What started out as a promising Thursday afternoon in Cincinnati turned out to be more of the same for the Indians as they dropped the series finale 12-5 to end a 4-5 road trip that started 4-2. The Indians head home in second place, two games behind the White Sox with a 32-30 record.
This road trip for the Indians started extremely well, taking two of three from the Detroit Tigers and grinding out a series victory against the St. Louis Cardinals thanks to Jason Kipnis’s ninth inning heroics on Sunday. Instead of coming home with a really positive trip, the Indians have the sour taste in their mouths of being swept by their in-state rivals in the Battle for the Ohio Cup. The Indians were outscored 24-9 in the series.
Shin-Soo Choo led off the game with a home run for the second time this season, the first was May 24 off Justin Verlander, and the Indians scored another run on an Asdrubal Cabrera double and back-to-back groundouts. Unfortunately, the lead lasted all of three batters as Chris Heisey and Zack Cosart singled and Joey Votto cleared the bases with a three-run bomb to center field.
During the day, Great American Ball Park is a launching pad for hitters, with the warm conditions and the way the ball travels. That created a recipe for disaster for flyball pitcher Josh Tomlin, who allowed six earned runs on ten hits over four innings and surrendered two home runs. The second of the two home runs was hit by Brandon Phillips, who should be charged with murder after the game for the way that he kills Indians’ pitchers. In his career, Phillips now sits at .356 (53-for-149) with nine home runs against the Indians in 38 games. In this past series, he went 8-for-13 with two home runs and seven RBI.
Where Josh Tomlin left off, Scott Barnes picked up. Down 6-3 entering the bottom of the fifth, Barnes replaced Tomlin to start the fifth and gave up a single and a Ryan Ludwick home run, the third straight day that one of the Indians left handed relievers has allowed a home run. Batting practice continued as Barnes gave up a double to Devin Mesoraco, a single to pinch hitter Kristopher Negron, and then the fun started. One of those “I don’t want to cry, so I’ll laugh” moments. After Heisey hit a chopper to third and Mesoraco broke for home, Jose Lopez threw home and Lou Marson chased Mesoraco back to third. It was a good play until Marson failed to get out of Mesoraco’s way when he turned to go back toward home plate and Mesoraco ran in to Marson. Interference was called by Paul Nauert, the third base umpire, and the runner was allowed to go home. After a Cosart strikeout and a walk to Votto to load the bases, Phillips singled in another run, and Barnes walked Jay Bruce with the bases loaded. Mercifully, Acta pulled Barnes who went one-third of an inning, allowed five runs, and may have to take a bus from Cincinnati to Columbus after the game. Recently-acquired right hander Esmil Rogers extinguished the fire with a K and a fly out.
The Indians loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth but Jason Kipnis struck out after a series of foul balls to end the inning. It was the closest thing to a rally that the Indians got over the final innings of the road trip and played the rest of the game like they were halfway to the plane to come home.
Jeremy Accardo pitched well in a mop-up role in his bid to stay in the Indians eight-man bullpen. Accardo threw two perfect innings and struck out four. The Indians may make a move before tomorrow’s game to send back one of the pitchers and bring up another position player now that they’re done with interleague play in road ballparks for a couple of weeks.
For some good news, Lou Marson extended his hitting streak to nine games and Indians pitchers Josh Tomlin and Esmil Rogers both singled. Michael Brantley extended his hitting streak to 21 games with a double to left center in the seventh. It’s the longest hitting streak in the Majors this season.
For some more bad news, including the singles from Jeanmar Gomez and Derek Lowe, the four combined hits from Indians pitchers in the series was more hits than Carlos Santana, Michael Brantley, Jason Kipnis, Asdrubal Cabrera, Jose Lopez, and others had in the series.
The Indians will head back to Cleveland to open up a six-game homestand against the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds on Friday night at Progressive Field.