Indians' Carlos Santana hits 5 home runs in 4-game series vs. Royals, remains scorching hot

If it weren't for Carlos Santana, this past week may have been the nail in the coffin for the Cleveland Indians' postseason hopes.

The Indians (52-53) remain on the outside looking in after losing six of their last eight, but Santana's efforts alone arguably helped avoid two consecutive sweeps.

Santana hit two more home runs Sunday to up his four-game total against Kansas City to five, helping the Indians salvage a series finale victory. He remains one of the hottest hitters in the league after a poor start to the year.

The Indians first baseman hit .643 (9-for-14) with five home runs, five walks, one double, six runs, and a stolen base over the four-game series. 

How hot is Santana? ESPN Stats & Info breaks it down:

Santana is the first player in baseball this season to homer five times in a series and only the sixth player in Indians history to do it. He also homered on Tuesday, giving him six homers in his last six games. That’s more home runs than 20 teams over that span. 

The faster the better:

Four of Santana’s five homers in the series came against fastballs, including two on Sunday from Yordano Ventura at 97 and 100 MPH. 

Santana has four home runs this season on fastballs of 95+ MPH, tied with Josh Donaldson for most in MLB. He has eight such homers over the last two seasons, two more than anyone else. 

After hitting only .159 with a .628 OPS over the first two months this season, Santana has turned his season around. His performance against fastballs has been a big reason why. 

Santana is hitting a MLB-best .422 against fastballs (2/4-seam) since the start of June. He hit only .189 against those pitches over the first two months of the season.

Santana also helped his club avoid a three-game sweep at the hands of the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday, matching a season-high with four hits, including a home run.

Even more impressive, the switch-hitting Santana is doing his damage from both sides of the plate.

Royals manager Ned Yost:

Oh, man, he's hot as a firecracker, isn't he? Hitting homers right-handed, hitting homers left-handed. Five homers in the series, right? Really swinging the bat well. He's hot.

Santana, who went 3-for-3 Sunday and reached base in all five plate appearances, said he's locked in right now.

I know I'm hot, but I'm taking the same approach. This can happen in this game when a player gets focused. It's a help to the team.

The 28-year-old is the first player to hit five homers in a series since Hunter Pence last September, according to ESPN.