From #ClevelandRox to Cleveland gets Rocked

The humidor is no excuse for hung fastballs as the Rockies tattooed twelve hits, including three home runs, en route to an 11-3 blowout of the Indians.

Mike Clevinger did not look sharp early on; he hit the showers after just four innings. Of his first 52 pitches, 26 were balls and 26 were strikes. Clev struck out six but walked three, inconsistent execution that allowed Colorado to capitalize early.

The scoring started with a bases loaded bases-clearing double from pitcher Antonio Senzatela. The Rockies starter had two career RBIs entering the game; now he has five.

Thank goodness the Indians don’t have to deal with pitchers batting very often.

Carlos Gonzalez – the worst hitter in baseball this season, according to Fangraphs WAR – hit a home run in the third inning to extend Colorado’s lead to 5-0. That was all the scoring off Clevinger, who has allowed 12 runs and five homers in his last three starts.Colorado added three more in the bottom of the fifth when

Colorado added three more in the bottom of the fifth when Mark Reynolds – remember him?! – hit a three-run shot off Zach McAlliser that landed just inside the right field foul pole. The slugger wasn’t done, hitting his second long ball of the night three innings later, that one off Nick Goody.

The Indians’ offense took advantage of the elevation the few times Senzatela made mistakes. In 6 1/3 innings pitched, the Rockies rookie posted a quality start, allowing only three runs. Lonnie Chisenhall and Bradley Zimmer each homered for the Tribe, who could not string together base hits. For Colorado, who is ranked third in cluster luck, every inning they had a hit, they had multiple. That consistent execution, both offensively and on the mound, is how the Indians lost by eight runs.

The Tribe will look for their first win at Coors Field in 15 years tomorrow afternoon. Trevor Bauer and Kyle Freeland will start in the series finale, with first pitch at 3:10 p.m. If tomorrow’s game is anything like tonight’s, you’ll want to stay late at work so you don’t have to witness more lopsided baseball.