Roster Update: Prior to tonight’s game, Jerry Sands was added to the Indians 25 man roster to give the team some extra bench depth. Michael Brantley did return to the lineup today after missing two games with a sore back, but Sands will likely fill in if he does need to miss anymore time, keeping Mike Aviles and Ryan Raburn out of the outfield. To make room, Austin Adams, who is yet to pitch in a game this year, was optioned to AAA Columbus. Josh Tomlin was removed from the 40 man roster by moving him onto the 60 Day DL.
Player of the Game
Carlos Santana was part of both of the Indians successful run scoring endeavors today including a sixth inning that provided one of the only positive moments in the game for the Tribe today. Overall, he went 2/3 with a walk, double and 2 runs batted in. His first RBI came at the end of the rally in the sixth as his single scored the second run of the inning. In the eighth, he crushed a ball to the top of the wall in left that was reviewed for a home run, but fan interference left it as an RBI double with Michael Bourn scoring from first. With a Player of the Game score of 3.49, Santana is the first position player to win the award in 2015.
Feathers Up
The Indians never scored more than a single run in an inning while in Houston, but they finally showed what a healthy and improved version of the 2014 offense can do today when they put three on the board in the sixth today. Turning over to the top of the order with one out, each of the first five hitters reached safely including RBI knocks from Michael Brantley, Carlos Santana and Brandon Moss. Although Yan Gomes did end the threat with a double play, this is exactly the type of production expected by Terry Francona when he initially designed the lineup.
Milestone Alert: Part of that rally was a double by Brantley, the 146th double of his career, tying him with Dick Porter for 50th all-time in Indians history. It was also Brantley’s first hit of the season.
For the second straight game Kyle Crockett pitched a full hitless, scoreless inning, walking and striking out at least one. He was a phenom in 2014 and remains one of the question marks in 2015 as far as his ability to repeat that success. If he can, expect him to be the primary late inning lefty sooner than later.
Feathers Down
While the Indians defense remained officially error free through the first series, it was only a couple odd scoring decisions that have kept it that way. Today, their first big gaff of the season allowed a Tigers run to score in the second when Jose Ramirez and Michael Brantley bumped into each other in left field. Brantley had the easier path to the ball, but Ramirez called for it and was unable to complete the catch, although it hit his glove first. After the “single,” Anthony Gose had a legitimate single with two outs to bring home Nick Castellanos from second for the first run of the game.
Unlike the first three Indians starters, who allowed a combined six hits in 19.2 innings, Zach McAllister was no where near unhittable today. He did get lucky with a caught stealing early on that likely saved a run and was able to keep the Tigers from knocking any extra base hits through the first four innings, but with eleven hits allowed, things were uncomfortable the whole time he was on the mound. He was able to spread out the hits enough to avoid a blow out, but things caught up with him for the second time in the fourth inning when he gave up three straight two out hits. After Alex Avila walked to start the inning, Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez each knocked in one to push the score to 3-0. For some reason, he was allowed to start the fifth as well and a quick double and home run later saw him exit down by five.
The first official error of the season for the Indians was also recorded today as Marc Rzepczynski launched an easy inning ending ground ball into right field, turning a quick, one run seventh into an extra run and a runner on third. This runner also scored on a Ian Kinsler triple to right off Bryan Shaw giving Rzepczynski two unearned runs to go with that E1.
Final Score: Cleveland Indians 4 – Detroit Tigers 8
On Deck: Game two will take place at the same time (4:05 pm) tomorrow and will be the game to see for true baseball fans. Two of the top four AL starters from 2014 will face off as the Indians’ Corey Kluber will face the Tigers’ ace, David Price.
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