Carrasco’s Debut Spoiled by Detroit

Carlos Carrasco is the newest pitcher to hold a mini-tryout for next year’s starting rotation in Cleveland. Carrasco joins the team from triple-A Columbus, where he went 5-1 with a 3.19 ERA. Carrasco also lead the team with 164 strikeouts in 157 innings.

Unfortunately, Carrasco may have some lofty expectations upon himself, as he was a part of the Cliff Lee deal. Carrasco was certainly a prospect the Phillies weren’t eager to part with, but Lee is certainly paying dividends for the Phillies.

With Lehigh Valley of the Phillies organization, Carrasco went 11-10 with a 4.64 ERA. Between the two organizations, Carrasco has certainly proven himself capable of overpowering hitters…and giving up the long ball. In his stint with Columbus, he gave up a team high 17 home runs.

The Tigers jumped on the Indians rookie early, hitting two home runs in the first en route to a four-run inning. Placido Polanco, who all of a sudden has found some power, and Carlos Guillen did the damage early with solo blasts. An Aubrey Huff single and Gerald Laird double plated the other two runs, as Detroit easily overcame Cleveland’s first inning run.

Carrasco allowed a two-run home run to Brandon Inge in the third, effectively ending his night when the inning was completed. Carrasco gave up six runs on nine hits in the first three frames.

Edwin Jackson (11-6) earned a tough win, as he gave up four runs in five innings. Grady Sizemore made the largest dent in the scoreboard with a two-run double to right scoring Kelly Shoppach and Michael Brantley, who was also recently added from Columbus.

Brantley went 2-for-4 for the Indians and scored a run, but none of that…plus Sizemore’s double…could overcome the Tiger power. Detroit is now 70-61 with a full four game lead over Minnesota, and Cleveland has fallen to 58-73.