Indians 9, Rangers 6
- Ugh.
- I don’t know that I even want to talk about this game.
- Sigh.
- A few points...Cole Hamels wasn’t all that sharp, but he was also let down by poor defense. In the fourth, with one on and no one out, Francisco Lindor hit a shot to left field that Nomar Mazara should have caught. Instead, it was misplayed, and ended up going for a single. That became costly when a two out Jose Ramirez single brought home two runs that otherwise wouldn’t have scored in that inning.
- There was an actual unearned run in the fifth, as well, when Cole Hamels made a poor pickoff throw that allowed a runner to advance, setting the stage for him to score on a sac fly.
- But yeah...the real issue with the pitching staff was Sam Dyson. Dyson went single-single-flyout-walk-walk-grand slam-out of the game. A 6-4 lead turned into a 9-6 deficit, and the team’s closer picked up his second loss in the first three games of the season.
- The first two singles weren’t of the hard hit variety, but once Dyson issued the second walk, forcing in a run, I was wondering why Jeremy Jeffress, who was warming, didn’t come into the go. Lindor’s grand slam then brought Jeffress into the game, but you know, barn doors, horses running away...
- Six runs with Cole Hamels starting for you should be enough. If you want positivity, we have that from the offense, at least. Elvis Andrus went 2 for 4 with a homer, continuing to show indications that his improvement last year was legit. Nomar Mazara went 3 for 4 with a homer.
- Joey Gallo was 0 for 3 with 3 Ks and a walk. The walk was a pretty big deal, though, as it set the stage for a hustling play by Gallo that led to three runs...with two outs, Jonathan Lucroy at second, and Gallo at first in the fifth, Shin-Soo Choo hit a grounder back up the middle. Lindor fielded it and ran to second for the force, but Gallo, hustling the whole way, beat him to the bag. Lindor then threw to first, but Edwin Encarnacion couldn’t handle the throw, it went into the dugout, and two runs scored. Nomar Mazara followed that up with a single that scored Choo. That play would have been instrument had the Rangers won. Alas...
- Anyway, the Rangers are 0-3 for the first time since 2007. And there’s an off day today, so we can wallow in the loss all day and not have another game to obsess over until Friday.