As far as the Indians’ season is concerned, “disaster” might not be a forceful enough word to use in labeling what happened during this week’s series against Detroit.
After dropping each of the first three games, the Indians were thoroughly pushed around in the finale. Tribe starter Zach McAllister was tagged for six runs in fewer than three innings, and his teammates in the lineup scored just twice against Tigers pitcher Max Scherzer, as the Indians were beaten, 10-3, in the final game of a demoralizing sweep at Progressive Field.
“Tonight was a tough night. It was actually a tough series,” said Tribe manager Terry Francona, whose players had a meeting after the game. “But I was kind of proud of our guys. They kept playing. Scherzer is on the mound, he’s one of the best in the game, and we’re down a bunch. It’s frustrating, it’s a hard way to play, but they kept playing.”
The series was billed as the most crucial set on Cleveland’s schedule. It began with the Tigers holding a three-game lead in the American League Central. By the time it was over, that margin had been stretched to seven.
With an opportunity Thursday to at least avert the four-game home sweep, the Indians (62-53) played as if that possibility were not even an option. Considering the Tigers’ dominance of Cleveland all season long, maybe it never was.
“It was definitely tough. But the season is not over,” infielder Mike Aviles said. “There’s nothing we can really do about the last four games.
“Right now, it’s a little bit bad. But the good is always around the corner.”
The Indians have dropped 13 of 16 contests with Detroit — which has won 12 straight — this season. The Tigers’ four-game sweep in Cleveland this week was their first since June 9-12, 1988. For the 13th time since 1916, Detroit has racked up at least 13 wins in a season against the Tribe, and there’s still three more meetings to go.
The ineffective effort in the finale began with McAllister, who labored though his shortest outing of the season. Though the first two innings were uneventful, Detroit made plenty of noise in the third. McAllister issued three walks and allowed two doubles and a single in the frame, during which the Tigers (68-45) scored six runs.
Click here to read more of this story.
About Marion Online Sports
