Despite an effective start from Carrasco, the Indians lose 3-2 against the Yankees

Indians 2, Yankees 3

Box Score

Indians plummet for so long that they need to take a second breath to 62-47

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Thanks to menacing MLB.tv lag and image artifacts, I needed, in order to avoid violently vomiting chose to listen to today's game rather than watch it.

I suggest that we skip straight to the 7th inning, which represented the entire game in microcosm.

Rajai Davis led off with a double and knocked Masahiro Tanaka out of the game. Adam Warren came on in relief, and the way he threw the ball the Indians should have pulverized him. Instead, Warren snuck through the inning without allowing a run.

On second glance though, they kind of did pulverize him. Every single Indians hitter put the ball into play, except for Kipnis, who walked. When a pitcher can't miss bats unless he misses the plate, the offense is due for a big inning. The Indians even benefited from a fielder's choice that should have been a double play: with Santana at the plate and the shift on, Didi Gregorious threw the ball into the dugout trying to convert (Tom Hamilton seemed to think that the shift caused the error, as if Major League baseball teams don't practice certain game situations).

Even with an extra out, the Indians couldn't catch a break. The inning ended when Francisco Lindor ripped a ball down the first base line that Mark Teixeira speared. Both players dove to the bag, but the call went the Yankees' way. A short note for Lindor: NO NO NO NO NO YOU NEVER DIVE TO FIRST LINDOR IT'S FASTER TO KEEP RUNNING AND YOU DON'T GET HURT NEVER DO THAT AGAIN JESUS CHRIST. And if you don't want to listen to me, Mr. Space Jam, how about Bill Nye the Science Guy?

It's tough to deal with a game like this where the offense appears cursed. Many of the Tribe's batted balls went right to defenders or were corralled by excellent plays; many of its hits and walks suffered from unfortunate sequencing. There's absolutely no reason to be concerned about this offensive showing. The Indians scored 5 or more runs in the nine games leading up to today. That's phenomenal production, and the best stretch in 14 season for the Indians.

The trouble for the Indians lately is that they can't seem to get everything working at once. As if to underline this, Carlos Carrasco trotted out in the bottom of the 7th inning and retired the side on 12 pitches. He posted a quality start, allowing 3 R with 9 K. Did the Indians waste an excellent start from one of their best pitchers? Perhaps. However, the bullpen worked itself to death during the Twins series and the first game of the Yankees series. The entire staff will be rested and ready to take on the Nationals.

While the Indians managed to add another run in the top of the 8th thanks to a wild pitch, the luck never changed; the Indians finished the game with eight hits, three walks, a gift run, and three errors by the Yankees. Again, I'm not going to attribute this to a lack of "clutch," or an inability to "convert." We've seen what the offense is capable of over the course of the season.

I will attribute to a lack of clutch my unfortunate loss in the last round of Microfantasy today. After riding a hot streak of strikeout calls, I got cold feet and started calling for groundouts. Idiocy. Pure idiocy. Unlike the Olympics, no one cheers my name for coming in third.

Other items of note:

• Cody Allen came on in the 8th inning and struck out the side, perhaps further emboldening those of us who want The Closer to die a painful death and never return.
• Lonnie Chisenwhiffed four times today and earned himself a very heavy and shiny sombrero.
• Roberto Perez doubled his hit total on the season today, raising his average from .050 to .094.
• Rajai Davis stole his 28th base and is, as of the time of posting, the sole leader in the American League.
• Alex Rodriguez announce his retirement before the game at a press conference and the Indians' roster was forced to attend

Top Posts from Indians Social Media

Sixth career ejection for Nap in the eighth for arguing balls and strikes. pic.twitter.com/6ivNWiyVGx

— Cleveland Indians (@Indians) August 7, 2016

Tom Hamilton, in New York:
"They don't make the decision here. They make it in New York."

— Greg (@patsfb) August 7, 2016