After scoring 91 runs in 14 games between April 28 and May 12, the Tribe’s offense continued to scuffle for the third straight game, mustering just two runs on seven hits against Philadelphia last night. Combined with the team’s double-dip against New York on Monday, Cleveland has crossed the plate just three times in the last 27 innings.

Nick Swisher led the way with a 2-for-3 night. Carlos Santana slugged his 11th double of the year and Asdrubal Cabrera, who entered the night hitting .262/.311/.548 in the previous 11 contests, added his second triple. Jason Kipnis swiped his seventh base of the season and made his third error on an errant throw on a Taylor-made double-play in the third inning.

Left-hander Scott Kazmir, coming off of his first double-digit strikeout game since August 26, 2009, failed to make it out of the sixth inning, surrendering a leadoff homerun to Domonic Brown, his seventh on the year. Kazmir scattered six hits, two of which were dingers, two walks and two HBPs while allowing four earned runs. His fastball topped out at 95 on several occasions, but just didn’t look as sharp as he had in the two previous outings.

For the year, the Tribe’s lone southpaw starting pitcher sports an ugly 5.33, but his peripherals suggest better times ahead (9.95 K/9, 2.84 BB/9 and a 3.44 Skill Independent ERA).

Reliever Cody Allen continued his impressive season by hurling another shutout inning, and the underrated Bryan Shaw coughed up a pair of runs as his ERA jumped to 1.93.

Phillies rookie Jonathan Pettibone, whose father Jay made four starts for Minnesota in 1986, baffled the Indians for six-and-two-thirds innings, allowing just four hits and only one after the second inning. And Philadelphia’s bullpen continued to stymie the Tribe’s bats for the last few innings.

The Tribe looks to get back on track this afternoon against the Fightin’ Phils as Corey Kluber takes on left-hander Cole Hamels for the 1:05 game.

1 Comment

  • Sean Porter says:

    Put a Cy Young Award winner on the mound, the ’13 Indians offense resembles the ’27 Yankees.

    Put a no-name rookie with a fastball that tops out at 90mph, the ’13 Indians offense resembles the ’12 Indians.

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