Jason Kipnis stepped to the plate in the bottom of the 9th inning, representing the tying run. There were two outs. Given recent transactions, what would be the reaction to a game-tying home run from the long-tenured Indians second baseman? For fans, immediate pandemonium for a spectacular last-inning comeback. For writers, speculative articles about whether the Indians hitter’s magazine epiphany represented a true return to form that ultimately makes the acquisition of Josh Donaldson confusing. For Kipnis, I can’t imagine it would be anything but blissful vindication.
He struck out.