Indians lose 3-1 to Twins as offense leaves town early

Game 101: Twins 3, Indians 1

Box Score

Tribe falls to 51-50

After winning the first three games of their second-half-opening series in Detroit, the Indians seemed to be on a roll, to have some momentum. But of course in baseball, as the saying goes, momentum is only as good as the next game's starting pitcher. In the Tribe's case though over the last few days, the problem hasn't been bad pitching, it's been a lack of hitting.

Trevor Bauer further solidified his case as the team's second-best starting pitching with another solid effort. He didn't have any clean innings, and 3 runs in 6 innings is nothing to write home about (it's barely enough to bother leaning over to tell the guy in the next bunk about), but it's a not a bad effort. It gives the team a chance to win, especially when the team is facing a guy who hasn't made a start in two years, which was exactly the case with Minnesota's Anthony Swarzak today.

Jason Kipnis, Carlos Santana, and David Murphy each hit a single, so I guess they weren't quite zeroes at the plate on the day, but they weren't exactly setting the world on fire either. Chris Dickerson drew two walks, which was enough to make him the #2 offensive star of the afternoon for the Indians, behind only Jose Ramirez, who did his best to make Cleveland fans ask, "Asdrubal who?" in his first game with the team in more than two months, with a 3rd-inning double that scored the team's only run of the day, and an 8th-inning single that gave them their best chance of the late innings to tie the game.

The Tribe is now 4-3 on their 11-game road trip. If you'd offered me that before the trip began, I'd have taken it, but having started the trip 3-0, the current marks is disappointing. The trip concludes with four games in Kansas City, whom the Indians are just ahead of for second place in the Central. It's tough to ask for a series win in a four-game set on the road, but the Indians need to get at least a 2-2 split.

Corey Kluber will be starting the opener, so at least there's that.

Win Expectancy Chart:

Source: FanGraphs

Roll Call:

Game Thread

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