CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Francisco Lindor, the guy with the potent bat, the team leader in home runs, the polished, poised spark plug of a shortstop, is not going to stop bunting.

If there's a runner on base he wants to advance 90 feet, he's going to hold his lumber like a limbo bar.

If there's an opportunity to place the ball in the Bermuda Triangle of the infield, he's going to square up.

If there is a need for one precious run, he's going to sacrifice his turn at the plate for whomever lurks on deck.

"I don't care what you guys say, I'm going to bunt," Lindor said. "That's just me."

He shouldn't care what anyone says -- aside from his coaches and teammates, of course. But there's something peculiar about perhaps the most proficient hitter on a team self-curtailing the threat he poses opposing pitchers.

"I'm not a power hitter," said Lindor, one of 18 American League batters with at least 10 home runs. "I just have to make sure I get my bunts down, get my runners over. I want the RBI, but sometimes you have to play to win."

With Jason Kipnis on first, Lindor attempted a bunt in the opening frame of the Indians' 8-7 win against the Rays on May 15.

Not all bunts are created equal.

"I was trying to bunt for a hit," he said. "I wasn't trying to sacrifice. I was trying to bunt it hard down the line because [third baseman Evan Longoria] was playing me more toward the shortstop."

In this instance, it's somewhat understandable. Lindor is speedy enough to potentially scamper safely to first on such a play. However, he bunted into a fielder's choice, as Kipnis was erased at second. The Indians proceeded to rack up five runs in the inning, with help from an erratic Chris Archer, who walked three and tossed a wild pitch before he could record three outs.

"I was just trying to get something going quick," Lindor said. "It's a lot easier to win once you get the first run immediately. First run, you're up 1-0 or you tie the game in the first inning, the game goes a lot better."

There's no denying that. Though the formula didn't work on Wednesday, the Indians stand at 15-8 when they score first this season.

But instead of a submissive sacrifice, couldn't Lindor deliver a base hit or still advance the runner even in making an out? It's a bit baffling.

On May 7, Lindor dropped a bunt in the top of the first to send Carlos Santana to third. Michael Brantley and Edwin Encarnacion failed to deliver the run. That isn't Lindor's fault, but it sure illustrates how the bunting method is far from foolproof.

In the top of the fifth inning on Wednesday, Billy Hamilton shifted a pair of runners with a sacrifice bunt. Hamilton doesn't hit for power and he owns a career .300 on-base percentage. Not to mention, he possesses unparalleled speed, so he has a better chance at reaching first than most, as the Indians cruelly learned four innings later.

In the bottom of the fifth, Lindor advanced Kipnis to third with one out. Brantley flied out to shallow right, so Kipnis held tight at the hot corner. Santana then bailed out his team with a two-out RBI double.

Lindor led the league with 13 sacrifice bunts during his 99-game rookie season in 2015. He tallied three sac bunts last season and has supplied three more so far this season.

"If that's what it takes, I'm going to do it," Lindor said. "I don't care. I'm going to do it."