Player of the Game
Carlos Carrasco was pretty good last time out, throwing five shut out innings while allowing just two base runners, but he was even better tonight. Against Baltimore, he went seven shut out innings, throwing just 79 pitches while striking out five and allowing just three base runners. Carrasco didn’t walk any and used two double plays to limit the Orioles to just two over the minimum through the first seven. There was one mar on the game, when Ramirez dropped an easy double play early in the game, but Kipnis turned a double play against the next batter to eliminate the threat.
The Indians starters are on quite the roll right now, winning each of the last six Player of the Game awards. In those six games, Carrasco, Corey Kluber, Josh Tomlin and Trevor Bauer have combined to throw 39 innings, strike out 41 batters and allow just three runs total for a combined ERA of 0.69. With a POG score of 8.97, Carrasco pitched the best of those six games tonight.
Feathers Up
The Indians’ nemesis (at least while he was on the team), Jimenez started off exactly where he left of when he left Cleveland by walking the first two batters he faced. Although he did strike out two in the first as well to end the inning, the final out didn’t occur until Jimenez’s former catcher, Carlos Santana, took him out to deep center for a three run home run to open the scoring.
The Indians stayed quiet offensively after the first until they put Jimenez away in the fifth inning. Chris Dickerson started things off with a double, then moved to second on a Michael Bourn sacrifice bunt. Dickerson scored on an opposite field, 2-0 Jose Ramirez single. Ramirez stole second off Jimenez, but it wasn’t necessary as Michael Brantley hit a two run home run to right to drive him in.
Feathers Down
Nothing too bad happened in the Indians 6-0 win, but one aspect to look out for is Zach Walters’ strike out rate. Tonight, he K’d in three of four at bats, his worst of the year for the Tribe. He already has a 7/2 strikeout to walk rate and it is something that plagued him all through the minors as he struck out almost four times as often as he walked (498/130).
Final Score: Cleveland Indians 6 – Baltimore Orioles 0
On Deck: The Indians will look to complete the sweep as they finish up the series against the first place Orioles on Sunday. Danny Salazar will be recalled from AAA to make the start for the Tribe and he will face Kevin Gausman at 1:05 PM.
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