CLEVELAND -- Jose Ramirez took Orioles right-hander David Hess deep in the first inning on Friday at Progressive Field, opening the scoring and providing all the offense the Indians (70-51) would need behind another solid start from right-hander Carlos Carrasco in a 2-1 victory.
The Indians' All-Star third baseman now has 37 homers on the season, tying him with Boston's J.D. Martinez for the Major League lead. The two-run tater sent Baltimore (36-86) to its eighth loss in its past 10 games.
"That's what you call holding on for dear life," manager Terry Francona said, smiling.

Carrasco shut out the Birds and spread three hits across seven innings, walking one and striking out six to improve to 15-6. It was Carrasco's second seven-plus-inning scoreless start in August (7 1/3 innings Aug. 1 at Minnesota), in line with his recent run of dominance. Since returning from the disabled list with a right elbow contusion on July 6, Carrasco has a 1.73 ERA with 65 strikeouts vs. six walks in 52 innings in nine games (eight starts). In those games, opponents are slashing .228/.262/.368 against Carrasco, and he's 7-1.
"Any time you send a guy out there and you feel like you've got a good chance to win, that's a good feeling," Francona said of his starter. "But he kept them off the scoreboard. He had to pitch through some traffic for a couple innings, but he made some real good pitches when he had to."

Carrasco's start bested a good outing from Hess (2-7), who allowed five hits through six innings of work, but doled out four walks against three strikeouts. It marked the right-hander's first Major League start of two runs or less since June 7 at Toronto, when he surrendered one run in six innings.
"He's done a tremendous job, just like he's always done," Ramirez said of Carrasco, through a team translator. "Everyone in the world knows who Carlos Carrasco is. He's really pitched tremendously lately.
"I think it definitely gives him a lot of confidence, but really you should ask that question of him, to see how it makes him feel when we're up and we have the lead for him. I bet it gives him some more confidence."

Ramirez's homer was sent a projected 387 feet, according to Statcast™, and landed in the right-field concourse. It was the result of a 90.3-mph 3-1 fastball left over the heart of the plate by Hess. It marked Ramirez's fourth homer in his past five games, and also gave him 13 first-inning home runs in 2018, extending the franchise record he set earlier in the campaign.
"I just got a good pitch and it was in the first inning and I made a good swing on it and the ball went out," Ramirez said. "Thank God."
According to the club, Ramirez, 25, already has the most first-inning RBIs (34) of any player since the Rockies' Nolan Arenado had 39 in 2015 -- and the most in the American League since former Tigers slugger Carlos Guillen had 37 in '07.
"I keep the same approach from the first inning all the way through the ninth inning," Ramirez said on whether he is more aggressive in the beginning of games. "I really don't change my approach. I'm having a lot of success in the first inning, but I stick with the same approach and the balls just happen to be going out."

In the midst of his second consecutive MVP-caliber season, Ramirez -- who finished 1-for-2 with a walk and a hit-by-pitch -- is hitting .303/.414/.640 with a career-best 91 RBIs, 71 extra-base hits and an American League-leading 27 stolen bases. He earned his first All-Star nod last season and finished 2017 hitting .318 with 29 homers, 83 RBIs and a .957 OPS to take home an AL Silver Slugger Award.
"He's unbelievable," Carrasco said of Ramirez. "Then when you see something like that from your teammate, I'm just trying to go over there and post zeros. That's what I need, because I know those guys play hard every day. They play hard for us, and to see something like that is really special."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Carrasco narrowly avoided damage in the fourth inning by escaping a bases-loaded jam. After surrendering a one-out single to Mark Trumbo, Carrasco allowed back-to-back runners to reach with two outs by walking Renato Nunez and giving up a soft line-drive single to Timothy Beckham. Carrasco escaped by striking out Joey Rickard swinging, retiring the right fielder on an 84-mph curveball that found the bottom of the strike zone.

"You get in a close game like that, you've got to get a hit," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "I thought at the time, with the pitch count we had him at, that we might [get to him], but getting to their bullpen is no treat, either. They've got so many weapons down there and they added to it. That's why they're in first place. They're one of the best clubs in baseball and they've got a great guy in Terry who knows how to use the weapons."
SOUND SMART
Ramirez moved into third place for homers by a switch-hitter through 121 team games, passing Todd Hundley (who had 36 in 1996) and trailing only Mickey Mantle -- who owns the first two places (42 in 1956 and 45 in 1961).
MITEL REPLAY OF THE DAY
Francisco Lindor (1-for-4) led off the fifth with what appeared to be his first hit of the game, until the safe call by first-base umpire Nic Lentz was overturned after a replay review. Lindor grounded one up the middle, where it was fielded by second baseman Jonathan Villar in shallow center field near the cut of the infield. Villar ranged right and quickly threw across his body to first, though Cleveland's shortstop was narrowly called safe. However, the play was challenged by Showalter, and the call was overturned after a one-minute, 10-second review.

UP NEXT
Right-hander Adam Plutko (4-2, 4.75 ERA) will be officially recalled from Triple-A Columbus on Saturday to start against the Orioles in a 4:05 p.m. ET start at Progressive Field. Plutko is taking the rotation spot vacated by Trevor Bauer's recent trip to the disabled list with a stress fracture in his right fibula, which is expected to shelve Bauer for four to six weeks. Prior to Saturday's game, Cleveland will hold a ceremony to honor Hall of Famer Jim Thome. Righty Alex Cobb (3-15, 5.31 ERA) will start for Baltimore.