We can be certain Trevor Bauer will be delighted to hear a new set of clichés associated with his pitching performances.
Instead of “droning on through mediocrity” or “righting the ship” he will wake up Wednesday morning to verbiage like “the light went on” or “he got his act together.”
A victorious 14-strikeout performance will do that. Bauer struggled through his first nine starts at a pace of more than six runs, nearly four walks and ample home runs to raise questions about whether he, in addition to Danny Salazar was worthy of a demotion. At one point Tuesday night, he had streak with nine strikeouts interrupted by a measly single.
His final line: seven innings, seven hits, three earned runs, one walk and those 14 strikeouts. Indians 9, Athletics 4.
Let’s put a star next to that walk. Control was a key for Bauer and the difference from his earlier performances. If he truly has improved his game, control will be cited as a big factor.
In past starts he kept walking into situations in which one more single could add a run and lose a lead. And let’s not talk about those homers.
When the strikeouts are coming as they did Tuesday, a single can be little more than a footnote in some opponent’s letter home to Mom.
This is not to say Bauer did not provide some drama. The conclusion was not obvious in the early innings. Michael Brantley made a terrific throw in the fourth inning to prevent the Athletics’ fourth run. At the time it looked as if the Indians were surging toward another shutout thanks to a strong performance by Oakland’s Sonny Gray.
The potential tragedy became more of a comedy later in the fourth when the Indians scored four times on RBI hits by Brantley, Bradley Zimmer, Jose Ramirez and Jason Kipnis. Kipnis homered the next inning and the rout was one.
Oakland added a run in the eighth off Bryan Shaw on a dribbler by Matt Joyce. Zimmer answered with a two run homer, allowing the Indians to keep Cody Allen out in the bullpen.
Nick Goody finished things in the ninth, although he allowed a leadoff single.