CLEVELAND - Cleveland pitcher Carlos Carrasco was pulled after he was struck on the right arm by a line drive, and the Minnesota Twins got four hits from Eddie Rosario in a 9-3 victory over the Indians on Saturday.
Carrasco grabbed his arm after being hit by Joe Mauer's leadoff liner in the second inning and went to his knees on the infield grass. The Indians announced he was taken to a hospital for examination of a forearm contusion.
Rosario hit his 16th homer for the Twins, who have won five straight against the AL Central leaders to improve to 6-2 against Cleveland this season. Rosario also scored four times, drove in two runs and swiped a base.
Minnesota scored four runs in the first off Carrasco (8-5). Eduardo Escobar and Max Kepler each hit a two-run double in the inning. Logan Morrison had three RBIs, including a two-run double in the sixth.
Matt Magill (2-1) got the win with three scoreless innings in relief of Fernando Romero.
Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez homered in the first for Cleveland, which has lost four of five.
Carrasco's injury forced the Indians to use six relievers, including Adam Plutko, who was scheduled to start Sunday's series finale. Plutko pitched the seventh and eighth.
Outfielder Brandon Guyer, making his first professional pitching appearance, retired the side in order in the ninth on eight pitches.
Carrasco was coming off one of his best starts of the season. He struck out 11 in seven shutout innings against the White Sox on Monday, but he struggled against the Twins. Carrasco threw 37 pitches in the first when he allowed four hits, walked a batter and hit another.
Mauer lined the second pitch of the second to the mound, striking Carrasco directly on the arm. He hopped off the mound and went to the ground before being visited by manager Terry Francona and a team trainer. Carrasco then walked to the dugout with the trainer and was replaced by Oliver Perez.
The ball that struck Carrasco rolled to first baseman Edwin Encarnacion, who stepped on the bag for the out.
Carrasco was hit in the face by a line drive in 2015, but made his next turn in the rotation. The right-hander broke his right hand after being hit by a line drive late in the 2016 season and missed the playoffs.
Mauer led off the game with a single, his first hit since being activated from the disabled list Friday. Rosario walked and both runners scored on Escobar's double. Morrison was hit by a pitch. Robbie Grossman's one-out single loaded the bases and Kepler doubled high off the wall in right, scoring two more runs.
Rosario hit an RBI single in the sixth and a solo homer in the eighth.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: OF Byron Buxton (toe fracture) will begin a minor league rehab assignment at Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday. He was placed on the disabled list May 30, a day after being injured.
Indians: LHP Andrew Miller (right knee inflammation) has thrown several bullpen sessions, but it hasn't been decided when he'll face hitters as part of his rehab process. He has been out since May 24 and was also on the DL previously with a strained left hamstring.
UP NEXT
Twins RHP Jake Odorizzi (3-3, 4.19 ERA) will start the series finale. Odorizzi allowed a season-high seven earned runs in 3 2/3 innings against Cleveland on May 31.
Rosario hits 16th home run, Twins beat Indians 9-3
Eddie Rosario hit his 16 home run of the season helping the Twins to win their fifth straight against the Indians.
