Sunday, July 26, 2009
SEATTLE (AP) — Aaron Laffey couldn’t remember the last time he had a scoreless outing.
No wonder. It was 20 starts ago, a stretch that included an elbow injury and multiple shuttles back and forth from Triple-A.
Laffey had a career-high seven strikeouts in seven innings, Travis Hafner hit a two-run homer and Ryan Garko added a three-run shot as the Cleveland Indians broke out with a 9-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night.
Ben Francisco and Jamey Carroll added solo homers for Cleveland, which is tied with Kansas City for most losses in the AL at 58. The Indians had two homers in their first six games following the All-Star break.
They have won consecutive games for the first time since July 3-4, thanks to their largest shutout win since May 10, 2008.
That 12-0 rout of Toronto was the last time Laffey had a scoreless start.
“I had no idea,” he said. “Too much stuff has happened to me since then.”
Laffey (4-2) used a better-located fastball to go with an improved sinker to allow just three hits. He walked three in seven innings, five days after he allowed three runs in six innings of a no-decision against Seattle. He retired his last 13 batters.
“Tonight was definitely one of those nights I felt all the kinks were out,” he said.
His All-Star catcher was more effusive.
“Man, I think this outing is one of the best I’ve seen,” Victor Martinez said. “He was on, from the first pitch to the last pitch.”
Ryan Rowland-Smith (0-1) allowed four runs in his first start for Seattle since April 10.
The Mariners were shut out for sixth time this season and have scored four runs in their last 29 innings, dating to a 9-7 loss at Detroit on Tuesday. They had four baserunners in the first inning — and still didn’t score.