If this trip to Turner Field was a test to gauge how prepared the Indians are for a push toward the postseason, they still have a lot of work to do.
On Thursday night, the Indians received a strong effort from Ubaldo Jimenez, but were dealt a 3-1 loss to the Braves that completed a sweep of the three-game Interleague series. The National League East-leading Braves boast the largest division lead in the Majors and they showed the Tribe why over the past three nights.
With more than a month left on the schedule, Indians manager Terry Francona emphasized that the season has not slipped away from his ballclub.
“We’ve got a lot of good baseball left,” Francona said. “I wish we would’ve played better here, but my goodness, no.”
In the finale of Cleveland’s first trip to Atlanta since 2004, the Braves only once solved starter Jimenez, but one breakthrough was enough in light of the Indians’ ongoing offensive lull. Brian McCann’s towering three-run home run off Jimenez in the third inning provided all the damage necessary for righty Kris Medlen to guide the Braves to the win column.
This is not what the Indians had in mind for a critical road trip that continues in Detroit on Friday night.
The first-place Tigers defeated the A’s, 7-6, in walk-off fashion earlier on Thursday, increasing the Tribe’s deficit to 6 1/2 games in the American League Central as it pulled within four games of the AL’s second Wild Card spot.
“Right now, we’re in a stretch where if you make a mistake,” Jimenez said, “you’re probably going to pay for it with the game. We’re not scoring a lot of runs. That’s part of baseball.”
Cleveland has stayed within striking distance largely due to solid contributions from its pitching staff, which ranks fourth in the AL in ERA (3.37) for August. It has been the offense that has hindered the club’s chances of making up ground in either the division or Wild Card races.
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