Player of the Game
For getting out of a particularly difficult situation and pitching another scoreless inning afterward, Joba Chamberlain is your Indians co-Player of the Game. His WPA of 1.87 was almost completely derived from his two outs in the fifth, which will be further expounded upon later on. Lonnie Chisenhall earned an identical 1.87 WPA for his efforts with a double, two singles and a steal.
Feathers Up
Tyler Naquin continues to be a spark plug for the Tribe offense and he hit what may have been his hardest contact yet today off Jerad Eickhoff in the fifth inning. The triple went off the wall in center and Obudel Herrera couldn’t make the play. Naquin then scored on a Roberto Perez sacrifice fly. The Indians first run was also scored on a sacrifice fly after Lonnie Chisenhall doubled, moved to second on a Trevor Bauer sacrifice, then scored on a fly from Jason Kipnis. The same two hitters finished off the rally in the fifth as well as Chisenhall singled, stole second and scored on a Kipnis single.
For as unpredictable as the Indians late and close relief has been, their Indians middle relief has been very nearly literally perfect. After Bauer came out of the game today with runners on first and third, Kyle Crockett came in and got a ground ball to Juan Uribe at third to catch the runner going home. Joba Chamberlain then came in and used a fly to right center to get the second out and a great play at home from Roberto Perez to finish the inning without score. While these runs would have been attributed to Bauer, Chamberlain and Crockett along with Jeff Manship and Dan Otero have yet to give up one of their own runs this season.
Feathers Down
Trevor Bauer was less than impressive in his first start of the season after beginning the year in the bullpen. In the first, he allowed a single on the first pitch of the game, then a two run home run to the second hitter, Freddy Galvis. The Phillies then added another in the second when their starting pitcher, Jerad Eickhoff, singled to center to score Darin Ruf. As a positive takeaway from this outing, Bauer was pounding the strike zone and it was largely the aggressive style of the Phillies hitters that caused his problems more than a lack of ability or concentration.
Bauer pitched well in the third and fourth, but allowed a walk and a single in the fifth before exiting. His final at bat against Herrera was a lengthy seven pitch affair that included Bauer quickly getting up 0-2 before throwing four pick offs to first and avoiding the strike zone until the count was full. Needing to throw a strike, the pitch was too good and resulted in runners at first and third and Kyle Crocket entering the game so Bauer wouldn’t have to face Galvis a second time. Bauer threw 78 pitches in all, an impressive total for a pitcher who was throwing at most two innings as of last week.
The Indians continue to play close games that seem to always be decided in the final innings. Tonight, coming into the ninth down one, Jose Ramirez, pinch hitting for the pitcher, and Lonnie Chisenhall singled with one out in the inning. Rajai Davis then hit into a fielder’s choice to put runners on the corner with two outs. Davis stole second on a swinging strike from Kipnis, but the game ended with the runners stranded there when Kipnis lined out to right on a drive that he scorched off Jeanmar Gomez. It was the Indians second straight 3-4 loss to the Phillies and the Indians fifth game in a row to be decided by just one run. The loss puts the Indians a game under .500 again, leaving them at 10-11 for the month of April.
Final Score: Cleveland Indians 3 – Philadelphia Phillies 4
On Deck: Danny Salazar will toe the rubber for the Tribe on the first day of May and the final game of the Tribe’s three game set in Philadelphia. Right hander Vince Velasquez will go for the Phillies at 2:35 PM at Citizens Bank Field.
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