Written by Adam Burke

---

If it weren't for the ability to laugh, we'd all be crying enough to fill a reservoir. The Indians were shut out again by the Oakland A's by a final score of 7-0. In the game, they struck out 16 batters, committed two errors, though it was more like four, and couldn't manage to score a run despite eight hits. It was a new achievement in futility for a team that has now lost 25 out of its last 30 games.

Zach McAllister struck out the side in the first. The Indians squandered a run-scoring opportunity. Jason Kipnis singled and went to second on Josh Reddick's error in right field. The Indians never got him to third. It became deja vu all over again for the Indians after that. Failing to take advantage of a pitcher struggling through the first became a deficit in the top of the second when McAllister gave up four singles that plated two runs. McAllister threw 35 pitches in the second inning after breezing through the first.

The Indians went back to being lifeless, so the opportunistic A's struck again. Brandon Moss hit a tape measure two-run HR to the plants in center to push the lead to 4-0. Chris Carter homered in the fifth to put the A's up 5-0 and effectively put the game out of reach. It was a really strange night for McAllister, who had good stuff and touched 95 mph in the first inning. He also threw too many pitches over the fat part of the plate and gave up five runs on nine hits in 4.1 innings of work. He struck out eight and walked three, needing 110 pitches to get into the fifth inning.

It was a circus for the Indians, who blew every chance that they had at scoring runs, dropped two fly balls, botched a run of the mill double play, gave up a run on a wild pitch, and looked like the bad baseball team that they are. They haven't scored a run in 22 innings.

Nothing more needs to be said about this game. I was one of the 1200 or so people at it and it was miserable. Completely and utterly miserable. The apathy from the players and the fans makes for one of the worst sports environments I have ever been in. It's sad to see it end this way.

With the loss, the Indians fell to 55-74. Zach McAllister was knocked around for his fifth loss of the season. Tommy Milone navigated through allowing seven hits in six innings for his ninth win of the season.

Stat of the Night: I don't claim to know it all, but I'm going to assume that this is the first time in MLB history that a team lost by seven runs when striking out 16 of the opponents' hitters.

Player of the Game: Esmil Rogers looked pretty good in his two mop-up innings.

Tomorrow's Game: Unfortunately, the Indians play again tomorrow. Travis Blackley will take on Corey Kluber at 7:05.