That is more like it.  Trevor Bauer looked like the player who the Diamondbacks thought they were getting when they drafted him first.  He attacked hitters with his fastball and had great pitch sequencing.  His location was not the best and he walked three Astros which is still a little worrisome, but I will take any progress I can get with Bauer.  The thing I liked most today about Bauer is the emotion he showed on the mound.  He did not show any negative emotion, and did not show the other team up, but just was locked in and excited about his success. Chris Gimenez is a godsend behind the plate.  He seems to already have a feel for the pitching staff, and has hit in his two games in he has played in.

The offense was solid fundamentally tonight, moving runners over and getting them in.  The scoring started in the second when Mike Napoli and Carlos Santana reached and were moved over by a Jose Ramirez bunt.  I don’t like bunting, but that was not a bad spot for it.  Juan Uribe got an RBI as well as Lonnie Chisenhall who doubled down the line.  The Tribe got some big insurance runs late as Jason Kipnis and Francisco Lindor scored runs 3 and 4.

This was a team effort tonight.  The Indians had no errors, and only allowed four hits.  They maximized their eight hits, getting four runs out of them.  This is the team that we could and should see day in and day out instead of being on the wrong end of a lopsided game.  Danny Salazar (3-2, 1.91) toes the rubber for the rubber-match against Doug Fister (3-3, 4.54) and the Astros.

 

2 Comments

  • Jimbo says:

    Most of the games we have lost have NOT been lopsided games. That terrible stretch where we lost 5 of 6? Every one of those games was decided by 1 run…lopsided games are not this team’s Achilles heel. We are having trouble winning the close games. Hopefully this past home-stand was a turning point,

    • Peter says:

      The tribe needs to start hitting with consistency. The team averages are very low with the same old issues, year after year: Santana hitting near 210; Lonnie waiting for a hot streak ( it may be starting); no lead off hitter; Gomes not hitting ( though he is much better w risp); We are getting no power from 3b nor average; Kipnis is OK and Lindor is great. Our best hitters currently are the utility fielder, the backup catcher who is an injury replacement and the CF who currently resides in Columbus.