DETROIT -- The weather was better on Saturday. The same could not be said for the Indians’ hitters.
The Tigers scored early and added on late to beat the Indians, 5-2, at Comercia Park. Manager Terry Francona’s team has scored four runs in the first two games of the season. The Tigers, 23-65 against Cleveland since 2016, have scored eight runs to win the first two games of the series.
The Indians received another strong performance from the rotation as Zach Plesac (0-1, 3.00) allowed two runs on six hits over six innings. On Thursday Shane Bieber struck out 12 and allowed three runs over six innings in 32-degree weather. Not bad for the first two starts of the season, but they lost both decisions.
The Tigers, as they did in the opener, took a 2-0 lead in the first. Plesac walked Jeimer Candelario with one out and allowed a full-count triple to former Indians farmhand Willi Castro to make it 1-0. Center fielder Ben Gamel dove for Castro’s ball in left center, but couldn’t make the catch.
The Indians pulled the infield in, but Castro scored anyway on a grounder to shortstop Andres Gimenez by Miguel Cabrera. The ball took a high hop at the last moment, preventing Gimenez from going home. He had to settle for the out at first.
“The first inning I was just off, just missing,” said Plesac.
Francona agreed.
“He gave up two in the first and, very unlike him, a four-pitch walk and then a ball that Gamel almost gets,” said Francona. “It’s a game of inches. Then he buckled down, and he really pitched well.”
Eddie Rosario started the second with a home run into the right field seats to make it 2-1. It was his first homer as an Indians player and his 15th against the Tigers.
The rest of the day was a study in frustration for the offense against right-hander Julio Teheran (1-0, 1.80) and the Tiger bullpen.
Roberto Perez and Andres Gimenez started third with singles, but Gamel hit into a double play. Rosario walked to start the fourth, but Franmil Reyes hit into a double play. Josh Naylor, the next batter, doubled, but was stranded.
The Tigers iced the game with three runs in the seventh off Nick Wittgren. JaCoby Jones singled and Robbie Grossman walked to start the inning. Candelario doubled down the left field line to score Jones and send Grossman to third. Castro grounded out, but Wittgren walked Cabrera to load the bases.
A sacrifice fly by Jonathan Schoop and a bloop single to center by Nomar Mazara made it 5-1. Wittgren was charged with all three runs in two-thirds of an inning.
In Thursday’s 3-2 loss, the Indians waited until the ninth to score on Perez’s two-run homer. They struck in the eighth on Saturday. Cesar Hernandez and Jose Ramirez hit consecutive singles to put runners on the corners. Rosario’s sacrifice fly made it 5-2, but that’s all the damage they could do.
“The first game was difficult because of the weather,” said Rosario, through translator Agustin Rivero. “Today we made better contact, had a better approach.”
Rosario had a quiet spring training, hitting .154 (8-for-52) with no homers and nine RBI. He’s 2-for-5 with a homer and two RBI in the first two games of the regular season. On Saturday he homered, had a sacrifice fly and two walks.
“I know the games in spring training don’t count,” said Rosario. “For me it’s just about getting ready so when the light go on I’m at my best.”
Rookie Trevor Stephan made his big-league debut, pitching a scoreless eighth for the Indians.
Next: RHP Aaron Civale will face the Tigers and LHP Tarik Skubal on Sunday at 1:10 p.m. The game will be carried by Bally Sports Great Lakes and WTAM.
A variety of Cleveland Indians face masks available online today. (Fanatics.com)
The Talkin’ Tribe Opening Day event will take place virtually on April 5 from noon – 1:30 p.m. -- featuring Indians sports writers and columnists from cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. Tickets can be reserved here. Plus, join our VIP experience and get the opportunity to mingle with former Cleveland Indians players and more. There are only 150 tickets available for this exclusive experience and tickets can only be won through our sweepstakes.
New Indians face masks for sale: Here’s where you can buy Cleveland Indians-themed face coverings for coronavirus protection, including a single mask ($14.99) and a 3-pack ($24.99). All MLB proceeds donated to charity.
More Indians coverage
Could 2021 bullpen be one of the best in baseball?
Jake Bauers awake and ready to help win games
Indians roster: Who stays and who goes by season’s end? Podcast
MLB pulls 2021 All-Star Game out of Atlanta over Georgia voting law
Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney filling in for John Adams at opener
Progressive Field changes: You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers
Indians home opener weather - year by year - from snow to 83 degrees
Offense in deep freeze in 3-2 loss to Tigers in season opener
Perez battles elements, homers late in season-opening loss
Promising pitching, frustrating hitting – Opening Day Tribe Scribbles
What did opening day do for 2021 expectations?
See every opening day lineup in Cleveland Indians history
Indians announce Columbus alternate site roster for season’s start
Could this be José Ramírez’s last opening day with Cleveland?
"lose" - Google News
April 04, 2021 at 04:00AM
https://ift.tt/2OjuccB
All quiet on the offensive front as Cleveland Indians lose to Tigers again, 5-2 - cleveland.com
"lose" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3fa3ADu https://ift.tt/2VWImBB
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "All quiet on the offensive front as Cleveland Indians lose to Tigers again, 5-2 - cleveland.com"
Post a Comment