Thursday, April 17, 2014
Photo
Indians right fielder David Murphy makes sliding catch to retire the Tigers’ Nick Castellanos in the second inning of their game Wednesday at Comerica Park in Detroit. The Tigers threatened in the ninth, but the Indians held on to win, 3-2. The teams play again this afternoon in Detroit.
Akron Beacon Journal
DETROIT
It was a night for long underwear and a bonfire in the bullpen, if there had been any conceivable way to make that happen.
A night for Indians manager Terry Francona to bite his nails if he disdained gloves.
It was also a night for the Indians to begin reversing their fortunes against the Detroit Tigers.
Last year against the Tigers, the Indians went 4-15, their most losses against Detroit since 1960. Before the game, left fielder Michael Brantley said it wasn’t necessary for the Indians to try to send a message in the cold weather-shortened two-game series against the three-time American League Central Division champions.
“No, but we can’t let them know they can roll over us,” Brantley said.
Catcher Yan Gomes wasted little time showing the Indians’ determination to change matters with a two-run triple off the right-center field wall in the second inning. Indians starter Zach McAllister turned in six impressive innings as the Indians hung on for a 3-2 victory Wednesday night before a crowd of 23,811 at Comerica Park.
New Indians closer John Axford, who blew his first save of the season Sunday against the White Sox, ran into trouble again. With one out, Alex Avila doubled to center field and Michael Bourn dropped the ball after fielding it, allowing Avila to go to third. Don Kelly struck out and Rajai Davis grounded out to short as Axford recorded his fifth save.
Temperature at game time was 42 degrees and had dropped to 36 by the ninth.
Facing right-hander Bryan Shaw in the eighth, the Tigers closed the gap to 3-2 on Miguel Cabrera’s RBI single to left. Second baseman Jason Kipnis saw a ball from Davis tip off the edge of his glove for an error and Ian Kinsler bunted for a single, the call withstanding a replay review on whether third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall’s throw was in time. After a double play, Cabrera brought Davis home and Victor Martinez followed with a single to right. Shaw struck out Austin Jackson with a curveball to end the inning.
The Indians took a 3-1 lead in the second, doing all their damage with one hit.
In the first, Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez walked the first three batters, which produced a run on Carlos Santana’s groundout to short. In the second, Gomes tripled, plating Asdrubal Cabrera, who reached on an error by first baseman Cabrera, and David Murphy, who had walked.
The Tigers threatened with one out in the fourth, when McAllister threw 18 pitches to Martinez and Jackson, resulting in a walk and a single to right, respectively. But after a chat with Gomes, McAllister retired Nick Castellanos on a fly to the gap in right center that Bourn ran down, losing his cap in the process. McAllister struck out Avila with a 93 mph fastball to end a 31-pitch inning.
McAllister gave up one run, that coming in the first inning when Kinsler led off with a double down the left field line and scored on Cabrera’s groundout to short. Throwing 97 pitches in six innings, McAllister gave up four hits, struck out four and walked two.
Sanchez struck out eight of 12 batters starting with Chisenhall in the second inning. Sanchez allowed two hits in five innings and one of the Indians’ three runs was unearned. He walked four and struck out eight.