Offense pieces together five runs while Zach Plesac cruises

Game Recap in Gif Form

Actual Recap

The Cleveland Indians wove together threads of unusually-scored runs to defeat the Kansas City Royals 5-2. Zach Plesac won his third game; Brad Hand earned his 12th save; and Francisco Lindor owes ten push-ups for a bizarre base-running error that put a minor blemish on an otherwise fine game.

They all count the same

Tonight, the Tribe scored in the following ways:

1. Error
2. Fielder’s Choice
3. Infield Single
4. Sacrifice Fly (2)

Tyler Naquin led the team with two runs driven in without recording a hit if that helps you get a feel for the weirdness. The other runs came off of the bats of Josh Naylor, Oscar Mercado, and Mike Freeman. I find it delightful to cover a game in which the unusual suspects find ways to generate runs, and even more so when they’re all strange. When the Indians loaded the bases in the seventh for Franmil Reyes it felt like the only two possible outcomes were a bases-loaded walk or a balk. Sadly, Reyes just missed a center-cut sinker to fly out and end the inning.

I Heard You Like Aces

Ye Olde Merrittonious Q. Rohlfingham wrote earlier this week that Zach Plesac is racing toward acedom. It’s always nice when we write something and then the players go and make us look smart. The Royals only managed to score when Adalberto Mondesi turned on an inside fastball that landed on the concourse near the corner bar. I now know what a 458-foot home run looks like over there.

He kept everyone else off-balance for the entire night, allowing only seven hits and no walks while striking out four in seven innings. Not the overpowering kind of stuff we might see from Bieber or remember from Kluber, but just as effective. He’s put together quite a line this year - 1.32 ERA, 34 IP, 23 H, 34 K, 2 BB. That seems good.

Sandy Alomar kept a tight leash on Adam Cimber in the eighth and yanked him after allowing a triple and an RBI single. Phil Maton retired the next two in order, and then Brad Hand slammed the door shut by striking out the side in order in the top of the ninth. Whatever reservations you may have had about Hand can probably be discarded at this time. He hasn’t allowed a run since July, and in his last eight appearances he’s struck out nine with no walks and just four hits.

I don’t believe that the closer is the closer because he is the closer, but when the closer is closing things closed I’m happy to let him continue to close.

Tid Tribebits

• Jose Ramirez left tonight’s game with left thumb discomfort. Mandy Bell confirmed that he’s been dealing with it for a little while and appeared to aggravate it during an at-bat. Blork.
• Francisco Lindor committed ... I don’t even know if it’s a TOOTBLAN, but it ended up being an out and cost Carlos Santana an official hit. He tagged second base, juked back toward first, and then started running to third without touching second base again.

This is an out, it seems.

• Mike Freeman tried to one-up Jose’s amazing play at third yesterday with one of his own. The Tribe utilityman sprinted into left field toward the line and made a leaping grab to end the eighth inning.

• What’s that? The Indians top prospect plays third base and there’s probably going to be a roster spot available? [several monocle emojis despite knowing that Nolan Jones will not get called up this season]