Luplow's Launch Lifts Indians to First 2021 Win, 9-3 Over Tigers

Despite scoring a run in the first, it looked like it was going to be a winless Indians weekend after the Tigers were able to build an early lead.

But thanks to a couple key blasts, one by Jordan Luplow, the Tribe comes home for Monday's opener 1-2 as opposed to 0-3 as the Indians beat Detroit 9-3. 

Cleveland outhit the Tigers 10-2, as starter Aaron Civale settled in, allowing just two hits, three runs, over seven innings. 

Austin Hedges and Franmil Reyes also homered for the Indians in the win. 

Here's a couple takeaways from the team's first victory from 2021 as the club gets set for the home opener against the Kansas City Royals Monday at 4pm. 

Long Ball Love

When the Indians start hitting homers, good things tend to happen, and that was the case from Sunday's affair as the team hit three homers.

It started with the big hit of the day for the club, a two-run blast by leadoff man Jordan Luplow which gave the Tribe their first lead of the day at 6-3 in the 7th.

DH Franmil Reyes crushed a homer to make it an 8-3 game, and then Austin Hedges wrapped up the scoring with a solo shot in the 9th to make it 9-3. 

The way that the lineup is set up the team can have days like Sunday in which they hit a bunch, which is a fun sight to see. 

Civale's Impressive Turnaround 

It looked early like manager Terry Francona was going to have to come up with more or less of a 'bullpen game' after Aaron Civale struggled out of the first inning. 

The Indians number three starter allowed three runs over the first three innings, including a solo homer to rookie Akil Baddoo, who in the first MLB pitch he ever saw clubbed a solo homer making it 3-1.

You got a sense though that Civale was in control, as he ended up lasting seven innings, giving up the three runs on just two hits with three walks and six strikeouts. 

He ended up throwing 91 pitches, 57 of which were strikes. 

With the somewhat unknown of number four and number five starters Logan Allen and Triston McKenzine, it's a huge lift for the team to get a good outing from Civale in his first 2021 start. 

A Look at the Pen

After Civale left the game after seven innings, Indians fans got a chance to see two players who very much will be counted upon as big parts of the bullpen in 2021.

First it was Cal Quantrill, who needed just 12 pitches (8 strikes) to strikeout two Tigers, and get out of the 8th inning. 

It wouldn't be a shock at all to see Quantrill at some point in 2021 get a spot start due to injury or if there's a doubleheader and the team needs a starter last minute. 

In a perfect world, Quantrill is going to get plenty of innings and more so chances in the Tribe pen.

Then in the 9th there was Emmanuel Clase, who Indians fans have been anxious to see since he was suspended for all of the shortened 2020 season. 

Clase needed 16 pitches, 10 of which were strikes, to record a strikeout and get out of the Detroit 9th with no damage. 

It was a good outing for the pen as in two quick innings the Quantrill and Clase combo needed 28 pitches, 18 strikes with three strikeouts to shut the door.