Player of the Game
National League rules lead to a short start by Carlos Carrasco tonight, but during the six innings he did pitch, he was dynamite. He allowed just one run on a Eugenio Suarez solo shot and struck out five. Beyond the home run, Carrasco allowed just three other hits, all singles and was never in real danger. Thanks to a double play, he only threw five pitches in his final inning and ended the game with just 73, low enough he could have pitched a complete game had the Indians not needed a pinch hitter.
Feathers Up
Indians pitchers continue to handle themselves well at the plate in National League cities. Today, Carrasco had an opposite field, 0-2 single off Johnny Cueto in his first at bat and a sacrifice bunt to move runners to second and third in his second. In his third at bat, Carrasco attempted to sacrifice again, but a poor play by the pitcher Ryan Mattheus allowed him to reach first safely.
His battery mate, Roberto Perez also deserves a ton of credit for today’s game. If it weren’t for his three walks, the Indians would not have scored at all during regulation (he scored twice and advanced the runners another time). In addition, he threw out Billy Hamilton attempting to steal second making him the only catcher to nab Hamilton twice this year in his 52 attempts (7 total CS). His patience at the plate is what was truly impressive, especially considering that this was his first start since the All-Star break and just his second in the Indians last ten.
Because there was no other way, Yan Gomes walked with the bases loaded in the 11th to push across the go ahead run for the Tribe. It was their fourth of the game and the only way they had scored to that point. Mike Aviles doubled before Michael Bourn and Brandon Moss singled to set up the at bat. After the walk, Jason Kipnis ruined everything with a sacrifice fly to left to bring home another. Francisco Lindor added a hit of his own, but Moss was thrown out trying to score to end the inning.
Feathers Down
Given how wild Cueto was today, walking six across two innings, including walking in two runs, the Indians offense should have been more successful, but instead it was more of the same. In each the second and fourth innings, Cueto walked three batters in addition to an Indians single, but the only two runs scored were on the bases loaded walks. David Murphy ended the first threat with a two out strike out and Carlos Santana repeated the feat with the bases loaded in the fourth.
The Reds handed the Indians another gift in the sixth when Matheus loaded the bases and Manny Parra walked in the third Indians run of the game. Outside of the walk, the Indians were unable to score again in the inning, even though this time the bases were initially loaded with none out. For the game, Lindor, Santana, Murphy, Ryan Raburn (pinch hit in the 6th), Gomes (PH in the 7th) and Giovanny Urshela (PH in the 10th) combined to go 3/20 with 25 runners stranded between them.
An odd pitching move by Terry Francona cost the Indians last night and another cost them tonight. Instead of pulling Corey Kluber for a pinch hitter in the eighth yesterday, he was forced to stay in and throw another inning, eventually allowing two earned runs to score. Today, Carrasco should have been left in longer in the close game and Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen each had to pitch more than one inning, allowing a run between them in the 8th and another in the 9th to tie the game.
Final Score: Cleveland Indians 5 – Cincinnati Reds 3
On Deck: The Indians just had one break, but they’ll get another tomorrow as they travel to Milwaukee for another interleague series. This will be the last regularly scheduled game for the Indians without a DH, with a make-up game against Chicago on August 24th. The first game of the two game set against the Brewers will by Tuesday night at 8:10 PM and will feature Danny Salazar and Matt Garza.
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