Roster Update: There are a few things to report today as the Indians front office was busy today, despite the lateness in the year. First, David Murphy was reinstated from the disabled list after missing 21 games with a right oblique strain. This is a little early of a return for an oblique, but he will not be depended on for daily activity with the excess of fielders currently on the roster. Increasing that list of fielders, Justin Sellers was also added to the roster from AAA Columbus.
In a move outside of the organization, the Indians bought J.B. Shuck from the Angels. He will be added to the roster tomorrow. He is in the midst of his worst of three Major League seasons, but he batted .293 last year in his first full season while playing an impressive outfield.
Player of the Game
T.J. House pitched exactly the kind of start the Indians needed out of him, matching Chris Sale through seven innings. He allowed just a single run on a solo home run in the third to Alexei Ramirez and seven hits overall. House didn’t walk a batter and was removed prior to the eighth simply due to a high pitch count. He left with a tie score, so he wasn’t able to earn a win, but he deserves a lot of credit for throwing a quality start and keeping the Indians in the game against Sale.
Feathers Up
Playing against the top left handed pitcher in baseball didn’t keep the Indians from scoring in the first inning. The only run scored by the Tribe came in that inning when Carlos Santana hit an RBI single with Michael Brantley on third. Brantley had singled, stole second and went to third on the overthrow to put himself in scoring position. Tyler Holt had lead off the game with a single, but was eliminated by a Jose Ramirez double play. Santana now has an RBI in the first inning in four of the Indians last five games.
While he didn’t get a decision in either, Cody Allen has been fantastic in his last two outings, putting to rest any negative thoughts after blowing two consecutive nights. Tonight, he pitched the ninth in a tie game and struck out two, allowing just one hit. His last time out was similar, throwing in the tie game against Detroit and striking out one in a perfect inning.
The Indians turned things around and actually won an extra inning game, something they were unable to do in two attempts against Detroit. Yan Gomes lead off the tenth with a triple to left that Michael Taylor was unable to field after colliding with the wall. Rather than risk getting caught out on a try for an inside-the-park home run, Gomes stayed at third thinking it would be easy to score a man from third with none out, but it was not. The White Sox intentionally walked Michael Bourn and Lonnie Chisenhall, choosing to face Jason Kipnis with the bases loaded. A pinch runner, two pitching changes and a pinch hitter later, David Murphy faced off against Ronald Bellisario with the bases loaded and one out. In his first game since being activated, Murphy singled up the middle to score Chris Dickerson from third and give the Indians a much needed win.
Feathers Down
After the first it became more obvious that the Indians were facing the top left handed pitcher in baseball as Chris Sale threw five, shut out, two hit innings after the initial score. Each hit off Sale was a single and on one of those two hits allowed, Holt was thrown out trying to get to second. Sale walked just one as well while striking out five, leaving the game in the sixth with a tie score.
Final Score: Cleveland Indians 2 – Chicago White Sox 1
On Deck: The series with Chicago will continue, Saturday night with the Indians ace going this time. Things will get started at 7:05 PM in Cleveland.
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