The Indians have been waiting for big offseason acquisition Edwin Encarnacion to let his power emerge. Encarnacion broke it out in a big way on Tuesday as he slugged two home runs in Cleveland’s 8-7 win over the Reds to help split the two Ohio Cup games at Great American Ball Park.
“I think he’s getting more dangerous,” Indians manager Terry Francona said of Encarnacion. “He’s hit a number of balls just foul, but he’s barreling them up. I think you’re going to see nights like this won’t be the only time.”
Cleveland appeared to have a comfortable 7-3 lead until the Reds stormed back with a four-run seventh inning. A one-out RBI single by Adam Duvall, who had an RBI ground-rule double in the first inning, scored Billy Hamilton before pinch-hitter Eugenio Suarez delivered a three-run homer against reliever Bryan Shaw that made it a 7-7 game.
But Reds reliever Drew Storen and poor defense gave the lead back in the top of the eighth. Storen began with a leadoff walk before Encarnacion reached on third baseman Scooter Gennett’s fielding error. Later with two outs, Encarnacion scored the go-ahead run from third base when Storen’s 1-1 wild pitch in the dirt to Daniel Robertson got away.
Cincinnati held a 3-1 lead heading into the third inning before Michael Brantley hit a one-out RBI double and went to third base on the throw home. Following Carlos Santana’s RBI single, Encarnacion lifted starter Amir Garrett’s 1-1 pitch for the first of his two homers, this one a two-run shot to left field. Two batters later with two outs, Yan Gomes lifted a 2-1 pitch over the center-field wall for a solo homer.
Click here to read more of this story.
About Marion Online Sports
