Browns ranked 25th most valuable franchise in NFL
September 15, 2015PFF Grades: Manziel, Browns defense get throttled in Week 1
September 15, 2015Monday night’s game between the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Indians started with some dueling fireworks, but ended with the Indians running away with the game. Alex Gordon and Jason Kipnis, a pair of All-Stars, started their respective halves of the first inning with home runs to break open the scoring early on. It was the Cleveland Indians, however, who would continue to pile on points throughout the contest in an 8-3 win.
Over the last 15 games at Progressive Field, the Indians are averaging just over seven runs per game. And, in 14 of 15 of those games, the Indians have achieved double-digit hits1 . The outburst in offense is a huge reason why the Tribe is 12-3 in those games. Despite the recent success, the overall home record for the Indians still sits below .500 at 32-35, which makes the recent run at home all the more incredible.
Keys of the Game
Fresh Baked Cookie:
In his last start, Carlos Carrasco struggled to find consistency and rhythm coming off the DL, and he only lasted 59 pitches. However, despite the leadoff home run allowed, Carrasco settled down quickly to demonstrate that he is still the same dominant pitcher he has been all season long.
Through five and two thirds innings, only Alex Gordon was able to get on base and stay there. Lorenzo Cain singled in the first, but Carrasco caught him leaning and Francisco Lindor finished him off in the pickle. Salvador Perez reached in the fifth only to have Alex Rios allow the Indians infielders to stretch their arms with a 5-4-3 double play around the diamond. And, nine of the 17 outs recorded were strikeouts, while Cookie allowed no walks.
At this point, perhaps Carrasco started to tire. It was only his second start since the DL and he was approaching 80 pitches2 . However, despite walking Ben Zobrist, allowing a single to Cain, and walking Eric Hosmer, Carrasco was still able to sneak out of the sixth inning without giving up another run thanks to a backhand stab and perfect throw from Francisco Lindor.
Power Surge:
- The Indians would hit seven extra base hits on Monday. Five of those seven hits would drive in a run. The other two would end in runs scored for the hitter.
- Jason Kipnis started the game off with the home run to tie the game at one.
- Lonnie Chisenhall’s second hit of the night was a double into right field that would score Lindor to put the Indians up 2-1.
- Giovanny Urshela then hit a home run for the Indians third run.
- Michael Brantley doubled in the seventh and would score on Chisenhall’s third hit3 that would put the Indians up 5-3.
- Yan Gomes also doubled in the seventh scoring Chisenhall and Carlos Santana giving the Indians a more comfortable 7-3 margin.
- Jose Ramirez would double in the eighth and Francisco Lindor hit a home run (no wait, it’s a triple) to knock him to close out scoring on the night at 8-3.
Francisco Lindor’s nearly home run was a beauty. The ball was hit to deep right field and hit off the top of the wall before coming back into the field of play. Lindor had thought it was a home run as he trotted around the bases before he had to be told to stop at third base as the relay throw came. I personally thought it was over the line (a home run) and the flat surface beyond the wall is what relegated it back to the outfield. However, after review, the umpires deemed it a triple, and the difference ultimately did not factor into the game.
Decide for yourself:
Bullpen does not sink the game thanks to Manship:
It was understandable that Terry Francona went to his bullpen in the seventh inning given Carrasco’s workload increases since coming off the DL. However, it was surprising that he went with Zach McAllister in such a close game given that most fans hear the opening beats to Firestarter ringing through their head as he emerges from the bullpen. McAllister was extremely effective for much of the season out of the bullpen, but he has a 5.23 ERA in his last 12 appearances. And, despite not having any of the runs score, he walked three straight batters without recording an out in the first game on Sunday.
On Monday, McAllister was at it again. After Mike Moustakas fouled out to Gomes, Perez and Rios each singled. Alcides Escobar hit an infield fly, but Francona had seen enough with Alex Gordon coming to the plate.
Unfortunately, Tito tipped his cap in Bryan Shaw’s general direction. Shaw has struggled himself with a 4.70 ERA in his last 17 appearances. And, as Wild Thing played in the recesses of my mind, Shaw led off his second straight appearance with a wild pitch. Both his inherited runners advanced and ultimately scored as both Alex Gordon and Ben Zobrist hit slow tappers down the third base line that somehow stayed fair and did not allow Urshela to make a play4 .
By the time Kyle Crockett walked to the mound in the eighth, the Indians offense had responded and it was 7-3 for the good guys. As Israel’s son played in my head5 , Crockett struck out the first two batters in eight pitches. But, Crockett has yet to find himself in Tito’s circle of trust6 , so a Moustakas single was all that was needed to end his night.
Jeff Manship would close the inning (Perez chopper to Urshela) and the game out. As the best college football fight song in the world blared out of my phone, Manship would strike out the first two batters of the ninth in six pitches just to show up that punk kid Crockett who took eight for his. Gordon would single because he was the only Royals player who showed up on the night, but, after a Ben Zobrist walk just to make things interesting, Manship would induce a harmless fly ball that Abraham Almonte would track down in left-center field. Game over.
The Numbers
There are some good things and some bad things that came out of this game, here they are in numerical format
Columbus versus Cleveland
The Columbus Clippers decided to give away tickets to their playoff game. In a college town, free anything is something to flock towards. Add in a school night for the Cleveland Indians and, despite still being in the AL Wild Card chase, the Clippers outdrew the Indians on Monday. Still, only 10,536 fans were able to witness the fantastic offensive showing of the Indians in person. While, in Columbus, 10,734 fans saw the Clippers reach the championship round after defeating the Norfolk Tides 5-0.
We need Statcast to measure the response time here.
Santana shows off his athleticism by reflexively diving out of the way of a Yan Gomes foul ball.
Lonnie Baseball and Jose Ramirez love new roles
Since becoming the Indians right fielder, Chisenhall is batting .333/.393/.457 with seven doubles, two home runs, 19 RBI, 15 runs, and three stolen bases in 105 at bats.
Since becoming the Indians primary utility man, Jose Ramirez is batting .250/.333/.411 with five doubles, two triples, three home runs, 11 RBIs, and 19 runs scored. He has also been caught stealing three out of four attempts including Monday, but he has actually been useful on offense, which is key.
Both players have shown outstanding defensive acumen, which has allowed Francona the leisure of playing them where they are needed and knowing that they will carry their weight in the field (and, so far, at the plate).
MOAR MANSHIP
The 30-year-old Notre Dame graduate from San Antonio, Texas has never had a MLB ERA below five in any of his previous six MLB seasons for Minnesota, Colorado, or Philadelphia. However, the seventh time has been the charm as he has a 1.11 ERA for the Indians this season.
Manship has now gone eight consecutive appearances without allowing a run and has pitched at least one full inning in each of those appearances. He has not allowed more than one run in ANY outing in 2015.
And, in those eight consecutive scoreless apperances, Manship has recorded at least one strikeout in each with 12 total strikeouts in less than 10 innings pitched, while hitters are batting .100/.176/.100 off of him in that time.
All Statistics via baseball-reference.com unless otherwise noted.
- Only the second game of the double header on Sunday versus the Detroit Tigers fell short. [↩]
- Cookie would end with 82 pitches through six innings. [↩]
- 3-for-3 for Chisenhall with a RBI sacrifice fly as well to finish with a game-leading three RBIs [↩]
- The Gordon tapper Urshela did charge and make the throw, but he pulled Santana off the bag. It was a tough play and Urshela did have a little bit more time, but the proper call was to rule it a hit and that is what the scorekeeper did. [↩]
- I don’t know why other than his youthful appearance, but Crockett reminds me of Silverchair’s Daniel Johns. [↩]
- Despite six straight appearances without giving up a single run and only giving up more than one run in an appearance once in his 25 appearances. [↩]
10 Comments
Those weird annoying bloopers down the third baseline were worrying me for a hot minute.
Shaw, himself, has worried me a bit lately. He’s still in Tito’s circle of trust though.
The Lonnie Express keeps on a chuggin’!!!
http://www.lookgreat-loseweight-savemoney.com/images/little-engine-that-could300.jpg
Manship is a beast!
Touche.
Chris Perez does not approve of the “Freshly Baked” reference
I also dropped a Firestarter reference in just for him and Brody.
Sell high…haha
http://cdn.meme.am/instances/500x/57549832.jpg
google work providers earn $98 in one hour……….Afterg an average of 19952 Dollars monthly,I’m finally getting 98 Dollars an hour,just working 4-5 hours daily online... three to five hours of work daly… Weekly paycheck… Bonus opportunities…Payscale of $6k to $9k /a month… Just few hours of your free time, any kind of computer, elementary understanding of web and stable connection is what is required…….HERE I STARTED…look over here
~~~~qg….
➤➤➤➤ http://GoogleSpecialMegaJobsNetworksOnnetCenter/$98hourlywork…. ⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛