One run all Tribe needs for morale-boosting win

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CLEVELAND — One run was all it took. And then two of Jason Kipnis’ teammates led the mob that swarmed and tackled the Indians’ second baseman in shallow right field, where he did all he could to stop them from forcing him to the ground.

“It probably wasn’t my best idea to keep screaming, ‘You guys can’t bring me down,'” Kipnis said with a laugh after the Indians’ 1-0 win over the Twins in 10 innings on Monday night.

Cleveland has not been hitting the ball very hard of late, but Kipnis sure took a pounding after finally being pushed to the grass. Following his game-winning single to left off Minnesota reliever Brandon Kintzler, Kipnis rounded first and began backpedaling as teammates Mike Napoli and Tyler Naquin sprinted at him from the dugout.

Kipnis threw his helmet at their feet, but after they got their hands on him, the second baseman was soon engulfed in a celebratory mob. Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez dragged Kipnis down. Water bottles were emptied. Jabs to the side ensued. It was a scene that was surely captured, and will soon be printed, to post on a wall inside the clubhouse.

After a tough seven-game road trip, the Indians needed a moment like this. The offensive issues that plagued the Tribe’s bats in Oakland and Texas lingered into Monday’s game at Progressive Field, but stellar pitching from Trevor Bauer and the bullpen made the slimmest margin the only margin that mattered.

Cleveland has scored one or no runs in seven of its …

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