The Indians came to Citizens Bank Park a confident group, and it’s hard to argue the point. With wins in 13 of 16 games, the Tribe had every reason to feel good with the resurgent Scott Kazmir on the mound against a struggling Phillies offense.
“As a team, we’ve been pretty hot,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “It was one of those games where I thought if we hang around here, that at one point we’d string a long inning together and we never did.”
As Kazmir battled his command for five-plus innings, the Indians (21-17) failed to support him with much offense in a 6-2 loss in the first of two Interleague games between the two teams. It’s the first time the Indians have lost back-to-back games since they lost three straight from April 24-28.
Kazmir allowed four runs — two on a pair of home runs to Kevin Frandsen and Dominic Brown — and struck out just three. The first home run by Frandsen came on a slider in the first inning and in turn, Kazmir went away from the pitch he worked hard on in Spring Training and has been a big element in his recent success.
“I was pretty much fighting myself the whole game,” Kazmir said. “I never got into a rhythm.
“[The slider] wasn’t good in the first inning, and then we just abandoned it. That’s something that you know I’ll get more confident in as I pitch. It won’t happen anymore. Even my last two starts, it was effective especially as a strikeout pitch.”
Meanwhile, the Indians offense did little against Phillies rookie Jonathan Pettibone, who allowed two runs in 6 2/3 innings of work.
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