Player of the Game
Trevor Bauer continues to pitch at an exceptional level although the results tonight weren’t quite as good as he would have hoped. For the fourth straight game he pitched at least six innings while allowing three or fewer runs and until the seventh, he had allowed just one unearned run. He did allow nine hits, but almost all were bloop shots including two of the three that did the damage in the seventh. He pitched eight innings (complete game) and walked just one batter all night (also in the 7th), striking out only two.
Feathers Up
The Indians “luck” in manager’s challenges continued tonight when Mike Scioscia challenged a pick off attempt of Rajai Davis at second in the third. Davis was initially called safe, but replay showed that the body of short stop Gregorio Petit was between Davis and the base. Fortunately for Cleveland, Petit never tagged the runner and replay confirmed that he was safe. Davis celebrated by stealing third base, although he was stranded there when the inning ended on a Jason Kipnis fly to deep left.
It took awhile, but the Indians finally scored in the ninth inning off Angels closer Huston Street. Jose Ramirez started things off with his second single of the game, then Mike Napoli added his second single as well. Carlos Santana then added his second hit, a single off the wall in right to drive in the Indians first run. Lonnie Chisenhall brought home a second run with a sacrifice fly deep to left field. Pinch hitting, Francisco Lindor walked to move Santana to second and he scored on a single to right from Tyler Naquin to tie the game.
Feathers Down
Trevor Bauer pitched splendidly all night, but the Angels got on the board first in the fourth thanks to an error by Chisenhall and some aggressive base running by Mike Trout. After Trout to second on the single and error, he scored an unearned run on a double from Jefry Marte. Prior to those two hits, Bauer had allowed just two base runners in the first three innings and retired one of those with a double play.
The Indians ran into Matt Shoemaker at the wrong time as the Angels starter is on a hot streak of otherworldly proportions. After starting out the season with an 8.49 ERA through his first seven starts, Shoemaker has held opponents to just just eight runs over his past 38.1 innings (1.88 ERA). In addition, he walked just one in these four games (Carlos Santa in the 7th) striking out a total of 49 in a row between walks, an Angels team record. Today Shoemaker pitched eight shut out innings and allowed just three hits while striking out 11.
In “what was he thinking” news, the Indians had a great chance to score after Napoli blooped in a single and Santana walked in the seventh. It was the Indians first time with two runners on base in an inning and there were none out, but when Chisenhall flew out to left, Napoli tried to tag up and ran himself into an easy double play. Juan Uribe flew out to end the inning without score.
After eight tough innings and an improbable comeback, Bryan Shaw came in to pitch the ninth with the game tied three all. Facing the 7, 8 and 9 hitters, Shaw allowed a single, got Jett Bandy to sacrifice bunt, then walked Gregorio Petit. After a long at bat, Yunel Escobar then blooped one into left center to walk the game off for LA.
Final Score: Cleveland Indians 3 – Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 4
On Deck: The Indians will wrap up the series against LA tomorrow afternoon at 3:35 PM with former Indians left hander, David Huff, starting for the Angels. Danny Salazar will look for the series win for the Tribe.
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