Indians starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco didn’t have a great first inning against the Oakland A’s on Thursday night. Taking the mound with a 3-0 lead, Carrasco gave up an infield single to leadoff hitter Billy Burns, who scored on a one-out Josh Reddick double to right. Three batters in, two hits and one run allowed.

Those were the only hits the A’s would get all game, as Carrasco was absolutely lights out from there on in. Sam Fuld reached base on a throwing error by Jason Kipnis in the third inning, and Carrasco walked Brett Lawrie in the fourth. Those were the only two baserunners the A’s had after the first inning, as Carrasco went the distance to notch his first complete game of the season. He struck out seven.

The Indians’ bats were mostly silent all game, too, but that three-run outburst in the first was all they needed. The runs came courtesy of an RBI double by Michael Brantley, followed by a home run from Carlos Santana.

Game notes:

  • Carrasco’s outing was the third consecutive complete game by Indians pitchers. Trevor Bauer went the distance on Tuesday, but lost to the Royals, 2-1. On Wednesday, Corey Kluber beat the Royals, 12-1.
  • The last time the Indians’ pitching staff had back-to-back-to-back complete games was in 1994, when Mark Clark, Jack Morris, and Charles Nagy did it.
  • “New” Indians Lonnie Chisenhall and Tyler Holt, called up from the minors when Brandon Moss and David Murphy were sent packing, each went 0 for 3: Chisenhall as the DH, batting sixth, and Holt as the right fielder, batting ninth.
  • When Lawrie reached via the base on balls in the fourth inning, he was retired as part of a double play when Giovanny Urshela made a great overhead catch on a popup to left. With his back to the infield, Urshela snagged the ball, then easily doubled off Lawrie, who broke for second once the ball was hit.
  • Some west coast Indians games aren’t much fun to stay up late to watch. This one was!

1 Comment

  • LittleChicago42 says:

    I understand (as all Indians fans with working eyeballs) that this team needs help with the lineup, but all the Carrasco rumors makes me think that the Tribe was willing to deal the right hander.

    The question is why? The Indians are in an envious position in that they have four quality starting pitchers under control for most of the rest of this decade. Why would they want to weaken such an important group – especially considering there doesn’t appear to be any young starters close to joining the Tribe any time soon.