Of all of the players happy to be involved in the Puerto Rico Series in San Juan between the Indians and the Twins, none wanted to succeed more than Francisco Lindor.
The 24-year-old was born in Caguas, Puerto Rico, just 27 miles from San Juan, and he had plenty of fans in the stands during Game 1 of the two-game series Cleveland is playing against Minnesota.
He sent all of his fans home happy Tuesday as he smacked a two-run homer to give the Indians a 2-0 lead in the fifth inning.
Puerto Rico native Francisco Lindor's hype level after going yard back home is through the roof. pic.twitter.com/lOGQMQmNuh
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 18, 2018
The runs were more than enough for Corey Kluber, who got the win with 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball in a 6-1 Cleveland victory. But this night was about Lindor and his native Puerto Rico.
"It was special, something I’ll never take for granted, something I’ll never forget," Lindor told Fox Sports after the game.
Studs of the Night
Mookie Betts went 3 for 3 with three home runs all over 400 feet. He also had two walks in a win over the Angels.
Diamondbacks starter Patrick Corbin took a no-hitter into the eighth inning in a 1-0 win over the Giants. While he lost it with an infield single to Brandon Belt 7 2/3 innings in, he still finished a complete-game shutout where he allowed just one hit and struck out eight.
Rangers rookie Isiah Kiner-Falefa went 4 for 5 with a double in Texas' 7-2 win over the Rays. He has been in MLB less than a week.
Dud of the Night
Angels pitcher Shohei Ohtani got his first look at a first-place team Tuesday and it didn't go well. He gave up four hits, three runs and two walks in just two innings of work and it took him 66 pitches just to get that far. He also was forced to come out with a blister on his pitching hand.
Highlight
Nationals shortstop Trea Turner is known for his base-stealing prowess, but it was his glove that caught people's attention in a 5-2 win over the Mets.
#NationalsTREAsure pic.twitter.com/1nqUY4Rf3y
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) April 17, 2018
What's Next
Rockies (11-8) at Pirates (11-6) 7 p.m. ET — There are only seven 11-win teams in all of baseball and two of them face off Wednesday in Pittsburgh. Chad Kuhl (1-1, 5.74 ERA) will take on Colorado lefty Kyle Freeland (0-2, 4.50 ERA). The Rockies are up 2-0 in the series, but the Pirates are tied for second in MLB with 89 runs scored on the season. If they put things together in the final game of the three-game set they could avoid the sweep.