Good morning, sleepyhead. Your favorite baseball team lost last night. I’m sorry. It was 7-1, a horrendous night capped by sleepy baseball and prolonged camera shots of a sparse crowd doing whatever they could to stay awake as the calendar rolled over to July.
Don’t let his ugly line fool you — Logan Allen didn’t look too bad, all things considered. Sure, he gave up two earned runs in 3.2 inningsand was pulled after it was clear he was slipping after 70 pitches. And he didn’t miss many bats, but he induced a lot of weak contact and located well, with his four-seamer inducing six called strikes, and his curveball adding another four. All of this after being sent down to the minors, getting absolutely rocked in a few starts, being sidelined with shoulder inflammation, and not pitching for over two weeks. He’s back and he’s adequate. I’ll take it.
Nick Sandlin got himself into trouble by loading the bases with a hit and a pair of walks, but he got out of it. In general, the reliever usage in this game seemed more in line with a normal game. Sandlin, followed by Nick Wittgren, Emmanuel Clase, and James Karinchak to close it out. Not sure why they weren’t used in that order in a much closer Game 1 but hey whatever, man.
The offense mustered just three hits total, including a Bradley Zimmer triple — his second extra-base hit of the season and second in the last 24 hours. In contrast to slipping and falling in his first fielding attempt of Game 1, Zimmer also made an incredible catch.
Somehow, @Bzimmer5 makes it look so smooth and easy.#OurCLE pic.twitter.com/dIYXgrUDLW
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) July 1, 2021
This game sucked, this whole day sucked, and I’m ready to go to bed but at least José Ramírez doesn't appear to be seriously hurt after taking a foul ball to the face in Game 1. He returned in the fourth inning after a quick trip to the hospital to make sure his squishy head meat wasn’t ruined by the baseball.
Look those little cheeks, ever-so-slightly chubbier than before, roaming the dugout.
José Ramírez is already back in the @Indians' dugout!#OurCLE pic.twitter.com/a1WNIsuyvQ
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) July 1, 2021
Goodnight.