Cleveland Indians Shutout by Mariners 5-0

For the third time this season, the Cleveland Indians were shutout as they lost 5-0 to the Seattle Mariners Wednesday night.  The loss dropped the Indians to 33-26; however, they remained 2.5 games in first place in the division thanks to losses by Chicago, Kansas City, and Detroit. The Mariners moved to 33-26 with the win, moving to within three games of front-running Texas in the American League West.

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Carlos Carrasco suffered his first loss of the season (2-1) despite pitching rather well on the night, despite a final line that may not show it. He worked 6 2/3 innings allowing four runs on five hits, a walk, and a hit batter. He struck out six as well and while he wasn’t at peak-Carrasco, looked more like his old self in his second start since coming off the disabled list.

Carrasco’s Achilles heel on the night though was Mariners catcher Chris Iannetta who hit two home runs off Carrasco and drove in all four runs charged to him. Iannetta got the Mariners on the board in the 3rd inning with a two-run home run that just got over the glove of Rajai Davis in left field. Iannetta added a third run for the Mariners in the 5th on a monster 456-foot home run to left field.Finally in the 7th inning, Iannetta drove in the fourth Seattle run on an RBI double to dead center field off reliever Zach McAllister. The double scored Ketel Marte, who singled on the 100th and last pitch of the night for Carrasco with two outs in the 7th.

Finally in the 7th inning, Iannetta drove in the fourth Seattle run on an RBI double to dead center field off reliever Zach McAllister. The double scored Ketel Marte, who singled on the 100th and last pitch of the night for Carrasco with two outs in the 7th. The Mariners added a fifth run in the bottom of the 8th off reliever Joba Chamberlain who came off the disabled list before the game.  Kyle Seager drove in Seth Smith with an RBI groundout making it 5-0 Mariners.

The five runs the Mariners scored were more than enough given the sheer dominance Taijuan Walker had over the Tribe bats. Walker struck out six of the first nine batters he faced, pitching three perfect innings leading off the game. He would go on to strike out a season-high 11 in his eight innings of work. He allowed zero runs on just three hits and no walks. Two of the three Indians hits came in the 2nd inning when Davis and Jason Kipnis opened the frame with back-to-back singles. However, the Indians failed to drive either in, even after Walked balked them over a base with two-outs.

Walker moved to 3-6 on the season and 4-0 in his four career starts against the Indians. In those four starts, he’s thrown 28 innings allowing just a single run (0.32 ERA!) and striking out 31. The good news for the Indians is they don’t have to face Walker for the rest of the (regular) season. Reliever Nick Vincent worked a scoreless 9th inning, striking out a pair bringing the team total to 13.

The Indians managed just four base runners on the night (three hits and a hit batter). They were without two of their starters as Yan Gomes sat after suffering a testicular contusion in Tuesday’s game that forced him out in just the 2nd inning. Chris Gimenez started in his place. Jose Ramirez, originally in the starting lineup, was also out after being a late scratch due to a sore ankle. Ramirez fouled a ball off the ankle in Tuesday’s game and it remained sore up until game-time. Michael Martinez replaced him at second base (Kipnis was the designated hitter with Mike Napoli getting a rest). Martinez actually accounted for the third and final hit the Indians had on the night…

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The Indians will look to salvage a split in the series tonight against the Mariners. First pitch is at 10:10 pm once again as Josh Tomlin (8-1, 3.54 ERA) will go out for the Tribe and look to restart his streak of winning after an Indians’ loss. He will be countered by right-hander Nate Karns (5-2, 4.23). The Indians also hope to get both Gomes and Ramirez back in the lineup as the team feels neither injury is serious. Following the game, the Indians will head down the west coast to take on the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in a three-game weekend series.