Indians-Rangers: Cleveland Holds on to Preserve Win for Fausto Carmona

The Indians jumped out to a 5-0 lead over Texas in the first two innings, then held on tight, winning, 7-5, in the opener of a six-game road trip that will see three against both the Rangers and Detroit, a team they trail in the AL Central standings by 2.5 games. 

Fausto Carmona picked up his sixth win of the season, just barely, as Jensen Lewis looked human for the first time in his short tenure at closer, giving up a pair of hits and a run to Texas in the bottom of the ninth. He still picked up the save, though, his fifth of the year.

The Indians offense came through right away in the first. With one out, Jamey Carroll walked. Ben Francisco hit a single, his first of three hits on this particular evening. After a Jhonny Peralta flyout, Ryan Garko smacked a big two-out double, scoring Carroll and Francisco and handing Carmona a 2-0 lead before he even stepped onto the field.

The Indians tacked on three more in the top of the second, opening up a 5-0 lead. Sal Fasano led off the second with a single. He lumbered home on an Andy Marte triple. Asdrubal Cabrera hit a sacrifice fly to bring Marte home. Next batter Grady Sizemore walked and moved to second on Francisco’s second hit of the night. He scored on a Peralta single, but Garko struck out, squelching the scoring at three for the inning.

Carmona pitched most of the first few in trouble, but didn’t give up a run until the fourth. Chris Davis landed on first after a Carmona error, then moved to second on a Carmona wild pitch. Jarrod Saltalamacchia singled Davis home, narrowing the Indians lead to 5-1.

That was the only run Carmona surrendered. His went six innings, giving one earned run on six hits and three walks with five strikeouts in the win.

His pitching counterpart, Rangers rookie Matt Harrison, picked up the loss, giving up five runs on seven hits with three walks and two strikeouts over 3.2 innings.

Kameron Loe, the second pitcher of the night for Texas, held the Indians in check for 4.1 innings, giving Texas a chance to climb back in this one.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Rangers offense did just that, scoring three and drawing to within 5-4. Milton Bradley walked and was lifted for pinch-runner Jason Ellison. Ellison moved to second when Blalock walked, putting runners on first and second with nobody out. Marlon Byrd made sure the walks would not go to waste with a three-run home-run. That was it for the Rangers in the eighth, but it put them in position to win.

Rafael Perez was the pitcher of record for the Indians, on the hook for three.

The Indians added a couple of insurance runs in the top of the ninth and, as things turned out, they needed them. Eddie Guardado came in for Texas, issuing a walk to Cabrera. After a Sizemore popout, Carroll singled Cabrera to third. Francisco, the Indians' man of the day, doubled to score Cabrera and plant Carroll on third. Peralta was intentionally walked. Garko fouled out for the second out of the inning. Gutierrez walked on a full count, scoring Carroll. Texas brought on reliever Frank Francisco, and he struck out Fasano, getting Texas out of the inning.

Lewis took the hill for the Indians and gave up his first run in the closer role, but still got the job done; he's converted every save opportunity he’s had since assuming the role a couple weeks back. Boggs homered, Young singled, and it looked like a Texas comeback was in the making. Two strikeouts later, Lewis got Blalock to line out, ending the game.

The Indians had seven runs on 11 hits, Francisco leading the way with three. The Rangers had five runs on nine hits, Saltalamacchia recording a pair. 

These two square off again with an 8:05 p.m. start time. Indians lefty Jeremy Sowers (2-6, 5.46 ERA) pitches against righty Brandon McCarthy (5-10, 4.87 ERA).