Roster Update: Carlos Carrasco has finally returned to the starting rotation after missing more than a month with a strained hamstring. He made tonight’s start after making one rehab appearance in Akron. To make room, Mike Clevinger was optioned back to AAA.
Player of the Game
While it was Carlos Santana‘s single and aggressive base running that set up the Indians win, it was Francisco Lindor‘s triple that actually did the job. His RBI hit and subsequent run scored allowed the Indians to walk off for the second consecutive day. He had another single and run scored in addition to his play in the ninth and played solid defense yet again.
Feathers Up
Jose Ramirez had another great game today with two hits, both integral to the Indians early scoring. In the second, Ramirez’s single moved Mike Napoli to third before he scored on another hit. In the third, he came up with two outs and Lindor on second. Lindor had reached on a single (that should have been called an error) and advanced to second on the overthrow. With two outs, Ramirez knocked him in with a single through the right side of the infield.
Carrasco gave up nine hits today, but besides the home run allowed to Drew Butera, most were on the ground and it allowed him to keep the Royals to just one run beyond that two run home run to left. A double play and a runner caught stealing helped him keep things under control in his first start back from the DL. This isn’t to say he had a great start, but it could have been a lot worse considering he spent so little time rehabbing in the minors after missing a month. He struck out one and walked one in five innings before being pulled due to his pitch limit.
Zach McAllister hasn’t pitched much over the last two weeks and that probably has something to do with his six hits, seven runs and two home runs allowed over his last three appearances (across 16 team games). Whether it was the limited play was the cause or effect is yet to be determined, but he pitched well for an inning tonight, throwing a scoreless seventh. He did allow two hits in the eighth while retiring just one, but Tommy Hunter (with help from Ramirez) came in and saved him with a double play on his first pitch.
With the Indians bullpen keeping the game within two, the offense was able to come back against one of the best bullpens in baseball. Tyler Naquin came through in the clutch in the 8th, knocking in Napoli from third with a two out single to bring the game within one. They would get the next two the next inning when Santana singled, went to second on a misplay, third on a Kipnis bunt and scored on the Lindor triple. Lindor himself came home on a Napoli sac fly to win the game.
Feathers Down
The Tribe scored one run in the second, but it ultimately wound up as another situation where what could have been a big inning was cut short. Napoli, Ramirez and Lonnie Chisenhall all singled to start the inning, scoring the first run of the game and leaving runners at second and third. The Indians were unable to get that run home from third, however as Yan Gomes struck out then Naquin flew out to left and Ramirez decided not to try to score. Rajai Davis extended the inning with a walk to load the bases, but Carlos Santana weakly grounded out to pitcher to end the inning.
Final Score: Cleveland Indians 5 – Kansas City Royals 4
On Deck: The Indians will be back at 7:10 PM again tomorrow night in Cleveland facing off against Edinson Volquez for the Royals. Danny Salazar will pitch with an extra day’s rest as Carrasco was inserted into the rotation in front of him.
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