MLB Final Score/Recap: Texas Rangers 6, Cleveland Indians 3

June 10, 2013

Rangers 6, Indians 3

So the Indians lost again, and again couldn't get to a pitcher that on paper they should have gotten to.

For the second straight night, they lost a game in which they faced a last-minute substitute. This time it was Scott Lindblom who held the Indians a check. Lindblom was for most of his major-league career a reliever until just recently. The Rangers got him from the Phillies in the Michael Young salary dump last winter, and he had been a disappointment in the bullpen this spring. So naturally he was turned back into a starter, and started to dominate the PCL. And nothing will dominate the Tribe lineup this year more than a starter that they hadn't seen before. Well, Lindblom didn't exactly dominate the Tribe lineup, but the way several hitters are going, he didn't need to be that great.

Scott Kazmir gave up the early lead in the second inning on a couple of ground-ball singles and a walk, but for the most part pitched well, using his fastball to good effect. Kazmir was not that efficient, but he's never going to be efficient with his outs. Still, he had good stuff last night, and pitched into the seventh having given up three runs. In the fourth inning, he made his only mistake of the night, leaving a pitch up to Jeff Baker, who slammed the ball into the left field seats. Unfortunately, the way the Indians are hitting right now, giving up any home run is a devastating blow.

The Indians are slumping up and down the lineup, with the possible exception of Santana, so Terry Francona has had to be very creative to get both Santana and Yan Gomes, who has also been hitting well of late, in the lineup. This time he place Santana at first base and Nick Swisher in the outfield. But in an attempt to put the best offensive lineup in place, he's sacrificing defense. Santana didn't keep his foot on the bag at first when Mark Reynolds made as good a play as any you'll see from a third baseman, and that took away what would have been the best double play you've seen in a long time.

Santana was the offense, though, as his two-out, three-run double gave the Indians an early 3-1 lead. But winning 3-1 in the American League is hard, especially when your pitching hasn't exactly been pitching well.

Scott Kazmir allowed a two-run homer in the fourth to tie the game, and Nick Hagadone allowed the go-ahead runs on another two-run homer in the seventh. That home run was Hagadone's third in his last eight appearances, which if you haven't caught on is a very bad ratio.

The Indians didn't collect a hit after Santana's double (though Jason Kipnis hit what should have been ruled a hit in the eighth), and didn't put up much a fight after giving up the lead. Par for the course.

Source: FanGraphs

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