Franmil Reyes homered and tripled en route to two runs and three RBI at the center of a 7-3 crunching of the Yankees. He also stole a base, just for fun.
Cleveland never surrendered the lead after scoring four in the first behind Reyes’s onslaught and the team dodged a four-game sweep as a result. At the end of nine, Sam Hentges earned his first MLB win, Reyes raised his season average by .028 points, and Cleveland climbed to 9-11 on the season.
On the mound
Triston McKenzie looked lost this afternoon and Terry Francona alluded to this during his post-game press conference. Describing the young right-hander's performance, Francona said that Yankees hitters weren’t fooled as easily the second time around the order. He thought this was particularly true of the fastball.
Even though McKenzie went only four and pitched much of the game with more balls than strikes he allowed only three runs. I take issue with tagging the word “Quality” onto any six-inning start with three earned runs or fewer. However, I can agree that McKenzie’s day was not a quality start.
What it was, though, was four innings of baseball in which he didn’t implode. No, he did not have his best stuff. He walked four. He gave up two bombs. I’m honestly impressed that he pitched that badly and still held the Yankees to three runs. I don’t know if there is anything to learn about McKenzie from just one game like this. I do know that I’ve seen a lot of young pitchers who would have flamed out in 2.2 IP with a 6-0 scoreline.
Sam Hentges and Cal Quantrill deserve direct call-outs for three combined innings of shutout baseball. James Karinchak struck out the side in the eighth and Emmanuel Clase needed only ten pitches to close the door in the ninth.
I’m not ready to declare a bold new team vision or anything, but I really like this group of relievers.
At the Plate
Franmil Reyes Appreciation Section
FRANMIL REYES IS THE 1ST PLAYER SINCE SEPTEMBER 17, 2019 WITH AT LEAST 1 TRIPLE, HOME RUN AND STOLEN BASE IN A GAME
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) April 25, 2021
sorry, that felt like it deserved all caps
(1st since Cavan Biggio on that date, when he had a cycle)
Is Franmil Reyes the fastest player in baseball?
— Cleveland Indians (@Indians) April 25, 2021
Our column: pic.twitter.com/b5G3JPXHdR
Two triples and a steal in the same series for Franmil “Kenny Lofton” Reyes.
— T.D. (@TD1TribeKU) April 25, 2021
FRANMIL REYES GETS BACK TO THE BASICS!#OurCLE pic.twitter.com/R1OIC6Dttf
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) April 25, 2021
Corner Pieces
- The team to score first lost each game of this series.
- Long on Luplow hold all your calls until he goes straight to the dang moon you think four-baggers are neat buddy just wait
- Franmil Reyes stole a base for the first time in his career today.
- Austin Hedges drew the team’s lone walk to finish off an effective afternoon: 1 -2, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SO. The RBI came with two outs, which is always welcome.
Wait, what?
Cal Quantrill gloved and flipped a drag bunt to first baseman Josh Naylor. Quantrill had no right making this play; it required an electric first step and no hesitation on the glove flip. He nailed it.
Naylor, meanwhile, tried to barehand the toss. He was wearing a glove at the time and chose not to use it. He did not catch it. To Naylor’s credit, he turned an unassisted double play in the next at-bat.
Still: trying to barehand anything at first gets you chewed out in coach pitch, and you’re hearing this from someone who had to learn the lesson twice.
For what it’s worth, Tito covered for him nicely in the post-game. “It looked like Cal was so close that he didn’t know whether to grab it with his glove or his bare hand.”
Good one, coach.
What’s next
I will be your spirit guide tomorrow night when Cleveland battles the Twins at 6:10 p.m. ET Modern Unified Global Timekeeping, Non-Atomic Clock(s).