Bradley Zimmer had some fun. He singled and doubled in his very first two at-bats out of the 9 hole. He went into the game hitting.556 (10-for-18) with 4 homers and seven RBI in eight intrasquad games since the start of Spring Training II.
CLEVELAND, Ohio– Mike Clevinger looked all set for MLBs 60-game sprint on Monday night at Progressive Field. Did several of his colleagues.
The Indians fell behind early, but rallied to beat the Pirates, 11-7, in the middle video game of a three-game exhibit series between the groups. The series ends Wednesday at PNC Field.
In his last start, Clevinger said he was having trouble trusting his surgically repaired left knee during his delivery. There was no indication of that Monday as he enabled 3 operate on 4 hits in 5 innings. Pittsburghs 3 runs came on a two-run homer by Phillip Evans in the 2nd and a leadoff homer in the 5th by Guillermo Heredia.
” I informed him that was the very best at-bat Ive seen all year,” said Francona. “He most likely saw 20 pitches tonight. That at bat in the first leads straight to us getting runs.”
Hunter Wood relieved and provided up an infield struck to Socrates Brito to pack the bases and then retired the next three batters. James Karinchak arrived in the ninth and struck out the side in order.
Hernandez, Ramirez and Lindor, the leading 3 players in the lineup, went 5-for-8 with 5 RBI. Mike Freeman, who changed Hernandez at 2nd base, homered in the sixth and doubled in the eighth.
The Indians pushed the lead to 10-5 in the seventh. Jake Elmore scored him with a double off the left field wall.
” I thought he was much better,” said manager Terry Francona. “A couple of fastballs dripped back over the middle, however his breaking balls was really great and he held his velocity through all 5 innings. I thought it was a good action in the best direction.”
The bottom of the first started with Hernandez singled in a 12-pitch at-bat.
Right fielder Jordan Luplow looked prepared for the season too. Luplow, after missing recently with an aching back, homered in his very first at-bat of the night to finish a four-run 5th inning. He simply missed another house run in the seventh.
The Indians connected the score with two runs in the 3rd. Zimmer doubled down the left field line with one out. Hernandez, who opened the game with a 12-pitch at-bat that ended in a single off Trevor Williams, flied out to deep right as Zimmer went to third.
Jake Bauers leadoff homer in the eighth to make it 11-7. It was the Indians fourth homer of the video game. They ended up with 15 hits, including two each by Hernandez, Freeman, Lindor and Zimmer.
If youre scoring in the house, Ramirez taped his first official lost helmet of Spring Training II on the method house.
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Chris Stratton relieved Williams and Ramirez singled to the wall in right to make it 2-1. Lindor, with the Pirates defense shifted to the right, doubled off the left field wall to score Ramirez and make it a 2-2 game.
The Pirates took a 2-0 lead in the 2nd on Evans two-run homer. Colin Moran singled to start the inning prior to Clevinger left a 2-2 fastball over the middle of the plate for Evans.
Clevinger struck out 5 of the last eight males he dealt with and looked ready to assume the 2nd spot in the rotation. Shane Bieber will pitch the season opener Friday night versus Kansas City at Progressive Field. Clevinger strolled one and tossed 67% of his pitches (43 of 64) for strikes.
Ramirez walked and Lindor homered into the ideal field seats off Richard Rodriguez for a 6-3 lead. Luplows homer made it 7-3.
The bullpen couldnt put the Pirates away. Brad Hand enabled a house run to Josh Bell in the 6th. Nick Wittgren provided a bases-loaded walk in the seventh. Adam Cimber started the 8th and allowed 4 straight Pirates to reach base. Colin Moran hit a leadoff homer, while Evans doubled and scored on an infield hit and a throwing mistake by 3rd baseman Christian Arroyo to make it 10-7.
Luplow felt there was a possibility he might not be all set to open the season.
” There was a couple of days where it was difficult to get out of bed,” stated Luplow. “I thought it was more major than it was. The training personnel stuck with me and showed confidence that we d get through it. So far so good.”
He was robbed of a 3rd hit on an excellent catch by Cole Tucker against the wall in left center field in the sixth. Tucker, normally a shortstop, is the older sibling of Indians No. 1 Carson Tucker.
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Colin Moran hit a leadoff homer, while Evans doubled and scored on an infield hit and a tossing error by 3rd baseman Christian Arroyo to make it 10-7.
It was the Indians 4th homer of the game.
Ramirez strolled and Lindor homered into the right field seats off Richard Rodriguez for a 6-3 lead. He got in the game striking.556 (10-for-18) with four homers and 7 RBI in 8 intrasquad games because the start of Spring Training II.
Pittsburghs 3 runs came on a two-run homer by Phillip Evans in the second and a leadoff homer in the 5th by Guillermo Heredia.
