CLEVELAND: Indians manager Terry Francona prophesized that if the Indians kept giving themselves chances, they’d end up with a walk-off win.
“It’ll happen,” he said.
That was after Sunday’s loss to the Baltimore Orioles. As it turns out, Francona only had to wait three days for it to come to fruition, as the Indians beat the Texas Rangers 5-4 in walk-off fashion after 11 innings Wednesday night at Progressive Field.
In the bottom of the 11th, Lonnie Chisenhall doubled off Rangers reliever Alex Claudio (1-1, 4.30 ERA) and Yan Gomes, struggling to find his footing offensively this season, failed to get a bunt down but then singled into center field to win a back-and-forth game and snap a three-game losing streak.
Tom Gorzelanny (1-0, 0.00 ERA), called up on Wednesday, recorded one out in the 11th and got the win after Jeff Manship had put two runners on base.
Neither team could hold the lead for long Wednesday, and that included Cody Allen in the ninth. Allen blew his first save of the season after he walked Mitch Moreland to lead off the inning, Elvis Andrus blooped a single into center field and Jared Hoying got the run home with a ground ball to the left side to tie it 4-4.
The Indians (27-24) had taken the lead for the third time in the eighth inning. Tied 3-3, Jose Ramirez doubled to left-center field off Rangers (31-22) reliever Luke Jackson. Juan Uribe followed, rifling a single back up the middle, and Ramirez beat Ian Desmond’s throw home to put the Indians on top 4-3.
Then came Allen’s lapse and Gomes’ game-winner.
In a back-and-forth affair, it was never more than a one-run game at any point.
The Rangers took an early lead for the third consecutive day on Prince Fielder’s sacrifice fly to score Jurickson Profar, who opened the game with a double against Indians starting pitcher Trevor Bauer.
The Indians took their first lead with one swing in the bottom half of the first inning against Rangers ace Cole Hamels. Jason Kipnis walked and two batters later Mike Napoli belted a two-run home run, his team-leading 12th of the season.
The Rangers tied it in the third. With Bobby Wilson on third, Ian Desmond grounded a ball to Francisco Lindor, who tried to step on second and make the throw, but it wasn’t in time.
The Indians pulled ahead for the second time in the fifth. With two outs, Rajai Davis reached on an infield single and scored from first on Kipnis’ RBI double to right field, putting the Indians up 3-2.
In the seventh, Ryan Rua, who went to Amherst Steele High School, tied it again with a solo home run to left-center field.
It was a positive start for Bauer, who went seven innings, allowed three runs on hour hits and three walks and stuck out six, lowering his ERA to 4.27.
Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Indians blog at www.ohio.com/indians. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RyanLewisABJ and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RyanLewisABJ