Indians Wrap Up Homestand 7-0 Following 2-1 Win Over Angels; Three Takeaways From the Win

CLEVELAND - The Indians finally played up to their potential during this latest seven-game homestand, playing some of their best baseball of the season in sweeping the Blue Jays, the makeup game with the Reds, and then three more against the Angels.

The team had their best stretch of pitching from their starters, and their hitting was very good, putting up a pair of seven-run innings in two days straight.

The team will have a tough month of August when it comes to the quality of opposition, but this latest stretch at home gives plenty of hope that they will be able to thrive when it comes to playing the tougher teams in baseball.

With a trip coming to play the White Sox and then the AL East leading Red Sox before coming home for the Yankees, here's three takeaways from the win to wrap up a very happy homestand.

3. What a Week

The Indians got just what the doctor ordered over the last 7 games - a perfect 7-0 record, large loud crowds who were engaged in each and every games, and great performances on both offense and on the mound.

The week started with a great offensive outing from the team in a win over the Jays, and then clutch hitting on Saturday lead to a win over the Jays when Frankie Lindor hit a homer in extra innings to send the fans home happy after more fireworks.

Sunday it was another decisive win, and then Monday they did what they haven't done much in 2017 - win an interleague game, topping the Reds.

Then it was three more wins - this time over the Los Angeles Angels, the most memorable being on Tuesday, when the team blew a 7-0 lead but got maybe their most memorable hit of the year, an 11th inning grand slam from Edwin Encarnacion sent them to an 11-7 win.

Wednesday a 7-run 8th inning turned the game into a blowout, and today it was Trevor Bauer with a great outing going 8 innings and throwing 116 pitches to lead the team to a 2-1 win.

It was about as good of a week as you can get for a team the really needed it.

2. Bauer Puts on a Show

Trevor Bauer was very very good on Thursday, mowing the down the Angels in quick fashion in the first four innings, having to throw just 44 pitches as the Indians lead it 1-0.

Then he did get into trouble in the 5th and 6th, allowing a run and traffic on the base paths, but again held Los Angeles to one run to give the Indians a chance.

The 7th inning was the most trouble, as after a Luis Valbuena double it put runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs, but a ground out, strikeout, and another ground out got him out of the jam as then it was time for the offense to go to work.

With two outs Francisco Lindor got the game-winning hit, and many thought Bauer, who was over 100 pitches by then, would be done.

Not so fast.

He came out in the 8th, and again did a great job, getting the Angels quickly 1-2-3 to not only hold the lead, but make sure the only arm the Indians needed out of the pen was closer Cody Allen in the 9th.

The win puts Bauer at 9-8 on the season.

1. Big Rebound for Lindor

Indians All-Star SS Francisco Lindor was slumping on July 4th, as his average had dropped all the way down to .246. While he was one of the Tribe all-stars, the break seems like it did him some good, as he's once again found his stroke at the plate.

Since the 4th of July, Lindor has been on a role, hitting 27-for-78 (.346) with 10 runs batted in, seven walks, six doubles, one triple and one homer with 10 strikeouts.

His hit in the 7th inning was the biggest of the game, a two-out sharply hit single to right field that brought in Brandon Guyer who walked in the inning for the games winning run.

Lindor looks like he's having fun again, something that was hard to see back when his average was dipping down heading into the holiday.

He had a big homestand like the rest of the offense, and it shows just how good this team is when he gets going at the plate.

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