Tigers rip Indians rookie starter for eight runs on 11 hits in three innings after he beat them in his big-league debut on July 18.
Cleveland Indians starter Jeanmar Gomez pitches against the Detroit Tigers in the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 22, 2010, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)UPDATED: 3:21 p.m.
DETROIT, Mich. -- This is a daily briefing of the Indians 2010 regular season. The Indians play the Tigers today in the final game of a three-game series at Comerica Park.
Comerica Park's dimensions: Left field line 345 feet, left field power alley 370 feet, center field 420, right center field power alley 365, right field line 330.
In-game notes:
Score: Tigers 8, Indians 1 after seven innings.
A little relief: After Jeanmar Gomez was dispatched to soak his head and arm in ice after three innings, Tribe relievers were able to stop the Tigers. Frank Herrmann pitched two scoreless innings. Rafael Perez and Tony Sipp followed with a scoreless inning each.
Cycle of death: Lovers of good defense had to cringe when Luis Valbuena came off the bench in the seventh to play second and Jason Donald moved over to short to give Asdrubal Cabrera a break. It meant that the Indians three-headed 3B moster of Jayson Nix, Andy Marte and Valbue, was on the field at the same time.
What a catch: Nix made the second out of the seventh with a great tumbling catch into the photographer's pitch near the Tigers' dugout against Don Kelly. Nix fell over the railing and appeared to land on his head after what appeared to be a six-foot drop. He stuck his glove in the air and third base umpire Ted Barret gave the out sign.
All Tigers all the time: The Tigers, held to two unearned runs the last time they faced Gomez, got some revenge in a hurry. They knocked him out of the game in three innings after battering him for eight runs on 11 hits.
The Tigers scored three runs in the first, three runs in the second and one in the third.
Can't win: In the first, Gomez intentionally walked Brennan Boesch to face Jhonny Peralta with the bases loaded and the Tigers leading, 1-0. Peralta hit a two-run single.
In the second, Gomez intentionally walked Miguel Cabrera to load the bases and Boesch hit a two-run double. Peralta followed with a sac-fly for a 6-1 lead.
Early lead: Shin-Soo Choo gave the Indians a 1-0 lead with a two-out homer off Justin Verlander in the first. It was his 15trh of the season.
The line: Gomez allowed eight runs, seven earned, on 11 hits in three innings. He threw 83 pitches, 50 for strikes. He walked three and struck out one.
Clang: Center fielder Trevor Crowe had two errors in the first three innings.
Pre-game notes:
Game 124: In discussing possible September call ups, managers Manny Acta mentioned Carlos Carrasco, David Huff, Jordan Brown and as many as three relievers as being considered. When asked about Class AAA third baseman Jared Goedert, he said Goedert not being on the 40-man roster makes things difficult.
Carrasco is 10-5 with a 3.71 ERA in 23 starts at Columbus. He would have been up earlier, but an elbow injury stopped him.
Huff has had two tours with the Tribe this year. He's 7-1 with a 3.99 ERA in nine starts at Columbus. Huff is 2-11 with a 6.21 ERA with the Indians.
Jordan Brown made his first trip to the big leagues on July 31 after the Indians traded Austin Kearns. He was sent down on Aug. 15 and has hit .294 (5-for-17) with a homer and three RBI since the demotion. Overall, he's hitting .308 (89-for-289) with 25 doubles, seven homers and 66 RBI at Columbus.
Acta didn't name the relievers, but Jensen Lewis (2-1, 2.54, 2 saves), Vinnie Pestano (1-2, 1.74, 11 saves), Bryce Stowell (1-1, 5.49) and Josh Judy (2-0, 3.06, 2 saves) could be candidates.
"We don't have a set number of guys that we'll call up," said Acta. "We'll probably bring three guys for the pen. For sure Carlos (Carrasco) will come. David Huff is down there, but it all depends on how many guys we can find innings for. We're not going to call guys up and sit them on the bench in case a fight breaks out."
As for Goedert, Acta said, "He's had a nice year. His name has been brought up. But I can't sit here and tell you every single guy that is going to come up. I have a say, but I don't make all those decisions."
Quick hits:
-The Indians will need at least one extra starter to get through September. Justin Masterson could move to the bullpen after reaching 180 innings.
"Masterson could meet his innings expectations by the second week of September," said Acta. "We're trying to get 180 out of him, but he doesn't have to get every single one of them out of the rotation. If we need to start a guy or two when they come up in September, he could finish his innings in the bullpen."
The Indians don't want Josh Tomlin or Jeanmar Gomez to exceed 175 innings.
-Aaron Laffey was rained out of his rehab appearance with Class AA Akron on Saturday so he'll try again today.
-Anthony Reyes, coming back from Tommy John surgery, has been working in Akron with pitching coach Greg Hibbard to some adjustments to his delivery.
"He threw a bullpen on Saturday," said Acta. "He'll throw another one and if that goes well he'll probably throw a rehab game."
The Indians would like to add Reyes to the big league club in September.
-Struggling Matt LaPorta wasn't in the starting lineup Sunday to give him a break.
"We want to give him a chance to clear his head," said Acta. "He'll have today and Monday's off day."
LaPorta has multiple slumps going, 3-for-36 and 14-for-78.
Lineups:
Indians (50-73): CF Trevor Crowe (S), SS Asdrubal Cabrera (S), RF Shin-Soo Choo (L), DH Travis Hafner (L), 3B Jayson Nix (R), 1B Andy Marte (R), LF Shelley Duncan (R), 2B Jason Donald (R), C Lou Marson (R) and RHP Josh Tomlin (1-2, 2.96).
Tigers (60-63): Austin Jackson (R), 2B Will Rhymes (L), 1B Miguel Cabrera (R), RF Brennan Boesch (L), SS Jhonny Peralta (R), 3B Brandon Inge (R), LF Don Kelly (L), C Gerald Laird (R) and RHP Jeanmar Gomez (3-1, 1.84).
Umpires: H Tony Randazzo, 1B Paul Nauert, 2B Brian Gorman, 3B Ted Barrett. Gorman, crew chief.
Quote of the day: "I swing hard all the time. That's what I've done my whole life -- hit," Boston's David Ortiz from Baseball Almanac.
Next: Indians open three-game series against Oakland at Progressive Field on Tuesday. RHP Fausto Carmona (11-11, 4.14) vs. LHP Gio Gonzalez (10-8, 3.39) Tuesday at 7:05 p.m.