Hernández 1st Tribe hitter to pull off this feat

CLEVELAND — For over 119 seasons, the Cleveland organization has been putting together lineups for every game of every season, and not one player had accomplished the feat that César Hernández pulled off on Monday. Hernández started off the Indians’ 3-2 loss to the Twins with a bang, launching his

CLEVELAND — For over 119 seasons, the Cleveland organization has been putting together lineups for every game of every season, and not one player had accomplished the feat that César Hernández pulled off on Monday.

Hernández started off the Indians’ 3-2 loss to the Twins with a bang, launching his 13th career leadoff homer in the bottom of the first after also starting Sunday’s game against the Tigers with a long ball for his first home run of the year. It marked the first time that a member of the Tribe hit leadoff homers in back-to-back games.

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It’s hard to believe that past leadoff hitters like Francisco Lindor, Grady Sizemore or Kenny Lofton weren’t first to the feat, but it may be even more difficult to believe that Hernández has been the steady rock of the top of the Tribe’s lineup that boasts José Ramírez, Lindor and Carlos Santana.

The Indians were optimistic with their switch-hitting top of the order heading into the year, but after Hernández, the team’s usual providers have been silent. The Tribe’s leadoff man turned in his eighth multihit game of the year on Monday, which is the second most for the Indians, trailing just Franmil Reyes.