Max Kepler has Trevor Bauer’s number.
Kepler connected for home runs his first two times up Saturday night against Cleveland’s hard-throwing starter, giving the Minnesota outfielder five homers in his last five at-bats against the right-hander.
Kepler homered three times off Bauer in Minnesota’s win on June 6 while also drawing a walk.
He made it four homers in four straight at-bats with a leadoff shot, then connected in the second inning, one batter after rookie Jake Cave homered off Bauer.
Bauer finally got the best of Kepler in the fourth, striking him out but only after he hit a deep foul ball into the upper deck in right.
According to Elias, Kepler matched the longest streak in the expansion era for homers in consecutive at-bats against one pitcher. Carlos Delgado did it against Jorge Sosa (2003-04) and Frank Howard connected against Bob Hendley (1963-64).
Kepler has 13 career homers against the Indians, 11 at Progressive Field.
He also had three-homer game in Cleveland as a rookie in 2016.
———
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports