Gallo, Kiner-Falefa homer in 12th, Rangers beat Indians 8-6
CLEVELAND (AP) The Texas Rangers were on the verge of another difficult loss Tuesday night when they were saved by their offense.
Joey Gallo and Isiah Kiner-Falefa homered on consecutive pitches off Nick Goody in the 12th inning and Texas beat the Cleveland Indians 8-6.
Michael Brantley tied the game in the ninth with a two-out grand slam off Keone Kela, but the Rangers bailed out their closer who entered the game with a 6-2 lead.
The Indians scored five times in their final two at-bats in Monday's 7-5 win and the momentum again seemed to clearly be on Cleveland's side. Gallo wanted no part of any negative thinking.
''I told myself, `I've got to go up there and change the scoreboard,''' he said.
Indians manager Terry Francona liked his team's chances after Brantley hammered an 0-2 pitch into the right field seats.
''Once we got that game tied and we're at home we figure OK, we're going to win this game,'' he said.
Goody (0-2) recorded the final out in the 10th and stranded two runners in the 11th. The right-hander retired Nomar Mazara to start the 12th, but Gallo homered to center to put Texas ahead. Kiner-Falefa, who had a career-high four hits, homered into the bleachers.
''You realize that you're never out of the ballgame,'' Kiner-Falefa said. ''This shows that we're tough. It's a big win.''
The home run was the 57th of Gallo's career to go along with 57 singles.
Cleveland's bullpen has been short-handed since Andrew Miller went on the disabled list last week with a strained left hamstring. Closer Cody Allen was unavailable after throwing 41 pitches Monday.
Zach McAllister was the only reliever who hadn't been used and Francona was trying to squeeze as many outs from Goody as possible.
''We didn't know if he would get through the inning, but I wanted him to try to get part of it,'' Francona said.
Alex Claudio (1-1) pitched the final three innings.
Kela entered the game to begin the ninth in a non-save situation and loaded the bases with one out. Tyler Naquin singled and Bradley Zimmer hit into a fielder's choice. Singles by Francisco Lindor and Jason Kipnis loaded the bases.
Jose Ramirez struck out on a full count before Brantley delivered his first career grand slam.
Edwin Encarnacion singled and was replaced by pinch-runner Rajai Davis, but Yonder Alonso struck out. Kela, who converted his first six save chances, allowed four runs and five hits in one inning.
Brantley had a chance to win the game in the 11th, but grounded out to end the inning with Ramirez on second.
Jurickson Profar drove in a career-high three runs, and Delino DeShields and Mazara homered for Texas.
Doug Fister took a shutout into the seventh and was pulled after Kipnis' two-run double. The right-hander's throwing error made both runs he allowed in 6 2/3 innings unearned.
Profar had an RBI double in the fifth and a two-run double in the seventh. DeShields hit a solo home run in the fifth and Mazara's two-run homer capped a four-run rally in the seventh.
THAT HURTS
Texas reliever Jake Diekman was struck in the back and left triceps by Encarnacion's line drive in the eighth.
The pitcher was on the ground briefly, but remained in the game after throwing a few warmup pitches. The ball ricocheted to first baseman Ronald Guzman, who completed the out. Diekman was removed after walking Alonso.
''He hits the ball hard, I was like a deer going down,'' he said. ''It was pure adrenalin that I stayed in for the next hitter, but my left elbow is pretty stiff now.''
MELKY UPDATE
OF Melky Cabrera, signed to a minor league contract by the Indians last week, was scheduled to play nine innings in a game at extended spring training Tuesday. He'll join Triple-A Columbus in the next few days.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rangers: RHP Chris Martin (forearm cramp) was unavailable after allowing four runs in the eighth inning Monday. Manager Jeff Banister said it's too early to know if Martin will need a trip to the disabled list.
Indians: LHP Ryan Merritt (sprained left knee) will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Columbus this week. He's been throwing in extended spring training after being injured during the exhibition season.
UP NEXT
Rangers LHP Matt Moore (1-3, 5.33 ERA) faces RHP Corey Kluber (4-1, 2.18 ERA) in the series finale. Moore's last start in Cleveland occurred on May 31, 2013, and ended after one inning in a game that featured 4 hours, 49 minutes of rain delays and ended at 2:53 a.m. Kluber, who also started, pitched two innings and was pulled after a delay. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner has won his last four starts.
---
More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
