Roster Update: The Indians added one more player back to the team today now that rosters have expanded. Ryan Raburn is back from the 15 Day DL, where he has been since August 18th with a sore right wrist and was in the lineup tonight. The Indians total active roster now sits at 30 with Chris Gimenez and Josh Tomlin likely to return in the next few days.
Player of the Game
The Indians didn’t score much tonight, but what they did came off the bat of Carlos Santana in the first inning. After Michael Brantley singled, Santana smashed a home run to right to give the Indians an early 2-0 lead. Santana also walked twice later in the game for a 4.58 POG score and his second award in five days.
Feathers Up
Carlos Carrasco danced in and out of trouble all night, giving up base runners in each inning from the second on and ten overall in 5.1 innings, but was able to keep the Tigers from scoring for the most part. The only run he did allow was his own fault when he walked Alex Avila on a close pitch with the bases loaded. For the rest, Carrasco kept the Tigers on the bases by striking out ten, including two huge K’s with the bases loaded and none out in the second, two to end the fourth with runners at second and third and three in the fifth with runners at first and third and none out. While he did give up a lot of hits, his ability to get out of tough situations tonight was nothing short of miraculous.
Scott Atchison continued on with Carrasco’s mastery, finishing the sixth and starting Carrasco’s last runner, then pitching the seventh as well, striking out two while giving up a lone double to Victor Martinez, who was stranded at second by Bryan Shaw to end the inning. Shaw pitched the eighth as well and, although he did give up an infield single to Rajai Davis on a close play to second, Yan Gomes caught him stealing to clean the bases once again.
Milestone Alert: Shaw earned a hold tonight, officially his 20th of the season although, once Sunday’s suspended game is completed he will have 21. With 21 on the year and 33 in his Indians career, he is now tied with David Riske for ninth all time in Indians history.
Feathers Down
Kyle Lobstein was even better than Carrasco, matching him with 5.1 innings and ten strike outs, but allowing just five hits and three walks (Carrasco allowed 11 total base runners). The Indians did score twice off Lobstein in the first, using a Michael Brantley single to set up a Carlos Santana two run homer, but they were unable to score again off the young left hander.
Miguel Cabrera, the two time MVP and Triple Crown winner, has always killed the Indians and this season is no different batting .439 after three more hits tonight, but it is J.D. Martinez who Tribe pitchers must truly fear. The Tigers left fielder, who generally bats behind two much more fearsome hitters, in Cabrera and Victor Martinez, has batted .349 against the Indians this year with five home runs and 14 RBI in 11 games. Tonight, it was him and not Cabrera or Victor, who struck the killing blow with a three run home run in the top of the ninth against Cody Allen to give the Tigers their first lead of the night.
Final Score: Cleveland Indians 2 – Detroit Tigers 4
On Deck: Game three of four in the pivotal series between Detroit and Cleveland will take place Wednesday nigth at 7:05 PM in Cleveland. Danny Salazar will face off against the infamous Justin Verlander.
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