Series Preview: Indians vs. Mariners

Sorry for the late preview everyone. I’m back to school and dealing with some rather frustrating internet problems. But anyways, as you’re well aware of by now, the Indians struggles in Detroit continued as they were downed in three straight contests. They also lost Travis Hafner to the disabled list with a foot injury. To this point, they have dropped game one of the Seattle series and are tied at one in game two. Majority of this preview coming straight from Indians.com. Sorry folks.

August 22-24, 2011

Progressive Field

Scouting Report

• Seattle – Mike Carp’s career-high 20-game hitting streak came to an end after an 0-for-4 night on Monday, but he’s still batting .350 (42-for-120) with 17 runs, seven doubles, one triple, six home runs and 26 RBIs since being recalled from Tacoma on July 19. Sixty-seven of the Mariners’ 126 games have been decided by two or fewer runs. Seattle is 21-23 in one-run games and 9-14 in two-run games. With a 3-2 win on Monday night, Seattle ended it’s five game losing streak.

• Cleveland – Swept at the hands of the Tigers, the Indians didn’t do themselves any favors over the weekend and now face a 5 1/2 game deficit in the American League Central. The Tigers pounded the Tigers on Saturday night by a score of 10-1 and things looked like they were headed the same way on Sunday after the Tigers jumped on Ubaldo Jimenez and scored seven runs in the seventh inning. The Tribe fought back valiantly with a five-run fourth but it wasn’t enough as the Indians were dropped 8-7.

Game 2 – Blake Beavan vs. Justin Masterson

• Blake Beavan  3-4, 4.10 ERA

The 6-foot-7 rookie suffered his second straight rough outing Wednesday, allowing three homers to Toronto. Beavan relies on fastball command, but has struggled with it after opening his career with six straight quality starts.

• Justin Masterson  10-7, 2.71 ERA

The Indians have won the last five times Masterson has patrolled the mound. In his last start, the righty allowed two runs in six innings against the White Sox. Masterson has just one loss in the last two months.

Game 3 – Anthony Vszquez vs. Zach McCallister

• Anthony Vasquez  0-0, -.– ERA

Vasquez, 24, will be selected from Triple-A Tacoma prior to the second game of Tuesday’s day-night doubleheader. The start will mark Vasquez’s Major League debut. The lefty is 4-3 with a 3.21 ERA in eight starts for Triple-A Tacoma.

• Zach McCallister  0-0, 4.50 ERA

The Indians will recall McAllister to pitch the nightcap of Tuesday’s doubleheader. It’ll be the right-hander’s second career Major League start. In his debut, he allowed three runs (two earned) in four innings against Toronto on July 7.

Game 4 – Felix Hernandez vs. Josh Tomlin

• Felix Hernandez  11-11, 3.38 ERA

The right-hander pitched well in his last start, allowing three runs in eight innings of work and striking out nine against the Rays on Friday. But he still received his 11th loss of the season.

• Josh Tomlin  12-6, 4.03 ERA

The right-hander pitched well in his last start, allowing three runs in eight innings of work and striking out nine against the Rays on Friday. But he still received his 11th loss of the season.

Projected Lineups

Seattle

1. DH Ichiro Suzuki
2. CF Franklin Gutierrez
3. 2B Dustin Ackley
4. 1B Mike Carp
5. RF Casper Wells
6. 3B Adam Kennedy
7.    C Miguel Olivo
8. SS Kyle Seager
9. LF Trayvon Robinson

Cleveland

1. LF Ezequiel Carrera
2. SS Asdrubal Cabrera
3. RF Shin-Soo Choo
4.    C Carlos Santana
5. CF Kosuke Fukudome
6. DH Lonnie Chisenhall
7. 1B Matt LaPorta
8. 3B Jack Hannahan
9. 2b Luis Valbuena