Pérez’s 3-run homer helps Indians beat Athletics 5-3
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Roberto Pérez hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning and the Cleveland Indians beat the Oakland Athletics 5-3 on Sunday.
Francisco Lindor had two hits for Cleveland. Mike Freeman walked three times and scored, Carlos Santana had an RBI double and Jordan Luplow singled, scored and drove in a run.
Jefry Rodríguez allowed three runs in six innings for his first win. The right-hander gave up six hits and three walks with three strikeouts.
Matt Olson hit his first home run of the season for Oakland. Olson was activated off the injured list Tuesday after missing the first 5½ weeks recovering from right hand surgery.
Cleveland won after dropping the first two games of the series on walk-off hits. The Indians didn’t give the A’s a chance for a third, taking a lead in the first inning and pulling away on Pérez’s fourth home run.
Carlos González and Luplow reached on consecutive one-out singles against starter Daniel Mengden (0-1). After reliever Ryan Buchter retired Jake Bauers on a liner, Pérez drove a first-pitch fastball deep into the left field stands. The ball left his bat at 110.7 mph and traveled a projected 424 feet.
Rodríguez (1-2) and three relievers made it hold up.
Rodríguez allowed back-to-back RBI singles by Jurickson Profar and Stephen Piscotty in the third, but got Olson to fly out and strand a pair of runners.
Adam Cimber struck out two of the three batters he faced. Nick Wittgren pitched the eighth and Brad Hand worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his 11th save. Hand bounced back after giving up a game-ending homer to Matt Chapman on Friday.
Oakland finished 4-2 on its homestand.
Cleveland third baseman José Ramirez struck out, flied out twice and grounded into a double play. That ended his streak of reaching base in 20 consecutive games, which had been the longest in the American League.
Mengden struggled through a 28-pitch first inning and never recovered after being called up from the minors earlier in the day. He allowed four runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings.
ROSTER SHUFFLE
The A’s optioned right-hander J.B. Wendelken to Triple-A Las Vegas.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Indians: Leonys Martin fouled a ball hard off his left foot in the second inning and had to be checked by a team trainer. Martin limped for several moments but remained in the game and singled. . Tyler Naquin (left calf) was rested.
Athletics: DH Khris Davis singled twice in his return to the cleanup spot after missing three games with a bruised left hip. . Chapman was rested.
UP NEXT
Indians: RHP Shane Bieber (2-1, 3.32 ERA) is unbeaten in four road starts this season and will try to extend that streak Monday in Chicago against the White Sox. Bieber has walked two or fewer batters in five of his seven starts overall.
Athletics: Mike Fiers (3-3, 5.48) pitches Monday night in Seattle, starting for the first time since his second career no-hitter Tuesday against Cincinnati. Fiers lost to the Mariners on opening day in Japan.
