Tribe can’t find 0 in losses to O’s

Associated Press

BALTIMORE

The Cleveland Indians had been flailing helplessly at the plate for nearly 18 innings when Terry Francona finally had seen enough.

Francona stormed out of the dugout after a third-strike call went against Ryan Raburn, and the manager was ejected before he got to the plate. The sequence effectively summed up a Sunday in which the Indians failed to score in losing twice to the Baltimore Orioles, 4-0 and 8-0.

“Today was not a pretty day for us,” Francona said. “I don’t see guys grinding the at-bat. We’re not doing the things we’re capable of doing.”

Chris Tillman (6-7) allowed four hits over seven innings in the nightcap for Baltimore after former Indian Ubaldo Jimenez pitched eight innings of four-hit ball.

Cleveland (33-41) absorbed its first doubleheader sweep since Sept. 8, 2009, against Texas. From the start of the 2010 season through last year, the Indians owned a 23-7 record in 15 doubleheaders.

This one, as Francona noted, was rather ugly.

Jason Kipnis, who started the day with a 20-game hitting streak, was a collective 0 for 7 with four strikeouts. Cleveland got only two runners past second base and went 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position.

David Murphy got four hits in the second game, accounting for half the Indians’ total.

Toru Murata (0-1) was summoned from the minors to make his major league debut in the nightcap. Now in his fifth season in the Cleveland organization, the 30-year-old Japanese right-hander allowed five runs in 31/3 innings despite retiring the first five batters he faced.

“Just my fault,” he said. “The ball high.”

In the opener, the Orioles collected their 5,000th win since the move from St. Louis to Baltimore in 1954.

Jimenez (7-3) struck out seven and walked none in winning his fourth consecutive start. After going 6-9 with a 4.81 ERA last year, the right-hander owns a solid 3.09 ERA and leads the team in wins and strikeouts.

This is what the Orioles were looking for in February 2014 when they signed him as a free agent to a four-year, $50 million contract.

“We’re getting to see the guy we thought Ubaldo could be,” Showalter said.

Jimenez outpitched Trevor Bauer (6-5), who gave up four runs, five hits and a walk over seven innings.

“It’s tough when they hit eight or nine balls hard,” Bauer said. “Usually I give up eight or nine hard hits in the course of like two or three games.”

Bauer was hurt by a lack of support, but he also foisted some of the blame on himself.

“It’s hard to win when you score zero runs,” the right-hander said. “It’s equally hard to win when your starter gives up four runs.”

The second game was a makeup of a rainout Saturday. Baltimore beat the Indians on Friday and finished 5-1 against Cleveland, winning the season series for the first time since 2006.

UP AND DOWN

The Indians have lost seven of nine to dip seven games under .500.

The Orioles have won seven of eight. Baltimore jumped from third to first on Sunday, passing the Yankees and Tampa Bay.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Indians: DH/OF Nick Swisher (left knee inflammation) remains with the team as he works to return from the 15-day DL. He’s been out since June 14.

Orioles: CF Adam Jones (sore right shoulder) started in the opener for the first time since June 20.

ON DECK

Indians: Cleveland sends Cody Anderson to the mound tonight in the opener of four-game series at Tampa Bay.

Orioles: Baltimore opens a four-game series against the visiting Texas Rangers, who have lost seven of eight.