The Indians performed poorly in almost all phases and lost to the Rangers, 7-0, Saturday night in Arlington, Texas.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Mitch Moreland hit a grand slam in a five-run first inning and right-hander A.J. Griffin allowed five hits in six innings as the Texas Rangers easily disposed of the Cleveland Indians, 7-0, Saturday night at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas. Tribe reserve catcher Chris Gimenez threw 10 pitches in a perfect eighth.
Here is a capsule look at the key aspect(s) of the game, which was televised by Fox Sports Time Ohio:
XL-XW-XL: The Rangers (76-54) won the series opener, 9-0, Thursday night. The Indians (73-55) won, 12-1, Friday night. The Rangers dominated again Saturday.
All-around mess: The Indians checked most of the boxes. Their starting pitching was not good; they swung poorly; they fielded poorly; and they didn't generate anything on the bases.
Can't happen: The Indians need to win when the pitching matchup is Carlos Carrasco against A.J. Griffin.
It would be one thing if the Indians were shut down by a nasty right-hander such as Yu Darvish. Griffin cruised using an assortment of slop.
Griffin (6-3, 4.39 ERA) walked one and struck out six. He threw 66 of 95 pitches for strikes.
All you needed to know about Cleveland's offense against Griffin came in the third inning.
Carlos Santana led off with a 10-pitch walk. Jason Kipnis, in the midst of a superb season, worked the count full. As Santana sprinted for second, Kipnis swung and missed at an 88-mph fastball over the plate. Rangers catcher Robinson Chirinos easily erased Santana.
The Indians, a team that doesn't run-and-hit often, had Santana on the move when trailing, 5-0, in the third.
Fox Sports Time Ohio analyst Rick Manning said: "You're banking that Kip is going to put it in play. I would do it all day long, even though you're down. You're trying to make something happen.''
Anatomy of a debacle: Tribe right-hander Carrasco allowed seven runs -- three earned -- on eight hits in four innings. He walked one and struck out eight. He needed 93 pitches to get 12 outs.
Carrasco's defense let him down, no question. But Carrasco didn't help himself, either. Here is a pitch-by-pitch breakdown of his outing:
1st inning
(L) Nomar Mazara -- 95 fastball foul; 94 fastball inside (barely); 90 changeup low; 94 fastball foul; 89 changeup in dirt; 95 fastball foul; 94 fastball foul; 89 changeup, swinging strikeout.
Skinny: Inner third diving to knees.
Ian Desmond -- 95 fastball outside (barely); 87 changeup low and inside; 87 changeup swinging strike; 95 fastball outside (barely); 94 fastball, bloop single to center.
Skinny: Desmond jammed. Ball floated beyond shortstop Francisco Lindor. Tough luck for Carrasco.
(L) Carlos Beltran -- 94 fastball outside (barely); 93 fastball outside; 94 fastball high and outside; 92 fastball called strike; 93 fastball, single to third baseman.
Skinny: Could have been a routine grounder to short. Beltran stuck out bat and hit two-hopper to left side. Jose Ramirez, the only infielder in the area, ranged to his right to field it but the throw had no chance. Indians burned for shifting against a batter who had been in an 0-for-32 slump. Carrasco pitched to the mitt of catcher Roberto Perez, who was set up on outside edge.
Adrian Beltre -- 86 breaking pitch called strike; (Carrasco balk after turning to throw to first while on rubber; Carlos Santana was playing behind Beltran);
Manning said: "That's having a brain cramp....What a mistake by Carrasco. No reason to throw to first base. Your job is to concentrate on the hitter up there, and this is their best hitter.''
(Tribe catcher Roberto Perez visits mound.)
Fox Sports Time Ohio play-by-play voice Matt Underwood said: "Carrasco's obsession, or fascination -- or whatever you want to call it -- with the runners on base has almost gotten to the level of absurdity here of late. It was never that way before.''
Manning said: "It's been about a month. The 27th of July, we're told, is when he started this.''
94 fastball inside (barely); 93 fastball, grounder to third/fielder's choice.
Skinny: Beltre lined one-hopper to Ramirez, who attempted to trap Desmond off third. Desmond dived back in time to beat Ramirez's dive. Ramirez did not pump-fake.
Manning said: "That can't happen. You've got to get an out. Look him back and throw to first. If you go at him, you've got to get him.''
(L) Rougned Odor --93 fastball foul; 85 changeup swinging strike; 85 changeup, error/first baseman.
Skinny: Should have been routine out. Santana waited on second hop, which kicked off his right shoulder. Desmond scored, bases loaded again.
Carlos Gomez -- 95 fastball foul; 92 fastball swinging strike; 87 breaking pitch, swinging strikeout.
Skinny: Down and away.
(L) Mitch Moreland -- 85 get-me-over breaking pitch, grand slam.
Skinny: Hanger that backed up over plate. Moreland whistled it inside right-field pole.
Elvis Andrus -- 92 fastball inside; 93 fastball, fly to center.
Skinny: Carrasco threw 30 pitches in inning.
2nd inning
Robinson Chirinos -- 86 changeup low and away; 92 fastball, grounder to first.
(L) Nomar Mazara -- 87 changeup foul; 92 fastball low and inside; 93 fastball called strike; 82 breaking pitch foul; 92 fastball foul; 89 changeup low and in; 85 breaking pitch outside; 86 changeup foul; 93 fastball, single to center.
Skinny: Another excellent at-bat by Mazara.
Ian Desmond -- 94 fastball called strike; 85 breaking pitch swinging strike; 85 breaking pitch in dirt/wild pitch (Perez needed to block); 84 breaking pitch, swinging strikeout.
(L) Carlos Beltran -- 94 fastball outside; 91 fastball outside; 86 changeup called strike; 93 fastball, grounder to second.
Skinny: Carrasco threw 19 pitches in the inning.
3rd inning
Adrian Beltre -- 89 fastball up and in; 84 breaking pitch swinging strike; 91 fastball foul; 85 breaking pitch, grounder to third baseman.
(L) Rougned Odor -- 81 breaking pitch called strike; 83 breaking pitch low and in; 92 fastball called strike; 93 fastball foul; 93 fastball, double to left-center.
Skinny: Perez set up on insider edge; pitch leaked to outer third above knees.
Carlos Gomez -- 91 fastball inside; 91 fastball low and inside; 84 breaking pitch called strike; 90 fastball swinging strike; 85 breaking pitch, swinging strikeout.
(Tribe pitching coach Mickey Callaway visits mound.)
(L) Mitch Moreland -- 93 fastball high; 87 changeup low and away; 86 changeup outside; intentional ball four, walk.
Elvis Andrus -- 84 off-speed high and inside; 91 fastball, two-run double to left.
Skinny: Pitch stayed over plate above knees. Left fielder Abraham Almonte took forever to dig out the ball in the corner, enabling the speed-challenged Moreland to score from first. Moreland should not be able to score from first on a double to left.
Robinson Chirinos -- 92 fastball foul; 85 breaking pitch swinging strike; 84 changeup, strikeout.
Skinny: Carrasco threw 23 pitches in the inning.
4th inning
(L) Nomar Mazara -- 81 breaking pitch high; 92 fastball called strike; 81 breaking pitch foul; 92 fastball, swinging strikeout.
Ian Desmond -- 84 breaking pitch foul; 92 fastball outside; 93 fastball, single to right.
Skinny: Desmond punched multi-hop grounder past diving Santana and second baseman Kipnis. Tough luck for Carrasco.
(L) Carlos Beltran -- 90 fastball called strike; 91 fastball outside;
(Carrasco continues to throw over to first. Callaway visits mound.)
Manning said of Carrasco's antics: "This is really uncalled for. This has been a problem for Carlos for the last month. Why he is doing this (I don't know). You can say he wants to be like Josh Tomlin, holding the guys close -- it's 7-0. This is all upstairs, in his dome.''
The Tribe bullpen stirred.
Manning said: "There you go. Get the bullpen going. Do you want to throw to first or do you want to pitch?''
93 fastball foul; 92 fastball, bloop double to left.
Skinny: Should have been routine pop-out to shortstop or left fielder. Ball dropped beyond Ramirez, who had a long way to run because of the shift, and in front of Almonte, who jabbed at the ball with backhand near line.
Manning said: "Communication breakdown. Ramirez was there. He peeled off because he heard Almonte. You can see Almonte calling for it. You can't call it too early unless you know you're going to catch it. Catch it or don't call for it.''
Adrian Beltre -- 86 changeup called strike; 85 breaking pitch inside; 93 fastball swinging strike; 83 breaking pitch low and in; 94 fastball, swinging strikeout.
Skinny: Why Carrasco hasn't trusted his fastball more is puzzling.
(L) Rougned Odor -- 81 breaking pitch called strike; 89 changeup low and inside; 93 fastball foul; 81 breaking pitch outside; 88 changeup, swinging strikeout.
Skinny: Carrasco threw 21 pitches in the inning.
(Jeff Manship replaced Carrasco to begin the fifth.)