CLEVELAND (AP) —n anyone — other than him — expected.The right-hander Matt Andriese Jersey , whose season seemed in jeopardy when he strained a muscle in his upper back on April 7, will start Monday when Cleveland opens a four-game series at Texas. It’s been an unexpectedly quick comeback for Clevinger.The team’s medical staff didn’t think he’d pick up a ball for 6 to 8 weeks, but the hard-working, hard-throwing Clevinger bounced back. He’ll face major league hitters following two minor league rehab starts.“I got lucky, I guess you could say,” Clevinger said Wednesday before the Indians wrapped up a two-game series with Cincinnati. “It’s hard to say after an injury you got lucky, but that was kind of the case here.”It’s also finally some good fortune for the Indians, who have been without ace Corey Kluber (broken arm) and Carlos Carrasco (blood condition) as they try to stay in striking distance of the AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins.Kluber will get his six-week evaluation Thursday, and the Indians are hoping for more good news.Clevinger pitched five scoreless innings for Double-A Akron on Tuesday, allowing three hits and striking out five. His velocity was in the mid-90s and manager Terry Francona said the reports on the 28-year-old have been overwhelmingly favorable.“Last night was really good,” he said. “Will he be able to command all his pitches the way he did with six weeks in spring training with a couple starts? I don’t know. You hope. But we’ll keep an eye on him and try to build him up in a way that he can stay healthy and be healthy and productive, but sure is exciting to see what he’s doing.”Francona said it was a challenge to hold Clevinger back as he recovered.“I would say that is the understatement of the year,” he cracked. “It’s the reason he probably got better quick C. J. Cron Jersey , too. The ‘want-to’ is so strong. I remember the first time he threw down in Miami, I thought James (Quinlan, team trainer) was going pull a hammy trying to slow him down, but you see where he is now.”Clevinger, who went 13-8 with a 3.02 ERA last season, said he pushed Cleveland’s medical staff as hard as he could — even from the moment he left his second start of the season the fifth inning.“I was trying to come back and throw the next day,” he said. “I asked them every day even though I knew the timeline. I was like, ‘I feel good, can I throw today?’ I asked them every day to the point they that they were just getting (mad) at me for asking.“I just saw the timeline and I was like, if anything, I want to be back before the All-Star break. I always had that in my mind, that I wanted to be back before then.” CHICAGO (AP) — Cole Hamels gave the Chicago Cubs something to celebrate when he hit his second career home run.They’ll have to wait at least another day for a playoff party.Jameson Taillon outpitched Hamels, Francisco Cervelli hit a two-run homer and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Cubs 5-1 victory on Monday night.The Cubs needed a win plus a loss by Colorado to Philadelphia to assure a franchise-record fourth straight trip to the playoffs http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-evan-longoria-jersey , a run that includes a drought-busting World Series championship in 2016. Instead, they lost for the third time in five games, and the Rockies defeated the Phillies 10-1.Seeking its third straight NL Central championship, Chicago saw its lead over second-place Milwaukee shrink to 1½ games when the Brewers beat the Cardinals 6-4.Hamels (4-2) had the fans and the dugout rocking when he connected leading off the third inning. But he lost his second straight start after going 4-0 in his first nine following a trade from Texas. The left-hander gave up three runs — two earned — and five hits in six innings.“Anytime, I guess, you hit a home run it’s pretty exciting,” Hamels said. “It feels better when you win. You really have to give it to Taillon. He came after us and threw the ball really well. I just was able to get a pitch that I could hit in the count.”Hamels’ drive to center on a 3-1 pitch sure was impressive, though.“I think him and (Jon) Lester, mechanically, have really good swings,” manager Joe Maddon said. “They have very good mechanics. And he timed it perfectly and got it all.”Taillon (14-9) gave up one run and five hits in seven innings, improving to 5-0 in his past seven starts. The right-hander has not allowed more than three earned runs in his past 21 outings.“It’s one of the best runs I’ve seen a starting pitcher have in my coaching experience,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “He must be a master craftsman Jonny Venters Jersey , he’s making pitches, studying swings, in-game adjustments, following the catcher.”Cervelli hit a two-run homer in the first after missing the previous two games because of gastrointestinal discomfort. He also reached on an infield single in the sixth and scored on Jose Osuna’s second double.Pablo Reyes added an RBI single in the seventh against Steve Cishek and a solo homer in the ninth off Brian Duensing. A day after they were eliminated, the Pirates won for the seventh time in nine games.GOING DEEPHamels’ only other homer was in a home game for Philadelphia against San Francisco’s Matt Cain on July 21, 2012. It was also the second homer by a Cubs pitcher this season. Lester connected against Minnesota on July 1.TRAINER’S ROOMPirates: CF Starling Marte (left calf) was out of the lineup after leaving Pittsburgh’s loss to Milwaukee on Sunday.Cubs: 3B Kris Bryant was back in the lineup after being held out of Sunday’s win over the crosstown White Sox because of fatigue in his left shoulder. The 2016 NL MVP was on the disabled list from July 26 to Sept. 1 with left shoulder inflammation and missed time earlier in the season because of the same issue. … RHP Pedro Strop (strained left hamstring) played catch. The reliever hopes to pitch in a game prior to the playoffs after being sidelined since Sept. 13, when he was hurt running to first on a double-play grounder at Washington.UP NEXTPirates: RHP Chris Archer (5-8, 4.49 ERA), coming off a 2-1 win over Kansas City last week, has a 3.38 ERA in four starts this month after posting a 6.45 ERA in his first nine outings with Pittsburgh following a trade from Tampa Bay.Cubs: LHP Mike Montgomery (5-5, 3.75) looks to win his second straight start after throwing six solid innings at Arizona last week. He has won all three career starts against the Pirates and is 3-0 with a 2.30 ERA in nine outings against them.
