Ramirez to start at 3B; Tribe has 5 All-Stars By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | July 2nd, 2017 + 9 COMMENTS DETROIT -- The vote was over and the decision was in. When Jose Ramirez took the field at Comerica Park on Sunday afternoon, he had already been informed of the good news: Fans voted him in as the starting third baseman for the American League All-Star team. Ramirez then went out and put on a show. The kid with the fire-orange hair and signature strut launched a pair of home runs to help power an 11-8 win over the Tigers. It was a snapshot of why Ramirez earned his ticket to Miami, where he will be joined by Indians All-Stars Michael Brantley, Francisco Lindor, Andrew Miller and Corey Kluber. It marks the first time since 2004 that the Indians have sent five players to the Midsummer Classic. "That shows he deserves to start," Lindor said of Ramirez's third multi-homer game of the season. "That shows why he's going to be a starter in the All-Star Game in Miami. I'm happy for him. I told him I was very proud -- just go out there and enjoy it. Enjoy every second of it." Before Sunday's game, Indians manager Terry Francona gathered the team to announce the All-Star representatives. Kluber was named to his second straight AL roster -- this time courtesy of the Commissioner's Office. Brantley, Lindor and Miller each got the nod via the players' vote. Ramirez became the first Indians player voted in as a starter since 2001 (Juan Gonzalez). "It's a blessing that God has given to me and I'm going to keep playing hard," Ramirez said through team translator Anna Bolton. "It's something incredible [to win the fan vote]. It's something incredible to have their support. They supported me and supported me until the end, and I'm very, very thankful for that." Francona said it was a celebratory scene inside the visitors' clubhouse, and the party will continue when Cleveland's considerable traveling group lands in Miami. Besides the five All-Stars, Francona is bringing his entire coaching staff, and extended an invitation to Rays manager Kevin Cash (Francona's former bullpen coach with the Tribe). Coming off an AL championship, the Indians will have a serious presence at the All-Star Game. "Our organization has come a long way," Francona said. "And I think I'm going to be thrilled when you look around and you see the five players, the coaches. I'm just happy for Cleveland. When people throw on the TV, they're going to see Indians stuff all over the place. I think the fans and the city and everybody should be really proud." Francona said he tried not to get too emotional when he learned that Brantley made the team. The Indians' left fielder was limited to 11 games last season due to right shoulder and biceps woes -- injuries that required a pair of surgeries dating back to the end of 2015. This year, Brantley not only beat the odds by returning for Opening Day, but has been impressive through 60 games, posting a .303/.365/.434 slash line with 20 extra-base hits. "It wasn't an easy road," Brantley said. "Two shoulder surgeries. Not knowing whether you're going to be able to play again. To be able to represent the All-Star Game and represent the Cleveland Indians, it means a lot. A lot of hard work paid off." Coming off a breakout showing last year, which included an All-Star nod and both Gold and Platinum Glove Awards, Lindor has hit .248 with 14 home runs, 23 doubles and 38 RBIs through 79 games. Miller (a two-time All-Star) has backed up last season's overpowering showing with a 1.49 ERA, 65 strikeouts and 10 walks in 42 1/3 innings as the Tribe's leverage weapon. Kluber is 7-2 with a 3.02 ERA, 105 strikeouts and 20 walks in 80 1/3 innings. Ramirez is batting .325 with 15 homers, 26 doubles, 42 RBIs, 59 runs and a .963 OPS in 80 games. "I'm glad he made it with the fan vote. That's pretty cool," Miller said. "The sheer amount of fans and media publicity and all that kind of stuff is just a tribute to the season he's having. He's as deserving as anybody. That has to be a pretty neat treat, to start an All-Star Game. He's earned every bit of that." Fans can cast ballots for the 2017 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Final Vote on MLB.com, Club sites and their mobile devices until 4 p.m. ET on Thursday. The winners, as chosen exclusively by online fan voting totals, will then be announced during "MLB Tonight" live on MLB Network and MLB.com at 6 p.m. Extensive coverage throughout the Final Vote will be provided by MLB Network and MLB.com, including interviews with the candidates, frequent updates, heat maps indicating where votes are being cast for each candidate, news on player and club campaigns, and a running countdown clock leading up to the announcement. Now in its 16th season, with more than 680 million votes cast, the Final Vote again will include social votes on the last day of balloting, as Twitter support for the 10 candidates over the final six hours of balloting will count toward their vote totals. From 10 a.m.-4 p.m. ET on Thursday, any tweet that includes a designated player hashtag will be tabulated as part of the official vote total used to determine the winners. On Tuesday, July 11 at 7:30 p.m. ET, tune in to the 2017 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard live on FOX, and during the game visit MLB.com to submit your choice for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet via the 2017 MLB All-Star Game MVP Vote. The 88th All-Star Game, in Miami, will be televised nationally by FOX, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 160 countries via MLB International's independent feed. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB.com, MLB Network and SiriusXM will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com. Ramirez (2 HRs), Tribe again tag Verlander By Jason Beck and Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | July 2nd, 2017 + 115 COMMENTS DETROIT -- Jose Ramirez homered from both sides of the plate in a four-RBI performance as the Indians again roughed up Tigers ace Justin Verlander, this time for seven runs in 3 1/3 innings Sunday afternoon, leading Cleveland to an 11-8 victory in the rubber match of a three-game series at Comerica Park. "It's been fun to watch," Indians manager Terry Francona said of Ramirez's season. "It's both sides of the plate. He gets so dangerous when he's on one of these [runs]. It's not just getting singles. He's hitting the ball a long way." Over his past 20 games, Ramirez has hit .446 with a 1.393 OPS in 90 plate appearances. In that span, the switch-hitter has nearly four times as many extra-base hits (22) as strikeouts (six). On Sunday, he became the first Indians player to homer from both sides of the plate twice in one season. Two-plus months after the Indians put up nine runs in four innings against Verlander in Cleveland, leading Verlander (5-5) to publicly wonder about tipping pitches and sign stealing, the Tribe left the veteran right-hander without a strikeout in a game for the first time in 10 years. Lonnie Chisenhall's two-run homer in the second began the barrage. Ramirez hit a solo homer in the third before greeting Chad Bell with a three-run homer in the fourth, his 15th of the season. "First inning, fell behind a couple guys. After that, I just got my butt kicked," Verlander said. Verlander did not record a strikeout in a game for the first time since April 28, 2007, ending a streak of 331 consecutive starts. The streak tied him with Curt Schilling for sixth-longest in Major League history. Indians starter Mike Clevinger (4-3) was also wobbly early, walking five of Detroit's first 13 batters, before settling down to retire 11 of the final 12 Tigers he faced. He allowed just one run over six innings. James McCann singled in a run in the seventh before his three-run homer in the ninth, plus a Nicholas Castellanos two-run shot, closed the gap before Cody Allen retired Andrew Romine for his 16th save. "I'm glad we were up nine instead of six," Francona said. "How many times do you give up six in the ninth inning and win? It's not going to put a damper on the day, because we came out with good energy and played a good game." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Clevinger leaves them loaded: Before the Indians broke through against Verlander, Clevinger walked the bases loaded in the first, including Castellanos with two outs. After a mound visit from pitching coach Mickey Callaway, Clevinger put an 0-2 count on Victor Martinez, who flew out to left to end the threat. Clevinger retired Martinez again to strand two runners in the third. "We had the bases loaded, couldn't break through," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said.