For the second time in the past three games, the Indians go into extra innings at Progressive Field. Saturday's journey isn't as long as their 16-inning loss to the Angels on Wednesday, but the result is the same, this time a loss to the Minnesota Twins.
View full sizeFormer Indian Jim Thome adds to his home run resume at Progressive Field, rounding the bases in the 12th inning Saturday after hitting what would turn out to be the game-winner for the Minnesota Twins.Updated: 1:34 a.m.
CLEVELAND, Ohio — The AL Central-leading Twins dodged their second straight loss to the lowly Indians by the narrowest of margins Saturday night at Progressive Field.
Former Indian Jim Thome's bat provided that margin of victory with a 12th-inning homer to give the Twins a 1-0 victory over the Indians. Thome, hitless in his first three appearances, crushed a one-out 2-0 pitch from Justin Germano.
It was Thome's 587th homer, giving him sole possession of eighth place on the all-time home run list. He had been tied with Hall of Famer Frank Robinson. Thome, who did not play Friday because of abdominal injury, has hit five homers in his past four games.
The victory extended the Twins lead in Central to six games.
"We were just trying to scratch out a run," said Thome, who has 23 homers in 245 at-bats this year. "Fortunately, the ball went out of the park."
The Indians missed a great chance to win it in the 11th, wasting the pitching staff's fine effort. Shin-Soo Choo and Travis Hafner opened the inning with singles. Jayson Nix forced Choo at third with a bunt back to the mound, Trevor Crowe fouled out and pinch hitter Jordan Brown grounded out.
The win went to Shaker Heights native Matt Guerrier (4-7), who pitched out of the 11th-inning jam. Matt Capps earned his 12th save for the Twins and 38th overall.
Carlos Carrasco and Nick Blackburn controlled much of the game in a pitcher's duel.
Carrasco went 7 1/3 scoreless innings for the Indians. He allowed five hits, walked three and struck out four on 102 pitches. He threw 66 percent (67-for-102) of his pitches for strikes.
In this series, Tribe starters have held the team with the best batting average and second most runs scoreless for 16 1/3 innings. It was the 15th time in the past 16 games a starter has allowed three or fewer runs. Blackburn went eight scoreless innings, allowing five hits and two walks. He struck out three and threw 66 percent (62-for-94) of his pitches for strikes.
Thome's homer ended the Indians scoreless inning streak against the Twins at 20.
"Another well pitched ballgame," said manager Manny Acta. "I'm extremely happy the way these guys have thrown the ball. We held these guys scoreless for 20 innings, which is a big task with that offense they have over there."
Carrasco has made three starts since being promoted from Class AAA Columbus. He has three no decisions, while allowing five earned runs in 20 2/3 innings.
"When I came up I was looking forward to pitching against the Twins," said Carrasco. "They're in first place, a very good team."
Said Acta, "Carrasco pitched ahead in the count. He had confidence in his secondary pitches. He had a very good breaking ball and change up. He seemed to throw a good pitch whenever he needed it."
Thome hit a change up from Germano (0-2) that hung in the middle of the plate.
"I don't regret the pitch, just the location," said Germano.
Said Acta, "We got beat by one of the greatest home run hitters this game has ever seen. You tip your hat to him and I'm just happy about the way our kids are throwing the ball."
Rain delayed the start of the game 1 hour and 50 minutes.
The Indians' best scoring chance before the 11th came in the seventh. After singles by Hafner and Crowe put runners on third and first with one out, Jason Donald tried to squeeze home Hafner.
Donald got the safety squeeze down, and Hafner, who came halfway down the line on the pitch, slid home. Plate umpire Brian Gorman, however, called out Donald and ordered Hafner back to third after ruling Donald was hit by the ball after leaving the the batter's box.
Replays were inconclusive about Donald getting hit in front of the batter's box, but they did show that he was hit on the right hand when he bunted Blackburn's pitch. He shook the hand as he was leaving the box.
"I saw the same thing the umpire saw," said Acta. "Without the benefit of the replay, when Jason bunted the ball and it went up, he shook his hand in front of home plate. It looked like the ball hit him in front of home plate.
"That's what the umpire saw. That's what I saw. I went out there to explain it to Jason."
Acta said that's why he didn't argue the decision.
After watching the replay, Acta said it was clear that the ball hit Donald on the right hand when he was bunting and not in front of the plate. Therefore, Hafner's run should have counted and the game should have never gone to extra innings.
"We only have replay for home runs," said Acta.
Donald suffered a bruised right hand and had to leave the game. He'll be examined Sunday.
Luis Valbuena went from third to second and Andy Marte took over at third. Gorman was originally scheduled to work first base, but when plate umpire Angel Campos took ill before the game, Gorman took over behind the dish.
"Baseball is boxing," said Acta. "If you don't hit your opponent, you're going to get hit. We had two chances to win the game, but couldn't get a bunt down either time."
The Indians, who seem to be threatened by no-hitters on almost a weekly basis, went five innings without a hit against Blackburn.
Lou Marson ended Blackburn's bid in the sixth by bouncing a deep single behind second base. Michael Brantley immediately hit into a double play, but Asdrubal Cabrera followed with another bouncing single to short.
Blackburn, 2-2 in his previous four starts, has been knocked around some this season. He's allowed 20 homers and 165 hits in 127 innings. The opposition was hitting .318 against him through 23 appearances, including 21 starts.
What he has done is pitch well against the Indians. He came into the game with a 5-3 record against the Tribe. He hadn't faced them this year, but he's 3-1 against them in Minneapolis and 2-2 with a 2.45 ERA in five starts at Progressive Field.
View full sizeIndians starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco gets a well-deserve pat on the back from catcher Lou Marson after throwing 7 1/3 scoreless innings.Carrasco, meanwhile, had plenty of people on base, but kept dancing away from trouble.
Joe Mauer and Jason Kubel singled to start the fourth. Carrasco got a double-play grounder from Michael Cuddyer to ease the tension. He walked Thome, but retired Delmon Young on a grounder to short.
A double play helped Carrasco in the fifth as well.
After J.J. Hardy reached on Valbuena's throwing error from third with one out, Carrasco walked leadoff hitter Denard Span. Hudson bounced into a 6-4-3 double play with Jason Donald making a nice turn at second with Span all over him.
"I used my sinker to get the double plays," said Carrasco. "All my pitches were working."
Cuddyer hit a one-out single in the second, but Carrasco retired the next two batters on grounders to third. Hardy singled with one out in the third, but he was forced at second on Span's grounder to first. Span went to second when Cabrera's return throw from short skipped past first for an error.
Carrasco ended the inning when Hudson bounced out to first.
In the seventh, Young singled with one out for the Twins' fifth hit. This time Carrasco received some help from his catcher. Marson threw out Span trying to steal second for the second out. Marson entered the game leading AL catchers with a 35.9-percent success rate (23-for-64) throwing out runners trying to steal.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: phoynes@plaind.com, 216-999-5158