Player of the Game
As much as both authors at Burning River Baseball rag on Jason Giambi, he deserves tonight’s award. You can find out why by reading what he did in the “Feathers Up” section.
Feathers Up
Lonnie Chisenhall put the Indians on the board in the top of the fourth with an RBI double to right-center field. Chisenhall is currently second in Major League Baseball with a .376 AVG, behind only Colorado’s Troy Tulowitzki with a minimum of 100 PA’s.
Also in that inning, Giambi hit his first home run of the season. With two runners on base and behind in the count 0-1, Giambi blasted a Bud Norris fastball into the left field stands. It was, without a doubt, Giambi’s biggest hit of the 2014 campaign. At the time, the Tribe was down 3-1; the three-run bomb increased the Indians chance of winning by nearly 26%.
Michael Bourn acted how a lead-off hitter should by reaching base three times: twice via walk and once with a base-hit.
Starter T.J. House did what was asked of him: He saved a fatigued bullpen by pitching six fair innings and keeping his team in the game throughout. In the past two games prior to this one, Indians relievers had pitched 18 1/3 innings. House was able to give the bullpen a little extra rest. However, his outing was far from good. You can read more in the “Feathers Down” section below.
Feathers Down
It was not a good first Major League start for House, who showed that he still has some refining left at Columbus. He suffered the loss by allowing 11 hits, two home-runs, and five earned runs in those six innings of work. He allowed at least two base runners to reach in four innings and he could not hold the lead after Giambi’s fourth inning go ahead home-run.
Errors and miscues have hampered this team all season and tonight was no different. In the critical bottom of the seventh inning, the O’s Nelson Cruz hit a slow come-backer back to Indians reliever Mark Lowe with runners on second and first. Lowe attempted the double play by getting trying to get the runner advancing to second. Unfortunately, he failed to set his feet and threw the ball into center field. The fielders choice and error led to three more runs in the inning and raised the O’s chance of winning by 15%. If the double play is turned, the Indians escape the inning still down by only one run.
The loss ended the Tribe’s four-game winning streak.
Final Score: Cleveland Indians 4 – Baltimore Orioles 8
On Deck: Tomorrow afternoon at 12:35 PM, Indians ace Corey Kluber will take the hill as he takes on former Indian Ubaldo Jimenez and the Orioles in the third game of a four game series.
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