Comeback shows Indians’ improved tenacity

CLEVELAND — Abraham Almonte felt he could sense the shift in momentum. So, when the Indians’ outfielder singled to center field in the seventh inning on Friday night, he responded as emphatically as the roaring Progressive Field crowd.

Almonte clapped his hands hard. He pumped his fist multiple times. He gave first-base coach Sandy Alomar Jr. a bruising fist bump. The A’s had been in control all night, but Almonte’s pinch-hit single cut into Oakland’s lead and sparked a four-run push that led to a 5-3 comeback win for Cleveland.

“With the team we have right now, I think we can come back from anything,” Almonte said. “You can see the worst situation and then …”

Almonte snapped his fingers.

“We can come back and do it,” Almonte continued. “We have been doing it.”

It has been one of the signatures of this Indians team, which holds a 4 1/2-game lead atop the American League Central and boasts the best winning percentage (.580) in the AL. Over the past couple seasons, a deficit within a game in which the Tribe’s lineup lacked early life often led to a loss. One of the club’s traits this year has been improved in-game fight, leading to some comeback wins, especially at home.

A familiar script was playing out on Friday night.

A’s starter Kendall Graveman had handcuffed the Indians’ lineup for the first six innings, in which his lone hiccup was a solo home run by Carlos Santana in the sixth. Cleveland’s offense was wearing out the …

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