Roster Update: As previously mentioned, the Indians have officially sent Scott Barnes back to AAA Columbus and brough Zach McAllister back to the Major League roster to start tonight’s game.
Player of the Game
A late single by Asdrubal Cabrera put him past five separate players who each scored over 2.00 points. His score of 5.89 was mostly earned in the seventh inning when he put the game away with a three run home run. Other candidates for tonight’s award were Johnny Damon, who also hit a three run home run, Shin-Soo Choo who hit a solo shot, Zach McAllister who won his first game back from AAA and Esmil Rogers who pitched two perfect innings in relief. In addition to the single and home run, Cabrera had a fielder’s choice that could have been a single had Choo been running and some pretty slick defense at short stop.
Zach McAllister’s streak of five straight positive games (every game he has pitched this year) is the second longest active streak on the team behind Chris Perez (6).
Feathers Up
McAllister did what he needed to do to get the Tribe back on track tonight as he pitched into the 6th and only allowed two runs. The Indians really needed some solid starting pitching after terrible starts in each of the last three games. McAllister struck out 6 and only walked one in route to the win.
The bullpen also came through tonight as Joe Smith pitched 1.1 perfect innings and Esmil Rogers followed suit with two of his own. Only once during the current Indians losing streak did the keep the opposing offense from scoring.
The Indians used the long ball as their primary means of scoring tonight as they scored all 7 runs on three different home runs. Cabrera and Damon each hit three run shots and Choo hit a solo home run. The seven runs are the most by the Tribe since June 20th and each home run knocked in more runs than the Indians scored in any game against Houston a series ago.
Feathers Down
Aaron Cunningham hit a scorcher to third base that should have been called a hit, but instead was ruled an error. This prolongs his non-hitting streak as he has now been held hitless over his last six games.
This game contradicted all that negative lefty-lefty stuff I wrote in the series preview.
Play of the Game
Final Score: Cleveland Indians 7 – Baltimore Orioles 2
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