall in left field. Prado's first homer of the season accounted for Wittgren's first earned run of the season.
Ramirez deposited a first-pitch fastball from Sandy Alcantara into the seats in right field for a solo homer to open the scoring with two outs in the first inning. Ramirez's homer was his second of the season and the first allowed by Alcantara.
Cleveland made Miami pay for a costly two-out error to double its advantage in the third inning.
Marlins second baseman Starlin Castro made a diving stop on a grounder from Leonys Martin before misfiring on his throw to first base. Martin advanced to second on the throw before coming around to score after Ramirez slapped a ball up the middle.
Miami trimmed its deficit to 2-1 in the fifth inning after Jon Berti's sacrifice fly plated Jorge Alfaro.
Jefry Rodriguez, who was summoned from Triple-A Columbus, allowed one run on three hits and struck out three in seven innings for the Indians. The 6-foot-6 Rodriguez was in line for the win prior to Prado's homer.
--Field Level Media
Miami | Cleveland | |
Sandy Alcantara | Player | Jefry Rodriguez |
No Decision | W/L | No Decision |
5.0 | IP | 7.0 |
2 | Strikeouts | 3 |
4 | Hits | 3 |
1.80 | ERA | 1.29 |
Miami | Cleveland | |
Neil Walker | Player | Jose Ramirez |
1 | Hits | 3 |
0 | RBI | 4 |
0 | HR | 1 |
1 | TB | 7 |
.333 | Avg | .750 |