CLEVELAND (AP) – Before touching home plate, Mike Aviles slowed down long enough to get splashed in the face with cold water by his teammates.
Maybe the Indians are waking up just in time.
Aviles homered leading off the 11th inning Friday night to give Cleveland a 2-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles.
Aviles, who made two barehanded plays at third base earlier in the game, connected on a 1-2 pitch from Brian Matusz (2-3), driving it onto the home run porch in left field for just Cleveland’s second run in the past 22-plus innings. The Indians were shut out 1-0 by Arizona in 12 innings on Wednesday night.
After rounding third, Aviles was doused by his jubilant teammates, who then embraced him and danced as one up the first-base line.