Off and running: Tribe throttles Orioles 10–4
The Cleveland Indians came into Saturday’s contest against the Baltimore Orioles after a depressing 3–1 loss last night. With the O’s trotting out ace John Means and the Indians countering with Aaron Civale, one may have expected a low scoring affair. That wasn’t exactly the case with the Tribe taking a 10–4 win over the Orioles.
Cesar Hernandez worked a full count in the opening at bat and launched a solo blast to the bullpen in left center field traveling 414 feet. With two down in the same inning, Harold Ramirez drove an opposite field 396-foot rocket just over the glove of Cedric Mullins for an early 2–0 lead.
Means was removed from the game with a diagnosis of shoulder fatigue having only pitched two-thirds of an inning. Means clearly wasn’t feeling comfortable with his stuff on the mound. Former Indians pitcher Adam Plutko came in to relieve the departed Means, getting Owen Miller to pop up for the third out.
Aaron Civale allowed back to back singles to Cedric Mullins and Trey Mancini to open the game before sending down Anthony Santander with a cut-fastball before Freddy Galvis lined a bead to center and plated Mulline.
Civale managed to get the last two outs with a pop fly and pop up, but D.J. Stewart’s backswing clipped Austin Hedges and he was sent down in a heap as the inning came to an end, though Hedges stayed in the game.
Harold Ramirez came up with two on and one out in the third and blooped a single into right center, scoring Amed Rosario and moving Jose Ramirez to third. Eddie Rosario followed up Harold Ramirez with an RBI single of his own past a diving Mancini and scored Jose Ramirez.
The Indians blew the lid off the game two batters later with Chang blasting a two-out, three run shot for 438 feet for a 7–1 lead.
Chang’s blow knocked out Plutko, who pitched two innings serving up four hits and five runs, although only one run was earned. He struck out three and didn’t walk a batter on 41 pitches, 26 thrown for strikes.
The Indians added more insurance runs via Harold Ramirez on a passed ball in the top of the fifth and a RBI base knock from Amed Rosario to score Austin Hedges in the sixth.
Mullins hit two round-trippers in the third and fifth innings, giving him three hits on the day before adding two more singles for a five-hit day. Ryan Mountcastle tacked on a solo home run during the home half of the sixth inning to cut the lead to 9–4, going 447 feet on for his second blast in as many days.
Civale plowed through six strong innings, giving up seven hits and four runs, three of which were scored on solo home runs.
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The workhorse also notched four strikeouts without walking a batter on 100 pitches, with 69 of them finding the strike zone. Civale fell just short of earning his seventh quality start but earned the victory.
Bobby Bradley pinch hit for Yu Chang in a seven pitch at bat and lined a double to the right field wall in the eighth after being called up from Columbus in his season debut. He later scored on a Hernandez base hit to center.
— — — Tidbits — — —
Roster shuffle
The Indians made a series of roster moves prior to today’s game. They optioned right hander Eli Morgan to Columbus and selected the contract of reliever Blake Parker and the slugging first baseman Bobby Bradley. To make room for Parker on the 40-man roster, first baseman Jake Bauers was designated for assignment.
The Indians wanted to give Bauers one final shot to establish himself as part of Cleveland’s future despite Bradley’s great play in spring training. Highly regarded as a prospect with Tampa Bay, he scuffled at the plate in 2019 and this season the team had seen enough.
Bradley hasn’t been fantastic either, hitting well below the Mendoza line but has hit nine home runs and 19 RBI at Columbus and slugging .485 to help boost his OPS to .751.
Means’ home run problem
The long ball has been a killer for John Means as of late. Including today prior to exiting the game with an injury, he’d given up two home runs in each of his last four starts.
First inning hits
Cedric Mullins came into today’s game with 65 hits, tied for third in the majors. He added his 66th hit off Aaron Civale in the first inning, giving the outfielder 21 first inning hits, which leads the major leagues. Mullins also added four more hits for a total of 70.
He also became the only hitter in the majors this year with two five-hit games.
Plesac and Perez check-up
With an off-day on Monday, Zach Plesac and Roberto Perez will be evaluated by Dr. Thomas Graham to check on their respective injuries and next steps.
