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Salazar whiffs 7 in rehab start
Scrappers v Cyclones
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Cleveland Indians right-hander Danny Salazar looked like his old self Tuesday night at Eastwood Field making a rehab start with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.
The Dominican pitched his scheduled five innings, allowing no runs, two hits and two walks. He struck out seven to get the win.
Oh, and the Scrappers beat the Brooklyn Cyclones 4-1.
Photo Gallery: Scrappers v Cyclones
Salazar threw 71 pitches, 52 of which were fastballs. He said he walked into tonight’s game wanting to be more aggressive than he was in a rehab start with AA Akron. In that July 1 start he went just 12/3 innings, allowing three earned runs, hitting a batter and walking two.
Salazar also pitched in AAA Columbus where he went 31/3 innings, allowing three earned runs on three home runs.
“[Being agressive] was the plan and I just stuck with it,” Salazar said. “I’ve been working a lot of trying to be more calm on the mound and I think I’m better now going in and out to hitters. My fastball command is better.”
Salazar said this is the strongest he’s felt in an entire calendar year.
“Right now, I feel great,” Salazar said. “This is the best I’ve felt since I went to the All-Star Game last year. I’m happy the way I’m feeling right now.”
Soreness struck Salazar early this year and he said it’s been a struggle to get back to Cleveland since his stint on the disabled list and now a quick trip back through the minors.
“After my first game this year I felt soreness in my shoulder and it wasn’t that bad in the beginning but when they moved me to the bullpen, throwing one day then having a day off and throwing again was very difficult for me.
“It’s the first time I’ve done that.”
As for the game, the Scrappers got their work done early. After a scoreless opening inning from Salazar, Austen Wade led off the home half of the first with a single and Samad Taylor launched a home run to left field that nearly cleared the advertisements beyond the bullpen.
“I don’t know what pitch it was honestly,” Taylor said. “I was sitting in one spot for location and it happened to fall right there and I reacted to it. We started off the game good.”
Did Taylor know it was gone immediately?
“Oh yeah,” Taylor said.
The first five Scrappers reached base and the third run scored when Clark Scolamiero singled on a line drive to right to bring home Nolan Jones.
Mahoning Valley struck again in the second when Jones singled to right to bring home Ernie Clement. It was more than enough. Brooklyn was able to scratch a run across in the sixth and brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth, but couldn’t catch up to the early work of the Scrappers.
It was an especially welcome win after the Scrappers had dropped four in a row.
“The guys came out swinging and were getting out and having fun tonight,” Mahoning Valley manager Luke Carlin said.
Taylor said he hopes this is the start of another winning streak as the team now sits a game over .500 (11-10).
“Feels good to be back on top,” Taylor said. “A win here, a win tomorrow and go from there. Win the series and come out strong.”
Despite most ballplayers around the professional leagues having the night off for the mid-season break, that isn’t the case for the short-season New York-Penn League teams. Salazar said it was nice to be able to play today and keep a normal pitching rotation rhythm going, rather than just sit around on a break that he’s already had on the disabled list.
“I think it’s good for me to get a five-day routine,” Salazar said. “I think [playing Tuesday] was a great idea. I didn’t want to feel good, then go home for three or four days and just play catch or not take treatment that I’ve been doing. Because all the staff is at the All-Star Game — the coaches, trainers, even the bullpen catchers.”
Taylor concurred that what he was doing this year’s All-Star night is better than what he was doing a year ago.
“Yes and no [it feels weird playing on All-Star night],” Taylor said. “I walk in the locker room to go to the bathroom and the game is on. But last year I was watching it and now I’m here doing my thing and getting after it.”