Sam Hentges’ Minnesota Homecoming did not go the way he hoped as the Cleveland Indians’ rookie pitcher was roughed up in an 8-2 loss to the host Twins Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis.
Hentges, who grew up about 20 miles from downtown Minneapolis and won a high school state title at Target Field in 2014, only lasted 3 1/3 innings on Sunday and left the game trailing 4-1.
The Indians replaced Hentges (1-2) with two on and one out.
Reliever Justin Garza struck out Josh Donaldson before giving up a three-run homer to Nelson Cruz which gave Minnesota a six-run lead.
That was plenty for starter J.A. Happ (3-2) who went six innings, giving up two runs off six hits with seven strikeouts.
Minnesota opened the scoring in the first on a run-scoring single from Trevor Larnach. In the second, Andrelton Simmons hit a two-run homer to left scoring Miguel Sano.
Cleveland picked up its first run in the third on a home run to center from catcher Rene Rivera only to see Donaldson lead off the bottom of the inning with a shot to left.
In the fourth, Cruz made it 7-1 with his two-out homer to left after Cleveland right fielder Josh Naylor was injured chasing down a shallow fly ball from Jorge Polanco.
Naylor and second baseman Ernie Clement collided in their race to the ball with Naylor sent sprawling. He was taken off the field on a medical cart after having his right ankle placed in an air cast.
The Indians got their second run in the sixth when Jose Ramirez came home on a single by Eddie Rosario.
The Twins, who won two of the three games in the weekend series, kick off a four-game series against the host Chicago White Sox on Monday night.
Cleveland heads home for a three-game set against the Detroit Tigers.
–Field Level Media