Player of the Game
For the second game in a row, Mike Napoli takes home the Player of the Game, this time with a two run home run and a walk.
Feathers Up
Carlos Santana broke up a no hitter by Chris Tillman in the bottom of the fourth with a lead-off solo home run and that showed Mike Napoli that is wasn’t such a hard thing to do. After Francisco Lindor walked, Napoli hit a bomb of his own to shrink the deficit from four runs to one. In a more unusual source of power, Jason Kipnis added a solo home run of his own in the sixth inning to tie the game at four.
Feathers Down
Mike Clevinger had major control problems early today, something that was not generally a problem during the last two years in the Indians minor league system. He walked two in the first, combined with two hits to allow three runs, then walked another in the second. While it wasn’t a walk, the two out Mark Trumbo double in the first that scored all three runs was set up when Clevinger got behind early in the at bat and had to throw a pitch over the middle of the plate or risk walking in a run. When Clevinger got ahead, however, he was dominant, striking out four.
After Dan Otero pitched two scoreless innings, allowing the Indians to tie the game, Jeff Manship gave up the first home run of rookie Hyun-Soo Kim’s career to push Baltimore ahead by one. It was Manship’s third consecutive game with an appearance and, despite Kim being left handed, Ryan Merritt remained in the bullpen. Merritt has not pitched since being called up a week ago so the Indians could have an eight man bullpen.
The Indians had a perfect chance to tie the game and take the lead in the eighth after Kipnis singled and Lindor doubled him to third, but it just didn’t work out. Napoli quickly grounded out, keeping both runners in position, then after an intentional walk of Jose Ramirez, both Lonnie Chisenhall and Yan Gomes struck out. Chisenhall had a lengthy at bat after starting out 2-0, but he was obviously looking inside as he fouled off multiple balls that were far off the plate inside and high. When Darren O’Day realized and threw one right over the plate on the outer half, Chisenhall just stood and watched for strike three.
Final Score: Cleveland Indians 4 – Baltimore Orioles 6
On Deck: Josh Tomlin will take the mound for the Tribe on Memorial Day with a 6:10 PM start time. It will be the first game of three with the Texas Rangers, who will have Colby Lewis starting.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
