Player of the Game
Indians’ starter Carlos Carrasco continues to be thorn in the Rays side, especially pitching at Tropicana Field. He was able to keep the Rays from scoring through 7 2/3 innings as gave the Indians a much needed victory. He allowed four hits while striking out eight and walking one. He allowed only one earned one, coming in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Feathers Up
Carrasco pitched a brilliant game. This was his sixth career start and seventh career appearance against Tampa Bay. He has now made quality starts in five of six career starts against Rays, including each of his last three starts against them. Carrasco has now struck out 5-or-more batters in 20 straight games dating back to June 13th of last season. According to the Cleveland Indians media guide, it is the second-longest active streak in the majors behind Clayton Kershaw and is the second-longest such streak in Indians history behind Bob Feller’s record of 28 consecutive games (September 9, 1945-July 20, 1946)
The Indians started the scoring in the top of the 4th, finally getting to Rays starter Drew Smyly who had pitched solidly up to that point. Rajai Davis started the rally when he doubled to left center on a 2-2 slider. Jason Kipnis followed followed with a soft single to right on a 1-0 fastball, although the ball was not hit hard enough to score Davis from second. Francisco Lindor then grounded into a force out at second but was able to score Davis from third. Mike Napoli doubled Lindor to third and Carlos Santana hit a sacrifice fly which scored both Napoli and Lindor. Napoli was able to score from second because of a throwing error from Rays second baseman Logan Forsythe on the relay from the outfield.
Kipnis launched his first home-run of the season to deep right field in the top of the eighth inning.
Feathers Down
The top two hitters in the Indians lineup combined for four strikeouts in the game, not a good statistic when you hit at the top of the order.
The only Indians to record hits on the evening were Davis, Kipnis (HR) and Napoli.
Final Score: Cleveland Indians 4 – Tampa Bay Rays 1
On Deck:
Danny Salazar is scheduled to make his second start of the season on Thursday in the finale of this 3-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays; it will mark the 62nd game and start of his career. He will be pitching on 5 days rest after making his 2016 season debut April 8th at U.S. Cellular Field against the Chicago White Sox. He earned the win after allowing one earned run on two hits with seven strikeouts in 5.1 innings of work. Salazar will be making his second career start against the Rays; he earned the win in the Tribe’s 7-3 victory at Tropicana Field after allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits in 7.2 innings of work on June 30, 2015.
Salazar will square off against Rays ace Chris Archer. He has struggled early on, going 0-2 with a 7.20 ERA through two starts and is 0-5 with a 6.15 ERA in 8 starts dating back to the start of last September, the longest losing streak of his career (prev. 4, June 28–July 29, 2015). Furthermore, has gone 5 IP or less in 5 straight starts since Sep 21, 2015, longest such streak of his career.
The game will be played at 1:10pm and can be seen on Sports Time Ohio.
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