Ramirez's 1st postseason HR gets Indians started
CHICAGO -- On another night when the conditions were seemingly not ideal for power production, power production arrived early in Game 5 of the World Series on Sunday night at Wrigley Field. And it arrived for the Indians, although they ended up losing, 3-2.
Jose Ramirez smacked a Jon Lester fastball over the left-field wall with a lined shot that put the Indians up, 1-0, in the second inning.
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The home run, which was Ramirez's first of the postseason, came on an 0-1 four-seamer down and in, and Ramirez hit the 92.3 mph pitch for an exit velocity of 102.1 mph with a 28-degree launch angle, according to Statcast™.
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Ramirez, who had an .825 OPS in the regular season, was a surprisingly clutch contributor for the Indians this year, especially with star outfielder Michael Brantley on the shelf. And this home run was a potentially big spark. The Indians entered Game 5 with an 8-0 record this postseason when scoring first and a 71-20 record overall when scoring first.
It was Ramirez's first home run on the road since May 23.
The home run swiped some good vibes out of Wrigley, as it came immediately after Carlos Santana was retired on an odd popout in foul territory. Catcher David Ross got a glove on the ball but dropped it, only to see Anthony Rizzo swoop in and scoop it for the out before it hit the ground.