Indians knock out David Huff early and cruise to an 8-3 win against the Angels

Indians 8, Angels 3

Box Score

Indians improve to 35-27

MLB.tv angers everyone

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Francisco Lindor opened the scoring with a home run in the top of the first inning and the Cleveland Indians never looked back in an 8-3 thumping of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Cleveland wins the three game series 2-1, and finishes their west coast road trip at 4-3.

After Lindor's home run, Carlos Santana led off the top of the second  with a blast to left. Then, bizarre defensive mistakes helped the Indians pull away. Kole Calhoun stood frozen, gazing up at long fly ball by Yan Gomes for a second before remembering that he turned off auto-fielder. He couldn't recover, and Gomes cruised to second. On the next play, Jefry Marte made a play worthy of ten push-ups on my little league team:

This put runners on the corners, but the Angels infield contributed one more gaffe. Juan Uribe grounded into what should have been a double play. The ball slipped during from Gregorio Petit's hand during the transfer. This likely should have been an error as well, but the official scorer kindly marked it as a fielder's choice. When the dust settled after Rajai Davis singled, Jose Ramirez walked, and Lindor doubled two home, the Indians had squeezed four runs out of an inning that only deserved one. I'm not saying that David Huff pitched well at all, but he could have used a little bit more help from a defense that's starting to look like the cast of another Major League movie.

Remember a few years back when the Indians always sat on the receiving end of those back-breaking, have-all-the-outs-you-want innings? It's a good change! A good change. As if they wanted to emphasize this, the Indians erased a walk by Salazar in the bottom of the second with an outfield-assisted double play. Todd Cunningham smoked a line drive to the gap, but Michael Martinez jumped early and cut it off on the fly. A solid throw to a stretching Santana at first caught C.J. Cron between first and second. After this early drubbing, the Angels didn't have much of a chance. They added one in the sixth, eighth, and ninth, but never threatened in the game.

Danny Salazar looked solid in 5.2 innings of work. He allowed three hits but added four walks, which limited his ability to go deep in today's game. There did not appear to be any lingering fatigue in Salazar's throwing shoulder, which caused him to miss his last start. He consistently touched 97 on the radar gun and lowered his ERA to 2.19.

I know that there's not much I can do to effect the All-Star vote by myself, but if Salazar and Lindor do not make the team, I will yell very loud and profane things at inanimate objects until I feel better. Probably October.

Other items of note:

• A hard-hit bouncer by Mike Trout hit Uribe directly in the groin in the bottom of the fourth. He scooped up the (base)ball and looked to first, but then the pain overcame him and he collapsed. He eventually rode the cart off of the field. All told the game came to a stop for close to ten minutes. I'm proud of Uribe. If I took a 106 mph shot to the family jewels, I would be down forever.

• Carlos Santana belted two home runs today. This is his second multiple home run game of the season, and he currently sits at twelve bombs in 2016.

• After knocking Huff out of the game in the second inning, the Indians faced every Angels reliever except for Huston Street, who is presumably still unconscious after last night's meltdown.

• Both Lindor and Santana knocked in 3 RBI.

• MLB.tv is frustrating and dumb at times.

Next up for the Indians: division rivalries! They visit the Kansas City Royals for three games, then face the White Sox at home for three more.