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Tuesday's Cactus League night game was all over the place. Zach McAllister started for the Indians, so let's start with him. A leadoff single was followed by a home run to right field, which was followed by a walk and a double. It was 4-0 Giants before the Tribe even batted. McAllister issued another walk in the 2nd, and allowed a pair of singles, but managed to avoid any runs scoring. Then in the third, the Giants hit back-to-back home runs to start things off, McAllister allowed another double and hit a batter. He was supposed to go 5 innings, but instead he was pulled after 3, having allowed 6 runs on 9 hits (including 3 home runs) and 2 walks. Ouch.
Incredibly, when McAllister was replace for the start of the 4th inning, the Tribe was winning. Yan Gomes homered in the 2nd, and with two outs in the bottom of the 3rd, 8 straight Indians reached base safely, with a home run crushed to deep left field by Jeff Francoeur and two singles by Jason Kipnis helping the team put up a 7-spot that inning.
Colt Hynes came in, managed to give up 5 runs, making it an 11-9 lead for the Giants. The Indians got one run back in the bottom half of the frame, and two hours after the first pitch, the game still in the 4th inning.
The score was still 11-10 in favor of San Francisco two innings later, when Gomes came to the plate with Tyler Naquin (who had entered as a pinch runner after MIchael Brantley doubled) on base. Gomes smoked a line drive over the left-field wall for his second home run of the night, putting the Tribe back ahead. Vinnie Pestano, Blake Wood, and C.C. Lee were among the relievers who tossed a shutout inning after McAllister and Hynes had so much trouble (3 strikeouts from Vinnie) and the Indians held on for a 12-11 win.
The Tribe combined for 20 hits, including the 3 home runs. Gomes, Brantley, and Bryan LaHair each had 3 hits, and all 3 of Brantley's were doubles, as he continued his torrid spring (he's now batting .467). Clearly there was a whole lot to like from the offense last night, while McAllister's struggles are somewhat worrisome, as he hasn't put together more than two good innings in a game, and he's only got two appearances left before it's the real deal.
The Indians have a short turn around, as they host the A's on Wednesday, with first pitch scheduled for 4:05 ET. Carlos Carrasco will start.