Baseball can be a cruel game, and Carlos Carrasco deserved better.
On a rainy Tuesday night, Carrasco scattered eleven hits but made one big mistake in the second inning that resulted in a three run homer that gave the Twins all they would need in a 3-2 win.
Carrasco (13-6, 3.69) first endured a two hour and ten minute rain delay before beginning the game in what was still a steady drizzle. After escaping a bases loaded jam in the first inning, Carrasco had a bad sequence in the second that would cost the game. Hitting Logan Forsythe on a 1-0 curveball, he then allowed a single to Jake Cave and a three-run dinger to catcher Mitch Garver.
The Indians would threaten late, getting a run in the eighth on a Francisco Lindor home run, his 28th, before getting Yan Gomes to second in the ninth with the tying run. Lindor would watch strike three sail by, however, and Twins’ closer Fernando Rodney shot his little bow and arrow off into center field.
It was Rodney’s 21st save of his career against the Indians, who you may remember as a reliever in the Tigers’ pen for seven seasons before beginning his trek around the Major Leagues. This was his 325th career save, giving him sole possession of 17th on the all-time list. Persistence and longevity do pay off!
Anyway, there were some positives here. Carrasco for the most part was his usual self, showing an array of dazzling pitches and avoiding trouble when he put a few runners aboard. Andrew Miller also logged another scoreless relief appearance as he continues to work his way back from injury, retiring five batters in the seventh and eighth tonight.
So I suppose you take the positives and try to get back on the winning side tomorrow night when Mike Clevinger (7-7, 3.48) faces Jake Odorizzi (4-7, 4.60) at 7:10pm ET.