Cleveland Indians Fall to Boston As Salazar, Offense Stumble

The Cleveland Indians fell to the Boston Red Sox for the second day in a row, this time by a score of 5-2. The Indians drop the series and fall to 22-19 on the year, while the Red Sox move to 27-17 with the victory.

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Tribe starter Danny Salazar got off to a rough start, allowing two runs in the first inning on RBI singles by David Ortiz and Hanley Ramirez.  The two runs were more than he had allowed in his previous three starts combined.  The Red Sox weren’t done either, scoring again in the bottom of the 2nd on an RBI double by Ortiz. The Red Sox then added their fourth and final run off Salazar in the bottom of the 5th on a solo home run by Ortiz, who went 4-4 on the afternoon and just missed hitting for the cycle (single, two doubles, home run, walk).

Salazar’s final pitching line was 4 1/3 innings, eight hits, four runs (all earned), three walks, and six strikeouts. It was Salazar’s shortest start of the year and marked the first time he allowed more than three runs in a start in 2016.

In relief, the Indians managed to hold the Red Sox to just one more run over 4 2/3 innings. The Red Sox tacked on their fifth run in the bottom of the 6th off Zach McAllister, who had a rough 6th inning. The best outing of the afternoon for the Tribe was without a doubt Austin Adams, who pitched two scoreless innings allowing just one hit and striking out a pair. Adams was making his 2016 Indians’ debut having just been called up earlier in the day.

Offensively the Indians struggled once again, this time against righty Rick Porcello. The Indians threatened in the 1st inning putting runners on the corners with one out, but a Mike Napoli strike out (the first of three on the afternoon) and Jose Ramirez popup ended the threat. The Tribe got their only runs of the afternoon in the 2nd inning thanks to a bases loaded, two-out two-run double by Jason Kipnis. The two-out rally started on an RBI double by Juan Uribe, his first of two doubles of the game. As a team the Indians managed just six hits on the afternoon, having no answer for Porcello or the Red Sox’s bullpen.

Next: Indians Option Crockett; Recall Adams

The Indians now head to the Windy City to take the American League Central Division leading Chicago White Sox in a four-game series. The two clubs are set to play a doubleheader tomorrow, making up the game that was rained out the first week of the year. For the Indians Mike Clevinger and Cody Anderson will get the start while the White Sox will send out Mat Latos and Erik Johnson. The first game begins at 5:10 pm EST.