Lindor helps Indians upend Twins in game of homers

Francisco Lindor recorded his 10th career multi-homer performance and Shane Bieber tossed seven strong innings as the host Cleveland Indians posted a 5-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday.

Lindor belted a solo homer in the fourth inning and a two-run shot in the fifth before capping his three-hit performance with a double in the seventh.

Roberto Perez and Jake Bauers launched back-to-back homers in the seventh inning to help the Indians win for the fourth time in seven games.

Marwin Gonzalez belted a solo homer among his two hits and Eddie Rosario also went deep for the Twins, who lost for just their third time in their last 13 games.

Lindor made rookie Devin Smeltzer (0-1) pay for issuing a two-out walk to Leonys Martin in the fifth inning by hitting a first-pitch changeup over the wall in left-center field. Lindor's homer, which gave Cleveland a 3-1 lead, was his 10th of the season and third in four games.

The multi-homer performance was the second of the season for Lindor, who went deep on two occasions in the Indians' 6-3 win at Houston on April 26. He also launched two homers among his four hits in a 9-8 victory over Minnesota on May 31, 2018.

Rosario halved the deficit in the sixth inning by sending a first-pitch fastball from Bieber (5-2) over the wall in right field for his team-leading 18th homer of the season.

Perez and Bauers brought an end to the evening for Smeltzer, as the former crushed an 0-1 fastball over the wall in center field before the latter sent a first-pitch fastball just over the wall in right in the seventh.

The offense proved to be enough for Bieber, who allowed two runs on five hits and struck out seven before exiting after Lindor's error to begin the eighth. Oliver Perez struck out the next three batters to end the inning and Brad Hand retired the side in the ninth for his 17th save in as many opportunities.

Gonzalez hit a 1-1 curveball from Bieber over the wall in right-center field to open the scoring with two outs in the second inning.

Lindor answered with one out in the third inning, sending a 1-2 fastball from Smeltzer over the wall in left field.

--Field Level Media