Player of the Game
Juan Uribe came into the game with one hit in 19 at bats, but he won the battle of the veterans tonight as he went 3 for 3 against Bartolo Colon. The rest of the team had just five hits against the 42 year old, but Uribe certainly looked comfortable, ultimately ending Colon’s night with a double in the sixth. While he didn’t knock in or score a run, he still lead all Indians with a WPA of .205.
Lost in the WPA mix because their hits had less to do with changing the Indians chances of winning, Jason Kipnis went 3/5 with two doubles, two runs and an RBI and Carlos Santana went 1/3 with two walks, two RBI and a run scored on his ninth inning home run.
Feathers Up
There was a lot of action early on in this game and overall, it probably worked out in the Indians favor. On the negative side, Santana had a two run home run called back after a discussion between the umpires and, although he walked, neither runner ultimately scored. The home run wasn’t sent to replay, but another play the following inning was. In the top of the second, Asdrubal Cabrera doubled down the right field line with Neil Walker on first. Walker tried to score on the play and was initially called safe despite great throws from Marlon Byrd in right and Kipnis with the relay. Yan Gomes quickly applied the tag and after replay review, Walker was called out by the slimmest of margins. Instead of gaining the lead, the Mets then ended the inning tied at one when Tyler Naquin made a catch against the wall in left to end the inning.
Trevor Bauer looked terrific again in two innings of relief, stranding a runner and striking out one. Outside of his first appearance this year, when he allowed a two run home run to David Ortiz, Bauer hasn’t allowed a run or an extra base hit this year. Since Josh Tomlin hasn’t even pitched yet (he’s scheduled tomorrow), there’s no need for another starter yet, but given how shaky the bullpen has looked this year, Bauer could quickly become an important member of the relief corps.
The Indians staged a comeback in the ninth and ultimately fell just one run short after being down four from the fifth inning on. Santana made up for his two run home run that was called foul in the first with one to center that counted this time and another run scored after Gomes and Byrd hit consecutive singles. Uribe’s walk put the go ahead run on base, but Jose Ramirez flew out to left to end the game.
Feathers Down
Cody Anderson didn’t allow many base runners early tonight, but the Mets found ways to score with the bases empty. In the first inning, Michael Conforto put them on the board first with a solo shot to straight center, then Alejandro De Aza added another solo shot in the fifth to give the Mets a one run lead for a second time. After quickly getting through the next two hitters in the fifth, Conforto singled on a dribbler down the third base line with the shift on the right side and Yoenis Cespedes brought him home with a two out, two run home run to center. In general, most of the contact against Anderson was weak, but when the Mets hitters did hit it solid, they pounded Anderson including the three home runs and the deep fly caught by Naquin.
Anderson was removed from the game after another single went against the shift in the fifth and things didn’t get better when the left handed Ross Detwiler came in to pitch against the switch hitter Walker. On the first pitch, Walker launched the longest home run of the night half way up the bleachers in left to give the Mets a 6-1 lead. To make things even worse, Francisco Lindor booted an easy ground ball for his first error of the season before Byrd finally recorded the final out on a fly to right.
Final Score: Cleveland Indians 5 – New York Mets 6
On Deck: The Indians and Mets will play again tomorrow at 4:10 PM in Cleveland with Tomlin facing off against one of the New York aces, Matt Harvey in the Saturday matinee. At the moment, it appears the Indians are lucky enough that they won’t have to face the Mets other two aces, Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom.
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