The Indians needed a game like this. They have been in need of a night when, even with some persistent problems present, things still tilted their way and led to a win.
A wild night at Chavez Ravine did wonders for Cleveland on Tuesday.
The Indians’ offense woke from its recent slumber to lead the way to a 10-3 Interleague victory over the Dodgers to even this three-game series. Cleveland turned in unlikely triple play — one aided by a pair of instant-replay challenges — and overcame another rough start from sinkerballer Justin Masterson.
“That was kind of a crazy game,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “There was a lot going on.”
Following consecutive games in which they were limited to one hit and no runs, the Indians (40-43) enjoyed a solid all-around showing from their lineup. The Tribe headed into the game with just three hits in 63 at-bats across 21 straight scoreless innings. Cleveland broke free of that spell with 13 hits, including three in a three-run push in the first.
Slumping hitters Nick Swisher and David Murphy even got in on the action.
Swisher, who entered the evening mired in a 6-for-49 skid since returning from the disabled list, contributed a pair of hits. In the third inning, he sent a pitch from Dodgers righty Josh Beckett off the wall in left-center for a two-run double. Murphy, who was 1-for-44 heading into the game, collected three hits and two RBIs.
Beckett, who entered the game with a 2.02 ERA and no runs allowed in his past two starts, was chased after giving up five runs in five innings.
It was that kind of game for the Tribe.
“Once again, we know what we’re capable of,” Murphy said. “When we play like we’re capable of playing, good things usually happen and we usually like the results. Tonight, that was the case. We were in one of those mindsets tonight where we were going to battle and fight and do whatever we could to win the game.”
The outpouring of offensive helped Cleveland avoid the potential damage of another forgettable outing from Masterson, who was charged with three runs on seven hits in three-plus innings. Masterson, who used two extra days between starts to rest a sore right knee, has surrendered eight runs on 14 hits with seven walks in seven innings combined in his past two turns.
Michael Brantley (RBI double) and Lonnie Chisenhall (two-run home run) helped propel the Indians to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, but Masterson nearly gave it back in the home half of the frame. The Cleveland right-hander yielded a two-run homer to Adrian Gonzalez and needed 37 pitches to get out of the inning, which was extended by a missed-catch error at first base by Swisher.
Masterson’s woes and Swisher’s defense (eight errors this year) have been issues all season long, but it did not end up costing Cleveland on Tuesday.
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