Jose Ramirez's role as Guardians super hero continues to grow | Jeff Schudel

Jun. 10—Terry Francona has been searching for superlatives to describe Jose Ramirez for 10 years now, but usually those remarks from the Guardians manager aren't used to describe J-Ram's home run power.

Ramirez hit three home runs in one game for the first time in his career on June 8 when the Guardians pounded the Red Sox, 9-2. He was the first Cleveland player to accomplish the feat since Edwin Encarnacion did it on May 2, 2018.

"I was happy for him because he plays every game with exuberance," Francona said on June 9. "He's not afraid to show it. When it doesn't work, I think he gets frustrated because he knows how important he is to our lineup.

"But I was happy for him. I like seeing the way our guys respond to him and to see him with that little smile. That's good."

Here is a list of the other Indians who hit three homers in one game this century: Elis Burks, June 19, 2001; Jim Thome, July 6, 2001; Victor Martinez, July 16, 2004; Travis Hafner, July 20, 2004; Sin-Soo Choo, Sept. 17, 2010 and Lonnie Chisenhall, June 9, 2014.

Ramirez homered, doubled and singled in the 10-9, 14-inning win over the Astros on June 9. The Astros walked him three times — twice intentionally. He never stops hustling. That's how he impresses his teammates most.

"That's how he is as a player every single year," Tyler Freeman said. "If he's not hot or he is hot, he's the same player every single day. When he's on, he's fun to watch. I'll tell you that.

"Before the (June 9) game even started, he hadn't had an at-bat yet and he said, 'I'm going to hit for the cycle.' All he needed was a triple. He's a very special player."

Ramirez became the first player since Hafner, who slugged five home runs in games July 19 and 20, 2004, to have five or more extra-base hits in back-to-back games. The three-hit game June 9 was the 90th of his career. He ranks 15th in franchise history in that category.

Ramirez is so respected — or feared — by opposing pitchers that he has been intentionally walked 11 times. No other hitter in the Majors has been intentionally walked more than six times.

All of Ramirez's numbers are impressive. They are what sports writers see when they cast their MVP votes at the end of the season — and maybe their Hall of Fame votes five years after Ramirez retires. But what Francona also appreciates is the example he sets for every other player on the team.

"I told Jose and Amed (Rosario) two years ago, I knew we were going to be young," Francona said. "I told them, 'I won't harp on these guys about running to first if the veterans don't do it.' But when they do it, it validates everything you're saying."

—What is the hottest-hitting team in the Major Leagues? Believe it or not, that would be your sometimes ulcer-creating, often exasperating, but suddenly clicking Cleveland Guardians.

Heading into games played June 9, the Guardians had collected 115 hits since May 28. That is the most of all 30 teams in the Majors in that span. The Atlanta Braves are second with 112 hits. The Guardians collected another 14 hits in the 10-9 marathon over the Astros in the June 9 game.

The barrage is a sign the Guardians are starting to turn things around, as they always do when the weather starts getting warm. They are still below sea level at 30-33, but they are on track to overtake the first-place Minnesota Twins, who sit in the low-rent AL Central penthouse at 32-32, before the end of June. The Guards were 1.5 games behind Minnesota at the start of play June 10.

Through it all, the mood in the clubhouse has been upbeat. The G-men came from behind five times after the sixth inning to tie the June 9 game and finally won it on an RBI double by Will Brennan, who drove in Freeman to break the tie after the Astros took a 9-8 lead in the top of the 14th. It was the second hit in the game for the rookie right fielder.

"I think guys are letting the game come to them," Brennan said. "We're not really forcing the issue. We had eight hits in a row when we beat Boston (9-2). Obviously, hitting is contagious. You can see that from day to day.

"We've played 30 one-run games. They were bound to come our way at some time."

The Guardians are 13-17 in one-run games.

The June 9 game put the Guardians in the record book. They are the only team in MLB team in the modern era to erase a deficit five separate times in the seventh inning or later in the same game, according to @optaSTATS.

Brennan didn't want to talk about himself, but he has been red-hot since May 28. He is hitting .462 since then (18 for 39) with two home runs, five doubles and eight RBI. The mobbing from his teammates after his clutch hit marked his first career walk-off.

"I got doused with water; it was really cool," Brennan said.

Francona said Brennan is the best play on the Guardians roster getting down the first base line.

"But he's still learning to run with his eyes up," Francona said. "We called him up last September and he mostly DH'd. He did really well. Now he's playing the outfield for the first time (in the Majors).

"There are some things with the speed of this game that are a first for him. When you maintain the hustle but also know where the ball is — Jose is the best I've ever seen. It's like another sense. I don't know if you can teach people that sense, but when you know where the ball is, you're going to be a much more intelligent baserunner, which in turn makes you better."

Just one more accolade for Ramirez from Francona. Stay tuned. There are more to come.

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