Indians hop Twins as they set up wild stretch run


Indians hop Twins as they set up wild stretch run

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Four rollicking games produced a deadlock atop the American League Central. And it’s likely the Cleveland Indians and Minnesota Twins are only getting started. 

The Indians survived a ninth-inning collapse Sunday to beat the Twins in extra innings and claim three of the four games this weekend at Target Field, a result that pulled them even with Minnesota.

The Twins’ 11 1/2-game lead on June 2? All gone. 

The Indians’ five losses in their first eight head-to-head matchups with Minnesota? A distant memory. 

And the Indians climbed over the Twins in USA TODAY Sports’ power rankings, nudging them out of fourth place by a single point.

Now, the teams retreat to neutral corners for nearly a month, before six meetings between Sept. 6-15 close out the season series. Meanwhile, the Indians face an immediate challenge: 10 games against the Yankees, Red Sox and Mets. Minnesota faces a six-game trip to Milwaukee and Texas, followed by a virtual mulligan: 13 in a row against the White Sox and Tigers. 

A look at this week’s rankings: 

RANK (movement from last week)

1. Houston Astros (–)

  • Yordan Alvarez may soon end any Rookie of the Year debate.

2. Los Angeles Dodgers (–)

  • Dustin May has the look of October folk hero.

3. New York Yankees (–)

  • Possibilities seem endless when Masahiro Tanaka pitches like an ace.

4. Cleveland Indians (+1)

  • Jose Ramirez’s first- and second-half fortunes (.652/1.079 OPS) mirror his team’s.

5. Minnesota Twins (-1)

  • Now, to find out what they’re made of.

6. Tampa Bay Rays (+1)

  • Time to seize the wild card: 13 games against Padres, Tigers, Mariners, Orioles.

7. Atlanta Braves (-1)

  • Fitting that Sean Newcomb accidentally activated a fire extinguisher: Erstwhile starter has 11 holds.

8. Chicago Cubs (–)

  • Nick Castellanos rips 10 extra-base hits in first 10 games as Cub.

9. Oakland Athletics (–)

  • Unbalanced schedule works against them in wild-card chase.

10. New York Mets (+6)

  • Eight games out of first, but holding the deepest rotation in NL East.

11. Washington Nationals (-1)

  • Max Scherzer should be creeping back into the rotation soon.

12. Milwaukee Brewers (+2)

  • Nope, not going to make an Adrian Houser vomit joke.

13. Boston Red Sox (-2)

  • Weirdest stats for a pitching staff gone haywire: Chris Sale has a 1.09 WHIP, 4.41 ERA.

14. St. Louis Cardinals (2)

  • Must improve 27-32 road record.

15. Arizona Diamondbacks (+3)

  • Have lost 10 of 15 against Dodgers.

16. Philadelphia Phillies (-3)

  • And now the Mets leapfrog them.

17. Texas Rangers (–) 

  • Mike Minor is your major league leader in pitching WAR (6.5).

18. San Francisco Giants (-3)

  • Losing seven of 10 after GM keeps club together at deadline an odd way to say thanks.

19. Cincinnati Reds (+1)

  • Aristides Aquino arrives with authority.

20. Los Angeles Angels (-1)

  • Mike Trout’s career OPS of 1.001 ranks eighth all time.

21. San Diego Padres (–)

  • The future – MacKenzie Gore and Luis Patino – has landed at Class AA Amarillo.

22. Colorado Rockies (–)

  • Mike Tauchman’s excellence in New York should inspire some organizational soul-searching.

23. Chicago White Sox (+1)

  • Headed for seventh straight losing season.

24. Pittsburgh Pirates (+1)

  • Solidly entrenched in cellar, with first last-place finish since 2010 looming.

25. Toronto Blue Jays (–)

  • Will Bo Bichette be most prolific among the Legacy Trio?

26. Seattle Mariners (–)

  • Stings a little more when you get swept by the team with which you’ve made a few dozen trades.

27. Miami Marlins (–)

  • Could be the end of the line for Curtis Granderson, batting .186 with .643 OPS.

28. Kansas City Royals (–)

  • Jorge Soler may flirt with 50 home runs.

29. Baltimore Orioles (–)

  • To think the manager and underperforming star had to be separated three days before the 23-2 loss.

30. Detroit Tigers (–)

  • Two games up in loss column on road to second No. 1 pick in three years.


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