Indians get fifth walk-off win of the year; three takeaways

Cleveland-- After what seemed like an eternity on the road, (okay, okay it was really only 11 days) the Indians are officially back at Progressive Field for a

Cleveland-- After what seemed like an eternity on the road, (okay, okay it was really only 11 days) the Indians are officially back at Progressive Field for a week-long homestand.

What better way to kick things off than with a walk-off win?

The Indians topped the Boston Red Sox 5-4 on Monday night, after a key bunt followed by a Boston throwing error in the bottom of the ninth inning.

It was the fifth walk-off win for the Indians this season, and their 23rd come-from-behind win.

Cleveland has now won 11 of their last 14 games at home. Before the next six contests at Progressive, here are our three takeaways from Monday.

1. Walk-off heroics

Just when they needed it, the Cleveland Indians got their fifth walk-off win of the year in unconventional fashion.

Brandon Guyer started the inning off recording a lead-off double to left field. On the 1-1 pitch in the next at-bat, Roberto Perez hit a sacrifice bunt to Red Sox first baseman Brock Holt. On what should have been a routine play to get Guyer out at third, Holt hesitated on the throw.

The hesitation caused Holt's throw to go wide. As a result, Guyer was safe at third and continued to run the 90 feet home to score the game-winning run.

“[Perez] getting the bunt down, I just put my head down and ran to third, I didn’t even know if [Holt] was going to throw to third,” Guyer said. “I saw the ball go by him, I was like damn, that’s going, I think I can go home.”

"Just a routine play, just couldn't get it out of the glove," Holt said after the game. "Fumbled it a little bit, then tried to rush the throw, and made a bad one."

While the walk-off was obviously huge, Perez came up big in the second inning as well, nailing a three-run homer that gave the Indians a 3-2 lead. It was just his second home run this season, and his three RBI tied his single-game career-high.

Encarnacion connects, Lindor scores. Game tied at 4 in the 8th pic.twitter.com/SzJK7nZzC6

— Ashley Bastock (@AshleyBastock42) August 22, 2017

2. Edwin's single in the eighth

After Francisco Lindor drew a walk and Austin Jackson recorded a single in the eighth inning, Edwin Encarnacion stepped up to the plate with just one out.

On the first pitch, Encarnacion recorded an RBI single to left field off of an 82 mph curveball.

The hit scored Lindor and tied the game, 4-4. Encarnacion and Jackson would both advance on the throw.

While the walk-off was truly a sight to see, it never would have happened without Encarnacion's eighth inning prowess.

3. Clevinger's less than stellar outing

Mike Clevinger had an underwhelming start for the Indians, and did not factor into the decision.

He lasted just four and one-third innings, giving up four hits and four earned runs. Two of the hits he gave up were home runs that accounted for all of the Red Sox runs in the game. Clevinger also only managed four strikeouts while walking four.

Monday's start for Clevinger was similar to his first career outing against Boston on July 31 of this year. In that game, he allowed five runs and seven hits in just over three innings on the mound.

“Both walks ended up being two-run home runs," Indians manager Terry Francona said of Clevinger's outing. "His stuff is fine. Almost it’s like he’s pitching around guys. I know he’s not. Some of the guys that were walking guys to get the next guy, it gets dangerous as you can see.”

As a result, the bullpen had to gut out five innings of work, but did so without relinquishing anymore runs.

In other bullpen news, Andrew Miller left the game after throwing just seven pitches in the seventh inning due reaggravated right knee patellar tendonitis.