Rays lead Indians, 4-2, through six innings.
Cleveland, Ohio -- This is a daily briefing of the Indians' 2010 regular season. The Indians play the Rays today in the final game of a three-game series at Progressive Field.
In-game updates:
The Rays led the Indians, 4-2, through six innings.
The Tribe pulled ahead, 1-0, on Carlos Santana's sacrifice fly that drove in Michael Brantley. Brantley had led off with a four-pitch walk.
Wade Davis's first six pitches were balls.
Tampa Bay scored three in the second. With two outs, Willy Aybar walked and raced to third on John Jaso's single. Reid Brignac lifted an elevated, spinning slider from Justin Masterson over the right-field wall.
The Indians made it 3-2 in their half of the second. Travis Hafner led off with a single and eventually scored on Andy Marte's fielder's choice. Marte grounded into the hole at short, where Jason Bartlett made a diving stop and threw to third to erase Jayson Nix for the second out. If Nix doesn't leave second, Marte has an infield single and the Indians are in business.
Masterson gave up two hits but threw 59 pitches through three. Seven of his nine outs came via the grounder.
Santana snapped an 0-for-9 with a two-out single in the third.
Davis allowed four hits through three.
Nix twice threw out Carlos Pena from shallow right as part of a shift.
Masterson, thanks to first baseman Matt LaPorta, escaped a jam in the fourth. With runners on first and third and none out, John Jaso chopped to LaPorta, who looked back the runner at third and fired to second. Asdrubal Cabrera's relay was in plenty of time for the double play. Brignac lined to short.
The Indians squandered an opportunity in their half of the inning. With runners on second and third and one out, Marte struck out and Brantley flied to left.
Tampa Bay pushed the advantage to 4-2 in the fifth on Carlos Crawford's sacrifice fly, which drove in Bartlett. Bartlett had reached on Marte's fielding error to open the inning.
Pre-game notes:
Game 98: Manager Manny Acta says he's going to announce who will make
make Tuesday's start against the Yankees after Sunday's game against Tampa Bay.
Carlos Carrasco and Josh Tomlin are the leading candidates if the Indians stay in-house for the move. They're in the rotation at Class AAA Columbus.
Carrasco left his last start with a right forearm cramp, but appears to be OK. Tomlin is pitched well for the Clippers, but would have to be added to the 40-man roster.
Acta said the Indians would take an extended look at Carrasco in the second half. This could be the chance if Carrasco is healthy. The Indians have an opening in the rotation after Aaron Laffey was placed on the disabled list Friday with a tired left shoulder.
David Huff and Jeanmar Gomez would also be considered, but they won't be ready to pitch Tuesday. Huff pitched seven innings Saturday to improve to 5-0 at Columbus. Gomez started Friday.
Lineups:
Indians (41-56): CF Michael Brantley (L), SS Asdrubal Cabrera, RF Shin-Soo Choo (L), C Carlos Santana (S), 1B Matt LaPorta (R), DH Travis Hafner (L), 2B Jayson Nix (R), LF Trevor Crowe (S), 2B Jayson Nix (R), 3B Andy Marte (R) and RHP Justin Masterson (3-8, 5.25).
Rays (58-38): CF Ben Zobrist (S), LF Carl Crawford (L), 3B Evan Longoria (R), 1B Carlos Pena (L), RF Matt Joyce (L), DH Willy Aybar (S), C John Jaso (L), Reid Brignac (L), SS Jason Bartlett (R) and RHP Wade Davis (7-9, 4.41).
Umpires: H Adrian Johnson, 1B Mike Muchlinski, 2B Andy Fletcher, 3B Mike Everitt.
Quote of the day: "The more self-centered and egotistical a guy is, the better ballplayer he's going to be," former relief pitcher Bill Lee, Baseball Almanac.
Next: Yankee right-hander Javier Vazquez (8-7, 4.68) vs. RHP Jake Westbrook (6-6, 4.74) Monday night at 7:05.