Roster Update: In order to make room for today’s starting pitcher, Cody Anderson, Tyler Naquin was optioned to AAA Columbus. While this move may be unpopular, Naquin unquestionably has a few things he can work on there and he was the safest drop as he still has options left.
Player of the Game
AIn a game with no runs scored and plenty allowed, Joba Chamberlain takes home his first Player of the Game as an Indian with 1.1 perfect innings. He came in for Kyle Crockett to retire the last batter in the sixth with a runner on first and he did, striking out Salvador Perez. He struck out the next batter he faced in the seventh as well and finished that inning without a batter reaching.
Feathers Up
Francisco Lindor recorded two hits on the afternoon, raising his series total to 5 for 8 with one run scored. In his last Last the last 14 games, he is 19-for-54 (.352) with ten runs, a home run and seven runs batted in.
Rajai Davis and Jason Kipnis each recorded one hit and Juan Uribe had two for the Indians. On a relatively quiet day for the offense, these were the only bright spots on the afternoon.
Feathers Down
Anderson got off to a very rough start in the top of the first. He allowed a three-run home run to Kendrys Morales deep into the seats in right-field, his seventh home-run allowed in the 2016 season. What made the home run worse is that prior, Morales was mired in a 5-for-42 slide (.119) over his last 11 games with only two extra-base hits (both doubles) over his last 19 games.
The Indians offense was held silent by Ian Kennedy. At one point, he retired 13 batters in a row and did not allow a base-runner for four innings in a row. His fastball was only topping out at 91-92 MPH but his change-up kept the Indians batters off balance for all of the evening. The Indians loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixthPrior to this afternoon’s start, the Indians won both career games started by Kennedy throughout his career, however the Tribe did not see the right-hander in nearly five years, as those victories came in April 2008 (Yankees) and June 2011 (Diamondbacks).
We all knew it couldn’t last forever and Jeff Manship‘s scoreless streak ended today. He came into the game for the eight with the Indians already down four and allowed four hits including a ground rule double to Eric Hosmer before being pulled from the game. Two runs scored while he was still in the game and another came in after, giving him his first appearance as an Indian where he allowed more than a single run. In fact, he allowed four all just last season. Dan Otero, who replaced Manship and allowed one run to score on a single, still maintains his perfect 0.00 ERA through 8.1 innings.
Final Score: Cleveland Indians 0 – Kansas City Royals 7
On Deck: Josh Tomlin will get the nod for the Indians tomorrow afternoon. The 31-year-old right-hander is scheduled to make his fifth start of the 2016 season in tomorrow’s series finale against the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field.He is set to pitch on regular four days’ rest after earning the win in his last start; he allowed two earned runs on nine hits and one home run with five strikeouts to kick off the Tribe’s current six-game homestand.
Dating back to the start of the 2015 season, Tomlin has won each of his last five starts, and 11 of his last 13 decisions. He is 6-1 with a 2.60 ERA (13ER/45.0IP) and five walks against 45 strikeouts in his seven home starts since the beginning of the 2015 campaign. He will be making his 13th career start & 17th career appearance against Kansas City, his most starts and appearances against any MLB team…he is 6-4 with a 5.11 ERA (46ER/81.0IP) in his previous 16 outings against them. He is 23-15 with a 4.30 ERA (130ER/272.0IP) in 43 career starts/48 career appearances at Progressive Field.
The Indians will face Edison Volquez. He will make his team-leading seventh start of the season and the 225th of his career. He is 3-2 with a 3.13 ERA (13 ER in 37.1 IP).
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