Cleveland Indians Ride Another Solid Start from Anderson to Win Over Rays

Anderson shines again as Tribe roll over the Rays

I’m not sure why all the other potential number five starters for the Cleveland Indians struggled so much. Clearly this pitching thing isn’t that hard, at least if you’re watching Cody Anderson that’s what you would think. He took a perfect game into the seventh before Grady Sizemore ended the bid with a solo home run, but the Tribe rolled to a 7-1 victory behind the rookie.

The Indians (34-41) struck early on, scoring on a Jeff Brantley single in the first to score Jason Kipnis to fire the opening salvo. After a 0-for-7 performance in yesterday’s doubleheader, Kipnis went 3-for-4 to raise his average back to .348, good for third-best in the American League.

Tampa Bay (42-36) starter Nate Karns allowed another run in the second on a Kipnis single, and that would be all he would allow over his six innings of work, allowing nine hits and striking out seven. But the Rays had no answer for Anderson (1-0, 0.57) again, as he can’t help but excite Tribe fans after the struggles at the back end of the rotation.

In two games against the Rays, Anderson has allowed just one run on eight hits–Sizemore’s solo shot tonight–holding them to a .148 average and a WHIP of 0.57. It’s still a small sample against just one team, but the results are very encouraging.

After the Rays cut it to 2-1 in the seventh, Yan Gomes responded in the eighth with a solo home run of his own to make it 3-1. But unlike most games, the offense would provide some more support to take away the dramatics.

The Tribe added four more runs in the ninth of an erratic Ronald Belisario. Two walks and two wild pitches led to the game slipping away as Belisario finished the inning, but not before allowing the four-run cushion  to the Indians.

What’s Next:

The Indians will send Danny Salazar (6-3, 4.06) to the hill tomorrow, who’s failed to get past the fifth in his last two starts after a solid start since being recalled from Columbus. He’ll be opposed by the Rays Erasmo Ramirez (6-2, 4.23) who had to leave his last outing–also against the Indians–after three innings with a strained groin.

Jason Kipnis is going to need a late push from the fans to make the 2015 All-Star game. Be sure to click on the link and #VoteKipnis as well as other Cleveland Indians for this year’s game.

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