CLEVELAND -- Danny Salazar leaned over the top rail in the Indians' dugout, both arms raised in the air in celebration. After crossing home plate, Francisco Lindor waited for Michael Brantley, so they could do their signature handshake. It all looked so routine.
There was nothing routine about the Tribe's eight-run outburst in the third inning on Sunday, just as there is nothing typical about Brantley's comeback this season. In a 12-4 rout over the Mariners, Brantley came up big again, punctuating Cleveland's game-changing frame with a towering two-run home run to right field.
"He doesn't look like he's missed a beat," Indians outfielder Lonnie Chisenhall said. " A lot of people don't get to see what he has to do in the training room, the weight room, before the games to get out there and perform just like he always has. That's the impressive thing."
Brantley, who was limited to only 11 games last season due to right shoulder and biceps issues -- injuries serious enough to require two surgeries -- has played an integral role in Cleveland's solid start this season. Back in left and the No. 3 spot in the lineup, Brantley has hit .308 with five homers, four doubles, 17 RBIs and a .916 OPS through 20 games.
Cleveland and Seattle were in a 1-1 deadlock in the third inning, when Brantley got things rolling with a routine single to right off rookie Chase De Jong. When the smoke cleared, the chaotic third inning included 43 pitches, 11 batters, eight runs, six hits, two walks, two strikeouts, two pitchers, one double, one triple, one home run, one stolen base and one sac fly.
"Obviously, the third inning got away from us," Mariners manager Scott Servais said.
Along the way, the Indians capitalized on a few key breaks.
With one out and runners on second and third, Chisenhall sent a pitch from De Jong down the first-base line and into shallow right field. Second baseman Robinson Cano tracked down the popup, but Ramirez was ready to pounce at third. The fleet-footed Ramirez tagged up, sprinted home and slid in just ahead of the throw and tag attempt for a key run.
"The way he runs the bases, his baseball IQ, his aggressiveness -- you see stuff like that," Chisenhall said. "It wouldn't click for some players, but some players don't run like him."
Abraham Almonte followed with a towering fly ball to deep right field, where Mariners outfielder Ben Gamel lost the ball in the sun. It dropped to the warning track, scoring Kipnis and creating enough time for Almonte to leg out a triple.
One batter later, Roberto Perez pulled a sharp grounder to shortstop Jean Segura, who could not corral the ball, allowing Almonte to score.
The wheels fell off from there for Seattle. Reliever Casey Fien entered, walked Carlos Santana and then allowed a two-run double to Lindor. That set the stage for Brantley, who drilled a 2-2 pitch over the wall in right for his two-run blast, giving the Indians a 9-1 lead.
There is nothing routine about what Brantley is doing for the Indians.
"There's not a lot of guys that can miss a whole year and come back and pick up where they left off," Indians starter Josh Tomlin said. "This is not that easy of a game, but he makes it look like it is. That's a testament to doing your homework. He's above and beyond, one of the hardest workers I've ever seen."