Player of the Game
For the second game in a row, your top player is Lonnie Chisenhall as he repeated his line yesterday with another home run and three more RBI. This time, they all came at the same time with a three run home run to right against long reliever Tyrell Jenkins. He added a single later to go 2 for 3 on the day. This supplants Trevor Bauer‘s four game Player of the Game streak in games he has started.
Feathers Up
It didn’t take long for Indians fans to notice the odd delivery of tonight’s starter John Gant that involves a step, a hesitation, then the continuation of the pitch. Because of this lengthy hesitation, the delivery is unfit for when men are on base and he throws completely differently from the stretch. The results are different as well as, prior to tonight, he allowed a .203/.271/.391 line with none on and a .357/.420/.571 line from the stretch with more than 50 plate appearances of each type. He also struck out 27% of batters with none on compared to 19% with runners on. The Indians took advantage of this in the first when Francisco Lindor snuck a liner down the left field line for a double, then Mike Napoli knocked him home with a two out, line shot up the middle.
Francisco Lindor reached base three times tonight with a double, single and a walk and has now reached eight times in his last three games and scored six runs. Tonight, the first run came off Napoli’s single and the second, after another Napoli single, on a three run home run from Chisenhall.
Napoli got something started in the eighth with his legs, as surprising as that may be. After singling, he took second on a ball that just got away from the catcher and third on an overthrow into center. He scored on a Jose Ramirez single, then Ramirez scored on Tyler Naquin‘s second double of the game. Both of Naquin’s doubles were wind aided as the outfielder went back to the wall, then misplayed the catch to allow the Indians center fielder to reach safely.
The Indians bullpen finally got some work in tonight as Trevor Bauer was pulled for a pinch hitter after six strong innings. Jeff Manship and Tom Gorzelanny combined to pitch one scoreless inning, each earning holds, then Tommy Hunter threw a blank frame after the lead had been extended. Joba Chamberlain pitched as well, but allowed a run in the ninth on an A.J. Pierzynski home run.
The Indians have now won ten games in a row for the first time since ending the season on a such a streak in 2013. They have now improved upon their run differential during that stretch up to 67-22 and +85 for the season. Since the streak began, the Indians have gained five games on Kansas City and Detroit, 4.5 games on Chicago and 5.5 games on Minnesota moving to 14 games over .500 with the second best record in the AL behind Texas.
Feathers Down
Gant’s wind-up may have been important physically as well as it was after Chris Gimenez singled to start the third and he had to throw seven pitches from the stretch to Trevor Bauer that he had to be removed from the game with a left oblique strain.
Final Score: Cleveland Indians 8 – Atlanta Braves 3
On Deck: The Braves will send second year man Matt Wisler to the mound on Tuesday night at 7:10 PM. The Indians will counter with staff ace Corey Kluber in game two of the three game set in Atlanta.
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