Player of the Game
With a 4-5 performance tonight, Lonnie Chisenhall raised his batting average over .300 to a respectable .311. Since mid-June, Chisenhall has recorded double-digit RBI and has been a contributing factor to the hot-hitting Tribe offense.
Feathers Up
Carlos Carrasco only pitched six innings tonight, but they were strong as he struck out five and allowed just one run to score on three hits. If Carrasco did have a problem, it was a lack of aggressiveness as he walked three including the lead-off hitter in the 6th, Ian Kinsler, who came around to score the Tigers only run.
The middle of the Indians line-up was busy tonight, getting them on over and in. Mike Napoli walked twice and scored twice with an RBI single as well, Jose Ramirez walked, singled, knocked one two and scored twice, Lonnie Chisenhall had four hits including two doubles and three RBI while Rajai Davis had a double, a single and a sac fly for two RBI total. While this started against Anibal Sanchez, who the Indians and the rest of the American League have beat up all season, it continued in the fifth inning and sixth innings after he was replaced by Buck Farmer. In all, the Indians scored crooked numbers in four innings and each time it involved the guys in the middle.
It was announced during the game that the Indians will be represented in the 2016 All-Star Game in San Diego by short stop Francisco Lindor and starting pitcher Danny Salazar. Lindor will start the game on the bench behind Red Sox Xander Bogaerts, but there is still a chance that Salazar could actually start the game on the mound. He currently leads the AL in ERA with a 2.36 mark, just ahead of fellow All-Star and former Indians farm hand Steven Wright at 2.42 and far ahead of everyone else. He is expected to start on Saturday against New York and would be eligible to pitch in the game if he does so.
While the 14 game overall winning streak is long gone, remnants remain as the Indians extended their winning streak against Detroit to 11 in a row and the winning streak at home to 13 straight.
Feathers Down
In the sixth there was an odd play, when Miguel Cabrera fouled a ball off his leg, Jose Ramirez threw to second, then Jason Kipnis relayed back to first. The ball was called fair for some reason by the home plate umpire and while Kinsler was safe at second, Cabrera was out at first. Cabrera was legitimately incensed and was thrown from the game for his reaction. This is a negative as no one deserves more to see the Tigers lose their 11th in a row against the Tribe than Cabrera. Also, the Indians are playing so well against Detroit right now, they don’t need any help from the boys in blue.
Final Score: Cleveland Indians 12 – Detroit Tigers 1
On Deck: Michael Fulmer will go against Josh Tomlin in the culmination of the three game series tomorrow at 12:10 PM. Last time Fulmer faced the Indians, he was making just his second MLB start and allowed five runs, but since then, he’s been one of the hottest pitchers in baseball allowing just three runs in his last nine starts covering 51.1 innings.
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