Game 28: Indians 4, Athletics 1

You know going into a series with Oakland that you aren't going to score many runs because of their fantastic starting rotation and good defense, but also that they aren't scoring many runs because of their anemic offense.

Tonight the Indians didn't face one of Oakland's front-line starters, but the contest ended up a low-scoring affair. The Tribe got eight hits off of Tyson Ross, but all eight of them were singles. Ross didn't walk a batter, which helped him minimize the impact of those hits.

The A's took a 1-0 lead in the fourth when Kurt Suzuki drove in a run with a groundout. That was the only inning in which Oakland collected more than one hit or walk. Carmona went eight innings, striking out five and walking one. That kind of an outing is almost required against Oakland, but all the same it was nice to see. His long outing gave most of the bullpen two days of rest after a busy weekend series.

The Indians finally scored in the sixth Carlos Santana and Michael Brantley singled, and Matt LaPorta drove in Santana with a single up the middle. That was it for Ross, and the Oakland bullpen got out of the inning. The score remained tied until the ninth, with many of the same participants in the sixth inning rally contributing. Michael Brantley worked a leadoff walk, but was picked off by Brian Fuentes. But Matt LaPorta started things up again with a single, and he went to third easily on a Jack Hannahan single. That brought up Orlando Cabrera, who hadn't started the game. Cabrera jumped on an early pitch (when doesn't he?) and drove in what proved to be the winning run. Asdrubal Cabrera later in the inning drove home two insurance runs to make it a 3-run inning.

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Earlier in the day, news broke that Shin-Soo Choo was arrested for DUI early Monday morning in Sheffield Lake. Choo released a statement apologizing for the arrest, and the Indians followed with a statement of their own. Choo was in the lineup for tonight's game, and, as his attorney will represent him at a hearing on Thursday in Sheffield Lake, will remain with the team during the road trip. 

via www.fangraphs.com