The Indians erupted for 15 hits and 13 runs in a pasting of the Tigers on Friday night in Detroit.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Right-hander Danny Salazar struck out a career-high 11 in seven innings and Brandon Moss had seven RBI as the Indians hammered the Tigers, 13-1, Friday night at Comerica Park in Detroit. Here is a capsule look at the game after a dvr review of the Fox SportsTime Ohio telecast:
On the board: The Indians won for the first time in six series openers this season.
Bit by bit: The Indians (6-9) have won two of three. It hardly qualifies as a hot stretch, but it is progress.
Slumping: The Tigers (11-6) have lost a season-high four straight -- all at home.
They opened the season 6-0, including a three-game sweep in Cleveland.
Taking out their frustration: The Indians snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Tigers dating to last season. Their previous victory was Sept. 3 in Cleveland; Salazar threw his first career shutout as the Indians rolled, 7-0.
That night, Salazar allowed eight hits, walked none and struck out nine. He threw 83 of 118 pitches for strikes.
Ten days later, Salazar faced the Tigers at Comerica and pitched decently (5 2/3 IP, 6 H, 3 R, BB, 7 K) in a no-decision of the Tribe's 5-4 loss.
Locked in: Salazar pitched superbly Friday, allowing the run on six hits in seven innings. He walked three and plunked one.
Salazar handled a fully loaded Detroit lineup that can be relentless and prolific. The run came on a homer by Nick Castellanos with one out in the second. Castellanos ambushed Salazar by driving a first-pitch fastball (97 mph) over the wall in right-center. Catcher Roberto Perez wanted the pitch away but it leaked over the plate. Even though the location was not ideal, Castellanos deserves credit for putting a good enough swing on a 97-mph pitch to drive it out the opposite way.
Detroit's other hits against Salazar were singles, including a bloop to right by Miguel Cabrera.
Detroit second baseman Ian Kinsler went 2-for-2 with two walks against Salazar; the rest of the lineup was 4-for-25 (.160) with one walk, one HBP and the 11 strikeouts.
Plus, plus: Salazar relied on a nasty two-pitch mix -- mid-to-high-90s fastball and mid-to-high-80s changeup.
If a power pitcher is to have any chance of success against Detroit, he can't try to be someone he isn't. He must trust the fastball and be able to pepper the outer areas of the zone with it. Otherwise, the Tigers will take their walks or wait to pounce on hanging off-speed stuff -- when they aren't mashing fastball mistakes.
That part of the game plan is much easier said than done. Salazar executed it.
Salazar's fastball command was not pinpoint, but it did not need to be because the velocity overpowered or caused other bad swings. Salazar and Perez moved the fastball around and got certain batters to chase it above the belt.
Any starting pitcher against most teams, and especially Detroit, needs something off-speed to keep batters honest. Salazar's changeup did the job -- and then some.
The changeup was almost as good as in Salazar's season's debut with the Tribe. On April 18 in Minnesota, he allowed two runs on six hits and struck out 10 in six innings of a 4-2 victory.
Against the Twins, Salazar threw 67 of 105 pitches for strikes (63.8 percent). According to a DMan's Report charting of the start, Salazar threw 75 fastballs, 16 changeups and 14 sliders. All 10 of the strikeouts were swinging (six on changeups, four on fastballs.)
Against the Tigers, Salazar threw 74 of 115 pitches for strikes (64.3 percent). According to a DMan's Report charting of the start, Salazar threw 89 fastballs, 21 changeups, three curves and two sliders. All 11 of the strikeouts were swinging (eight on fastballs, three on changeups.)
Notable: Fox SportsTime Ohio reporter Andre Knott said Salazar has been working on his curve in side sessions. He broke it out for the first time this season after the Tribe's offense scored six in the fifth for a 9-1 lead.
The breeze in Comerica: Here is a list of Salazar's strikeouts against Detroit, with batter's name and pitch speed:
Anthony Gose 97; J.D. Martinez, 97; Alex Avila 98; Miggy 96; Avila 98; Gose 97; Yoenis Cespedes 96; Avila 87; Castellanos 97; Gose 88; and Miggy 87.
The 11th strikeout was the most impressive because Salazar made Miggy, the best hitter of his generation, look bad. Salazar opened with a fastball (96) on the outside corner at the knees for a called strike. Miggy fouled a fastball (96) than jammed him. Then Salazar fired a Bugs Bunny changeup that dived in the dirt as Miggy flailed.
Fast fact: Salazar became the first Indian since Sam McDowell in 1970 to open his season with two straight starts of 10-plus strikeouts. McDowell's run was three starts.
Moss is Boss: Right fielder Moss led the Tribe's offensive outburst by going 3-for-5 with two homers and one double.
Moss likes to work counts, but he was in attack mode Friday. The lefty swung at the first pitch in three of his five at-bats. The result: seven RBI. He had a two-run double off righty Shane Greene in the first inning (fastball); a three-run homer off righty Alex Wilson in the fifth (cutter); and a two-run homer off Al Alburquerque in the ninth (fastball).
The three-run homer came on Wilson's first pitch after relieving Greene. Moss got a cookie and devoured it.
Moss entered the night batting .162 with one homer and two RBI this season. He was slugging .324.
Moss exited batting .214 and slugging .524.
That Moss would bust loose at Comerica should come as no surprise. In 11 career games at the venue, he is 20-for-43 (.465) with seven homers, six doubles, 22 RBI and 13 runs.
So much for that: Greene entered the night in a serious groove, having gone 3-0 with a 0.39 ERA (23 IP, ER) in three starts to open the season.
The Indians' pounding of Greene consisted of nine hits, two walks and eight runs in four-plus innings. After Wilson allowed the inherited runners to score in the fifth, Greene's ERA swelled to 3.00.