Saturday at Progressive Field the Indians will host the division-rival Minnesota Twins in the second game of a three-game series. Saturday’s game will be the Indians’ ninth game in a 16-game stretch in which they will play only AL Central teams. In the first eight games in that span the Indians are 4-4, including a 6-3 loss to the Twins Friday night.
Overall this season the Indians are 18-12 against AL Central teams, including 11-3 at Progressive Field. The Twins are 15-10 against AL Central teams, and 5-2 against Cleveland.
Both teams made roster moves prior to Friday’s game. The Indians activated outfielder Tyler Naquin off the disabled list and placed first baseman Yonder Alonso on the family medical emergency list. Naquin was in the lineup Friday and played center field. He went 1-for-3 in his first game since being placed on the DL on May 11 with a strained left hamstring.
The Twins on Friday activated first baseman Joe Mauer off the disabled list and recalled infielder Taylor Motter from Triple-A Rochester. Mauer and Motter replace infielder Miguel Sano, who was optioned to Class-A Fort Myers, and outfielder Jake Cave, who was optioned to Rochester.
“It’s really been bothering him that he hasn’t been contributing while we’ve been losing. His biggest goal is to win,” Twins manager Paul Molitor told the Minneapolis Star Tribune regarding Sano. “Some things have knocked him off course from time to time Jeremy Kerley Color Rush Jersey , and it’s time to address them.”
Mauer missed 25 games with a cervical strain/concussion-like symptoms. Motter was claimed off waivers from Seattle on May 28 and hit .167 (7-for-42) at Rochester.
Although the Indians are just 6-7 in June, they are encouraged by the improved work by their bullpen, which was the American League’s worst over the first two months of the season. However, in the month of June, the Indians’ 2.30 bullpen ERA ranks fifth. Two new additions, left-hander Oliver Perez and right-hander Neil Ramirez, have been key contributors in the bullpen’s resurgence.
“We were hoping that with an opportunity to pitch for those guys, good things would happen, and that’s what happened,” said Indians manager Terry Francona. “Perez has helped a lot http://www.bengalsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-cordy-glenn-jersey , and Ramirez has some swing and miss stuff. Things are definitely settling down (in the bullpen).”
The pitching matchup Saturday will be a pair of right-handers: Cleveland’s Carlos Carrasco vs. Minnesota’s Fernando Romero.
Carrasco (8-4, 3.90 ERA) is coming off his best start of the season, a 4-0 win over the White Sox on June 11. In that game, Carrasco pitched seven scoreless innings. He gave up two hits and recorded 11 strikeouts with one walk.
Carrasco has started two games against the Twins this season and is 0-1 with a 5.06 ERA. In 19 career appearances (16 starts) against Minnesota, Carrasco is 5-7 with a 3.97 ERA.
The 23-year-old Romero (3-2, 3.92) will be making his ninth major league start and his first against Cleveland. Romero’s last start was a 7-5 win over the Angels on June 10. Romero pitched five innings in that game, giving up three runs (two earned) on five hits, with five strikeouts and two walks.
Romero’s rookie season started well but has been bumpy in recent starts. In his first three starts he was 2-0 with a 0.54 ERA. But in his last five starts he is 1-2 with a 6.20 ERA.
Something about the big moments brings out the best in Mitch Haniger.
His two-run home run in the ninth on Wednesday, after a stellar defensive play in the top of the inning, gave the Seattle Mariners an 8-6 victory and sweep of the three-game series over the Los Angeles Angels.
”We have such a powerful lineup http://www.lionsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-frank-ragnow-jersey ,” Haniger said. ”On any given night it can be somebody else and that’s kind of the vibe. There’s no panic.”
Haniger, who has 16 home runs this season and 52 RBIs, has an MLB-best 11 game-winning hits – including his second game-ending homer on Wednesday.
After Jean Segura singled to center off reliever Oliver Drake (0-1), Haniger sent a pitch over the left-field wall off to end it.
Nelson Cruz and Ryon Healy also homered for Seattle, and Healy’s upper-deck shot in the eighth inning tied the game at 6-6. Cruz hit a two-run homer in the second inning, his fourth in his last five games and 16th of the season.
The home run by Haniger, who was 2-for-5 and scored two runs, was his second big play of the ninth inning. He also made an outstanding defensive play in right field for the second consecutive game.
With one out and a runner at first, Martin Maldonado hit fly ball to deep right that was tailing away from Haniger. However, he raced to make the catch before throwing it on the fly to Healy in the infield. Healy ran to first to double off Jabari Blash Billy Price Color Rush Jersey , who was pinch running for Albert Pujols.
The Mariners have won six of their last seven games and 11 of their last 13. Roenis Elias (2-0) earned the win with two scoreless innings of relief, and Seattle starter Marco Gonzales allowed seven hits and three runs in five innings.
Wednesday’s game had plenty of drama – including two times when the game was tied and two lead changes.
”I don’t know where to start with this game,” said Seattle manager Scott Servais. ”It had a little bit of everything in it.”
Seattle built a 4-1 lead in the third inning and led 4-3 before the Angels came back to tie it in sixth inning on a sacrifice fly by Luis Valbuena. Home runs by Nolan Fontana and Chris Young gave the Angels a 6-4 lead in the seventh.
The Angels had won six consecutive games before coming to Seattle.
”It says a lot the way our guys came back,” Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia said. ”But unfortunately it was one of those days when our bullpen was stretched a bit after having to use them a lot, and we couldn’t get it done at the end.”
INJURED ANGELS
Angels starting pitcher Garrett Richards left the game after two innings because of tightness in his left hamstring. Shortstop Zack Cozart left the game in the fourth inning because of a left shoulder strain.
SEAGER SCRATCHED
Seattle third baseman Kyle Seager was a late scratch from the starting lineup Wednesday, but he is not injured. Mariners officials said it was a personal issue, and Andrew Romine started at third in his place.
SERVAIS’ NEW LOOK
Before the season started, Servais said he would get a haircut just like Edwin Diaz if the closer reached 50 saves this season. Diaz, who has a Z-like symbol shaved into the left side of his head, already has an MLB-best 25 saves this season and is on pace to reach 55 saves. ”I’m aware Rich Hill Los Angeles Dodgers Jersey ,” Servais said. ”I’m already talking to barbers. I’m OK with that.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Angels: OF Kole Calhoun (oblique strain) started a rehab assignment at Triple-A Salt Lake on Wednesday.
Mariners: RHP Nick Vincent (groin strain) and RHP Juan Nicasio (knee swelling) both are expected to throw in the bullpen Friday on Saturday. Servais said he hopes both relievers can come of the 10-day DL by the middle up the upcoming 10-day road trip that starts in New York against the Yankees on June 19.
UP NEXT
Angels: LHP Tyler Skaggs (5-4, 3.08) tries to continue his June hot streak when the Angels play the Athletics on Friday in Oakland. Skaggs is 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA in his previous two starts this month. Trevor Cahill (1-2, 2.27) is expected to start for Oakland.
Mariners: Felix Hernandez (6-5, 5.70) is on the mound to start a four-game home series against the Boston Red Sox on Thursday. Hernandez is coming off his shortest outing of the season when he took the loss at Tampa Bay, allowing five earned runs on seven hits in the 7-3 loss. David Price (7-4, 4.00) is the expected starter for Boston.
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