Player of the Game
Responsible for each of the Indians first two runs (explained in depth later on), Michael Bourn was the Indians single most effective player today. In all, he went 1/3 with a single, RBI, steal and run scored. He was pulled from the game in a double switch in the seventh.
Feathers Up
The Indians scored the first runs of the game in one of the most improbable manners of late against a pitcher who came into the game with a 2.20 ERA. Carlos Santana lead off the second with a walk (it may not seem rare, but he has just three walks in the past week and a .207 OBP), then moved to second on a Brandon Moss single. After a Giovanny Urshela double play (another rarity), Santana scored on a Michael Bourn RBI single, something that has become more common this weekend. Bourn then continued the stretch of the strange by stealing second, going to third on an error and scoring on a Roberto Perez hit to left.
Danny Salazar got himself into a little bit of a situation in the bottom of the third when he walked Jordy Mercer for the first Pirates base runner of the day, then gave up a hit to Chris Stewart. With the pitcher up and bunting, Santana made a smart play by getting the lead runner at third for the first out. Salazar struck out Josh Harrison for the second out and Roberto Perez caught Stewart napping between second and third for the third out.
Although it was the worst start by an Indians pitcher in the past seven games, Salazar was still solid today, striking out seven and not giving up a run until the fifth. When he did, it was after two infield hits, one of which had to be overturned by replay. With two outs in the inning, Josh Harrison, Neil Walker and Andrew McCutchen all hit safely to tie the game, then give the Pirates a two run lead.
The Indians starting rotation has been so good over the past week that Terry Francona hasn’t had a chance to use his bullpen. Nick Hagadone and Jeff Manship each got some action after seven games off while Ryan Webb saw time for the first time in six games. While Hagadone and Manship each pitched well, the rest of the pen was not as lucky as Marc Rzepczynski and Webb had trouble throwing strikes (or at least getting them called as such). Although there was some danger, the Pirates didn’t score a run off any Indians reliever.
Feathers Down
When the Indians gave up their three run lead in the fifth it had as much to do with bad luck as anything else. After the two run Pedro Alvarez home run to start the inning (which was well earned), the hits by Chris Stewart and Harrison to put runners on first and third were not well hit, but were in places where they couldn’t possibly have been fielded. After, Salazar may have been rattled by the situation and the hits from Walker and McCutchen were legitimate, but if the two ground balls prior had been hit just a little differently, those two would never have come to bat.
Final Score: Cleveland Indians 3 – Pittsburgh Pirates 5
On Deck: Today marked the final game of the first half for the Indians. They will hope for a better second half as they play game 82 tomorrow night in Cleveland against Houston and a contender to be the starter on the AL All-Star team, Dallas Keuchel. For the Tribe, Carlos Carrasco will make his first start since taking a no hitter through the first 26 outs in his last appearance against Tampa Bay.
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