Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Asdrubal Cabrera hit his second career game-
ending home run, a two-run shot off Aroldis Chapman in the 10th to lift the
Cleveland Indians to a 3-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds and put the Tribe
in first place.
A day after the teams combined for 19 runs and 27 hits in a back-and-forth
affair, neither team could muster more than a run off a pair of starters who
came into the game with ERAs above five. In fact, more runs were scored in the
single extra inning (three) than the other nine combined (two).
It was Cabrera's seventh homer of the season, giving the Indians their first
consecutive wins since June 5-6 at Detroit. It made a winner of Nick Hagadone
(1-0), despite the lefty's rocky appearance in the top of the 10th.
Willie Harris led off the top of the 10th for the Reds with a double off Joe
Smith, but was thrown out at third on a subsequent bunt attempt. Harris would
have been safe if he had attempted a normal slide, but tried to hook his foot
around the bag, allowing Jack Hannahan a chance to tag him.
Chris Heisey followed with a broken-bat grounder toward Hannahan, who fielded
the ball even though the sharp piece of wood slid between his legs. Hagadone
was brought in to get out of the inning, but uncorked two wild pitches to
allow Heisey to score the go-ahead run.
Chapman (4-3) came in to close the game for Cincinnati, but allowed a one-out
single to Shin-Soo Choo, who went 2-for-2 against lefties this game after
coming in just 13-for-74 against them this season.
It was only the fifth hit to a lefty Chapman had allowed all season in 42 at-
bats.
Chapman kept tossing over to first during Cabrera's at-bat and went to a 3-1
count to Cabrera. The catcher, Ryan Hanigan, shouted at Chapman with some
encouragement to simply fire the ball home, but his next pitch was sent clear
over the right-field wall by Cabrera to give the Indians the victory.
Coupled with the White Sox's loss against the crosstown Cubs, Cleveland moved
back into first place for the first time since May 28.
Joey Votto had a pair of hits for the Reds, who will look to avoid being swept
for the first time this season. It was the sixth straight loss for Cincinnati
in Cleveland, dating to 2010.
Heisey's RBI single in the first scored Zack Cozart, who had three hits out of
the leadoff spot. Casey Kotchman came back with an RBI base hit in the fourth
to tie the game.
Cincinnati had the best chance to win down the stretch, loading the bases in
the seventh with two outs against starter Josh Tomlin. Esmil Rogers came in
and struck out Devin Mesoraco to end the threat.
The Reds put runners on the corners in the eighth after a Hannahan error, but
Vinnie Pestano retired Jay Bruce on a flyout.
Game Notes
Brandon Phillips grounded into his NL-leading 11th double play in the first
inning...Choo had three hits batting leadoff, while Cabrera had two...Mike
Leake and Tomlin opposed each other for the second time in a week. Leake
lasted seven innings and gave up a run on six hits with four strikeouts, and
Tomlin allowed one run on six hits in 6 2/3 frames...Cabrera's other game-
ending home run came on August 28, 2010, against Kansas City...Chapman yielded
only his second home run of the season and the fourth of his three-year
career. Both home runs given up this year have been to Cleveland.
The Sports Network