Roster Update: Carlos Carrasco was activated from the DL prior to tonight’s game after being placed there with right shoulder soreness originally on August 26th, retroactive to the 22nd. The only players left on the Indians disabled list are T.J. House and Nick Hagadone, both of whom will likely miss the rest of the season.
Player of the Game
In a game of little offense and particularly poor pitching, Michael Brantley provided a little excitement with a home run and an outfield assist. The two run shot, his only hit of the night, came in the eighth with the Indians down by six runs and scored Mike Aviles who had doubled. Aviles also had a nice game with three hits and a defensive gem of his own.
Feathers Up
Like in his first appearance, Giovanni Soto retired the first batter he faced to end the inning and strand a couple runners (it did take him more than one pitch this time). Unlike his first time out, he was allowed to stay in the game afterward and did a nice job in a 1-2-3 fourth inning.
Milestone Alert: Brantley’s 8th inning, two run home run was too little, too late for the Tribe, but it did allow him to score his 397th career run. This moves him into a tie with Brett Butler for 50th most in Indians history.
Feathers Down
Abraham Almonte was in the original lineup, but was a late scratch due to an inflamed hair follicle on his left arm. He was replaced in center field by Michael Martinez.
There was some good and some bad in Carrasco’s return to the rotation, but the takeaway will probably be mostly negative. He threw a perfect first, but allowed two singles and the first hit of the season by catcher Rob Brantly, a three run home run to open the scoring. Carrasco also allowed a solo home run to Jose Abreu, but it was on a pitch low and out of the strike zone and he is Jose Abreu, so it’s hard to blame Carrasco too much. He did manage to strike out five in his short 2.2 inning appearance.
Austin Adams didn’t help matters when he allowed a double and two singles in the fifth to give back the one run the Indians had scored in the top frame. Again it was Abreu with the RBI hit and like with Carrasco, Adams was relieved with two runners on and two outs and the left hander ended the inning without further damage. This time, that lefty was Kyle Crockett and he was removed after facing just one hitter.
The onslaught continued against Ryan Webb as Abreu continued to eat up the Indians pitchers. His seventh inning double put runners on second and third and, despite an incredible defensive play by Mike Aviles for the first out, both would eventually score on a Trayce Thompson single to left. Thompson himself would be thrown out at second by Brantley, his team best 8th assist on the season.
Final Score: Cleveland Indians 4 – Chicago White Sox 7
Scoreboard Watch: Two Central division foes helped out the Tribe tonight as the Royals beat the Twins 4-2, and the Tigers beat the Rays. Texas against Seattle and the Angels against the Dodgers started late.
On Deck: The Indians will play their final game in Chicago this year Wednesday night at 8:10 PM as Josh Tomlin goes up against the shark, Jeff Samardzija.
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