That ended Clevinger’s night at 91 pitches, likely as a precaution because of his injury history and because the Angels had the tying run at the plate, down 4-1.
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The Indians took an early 3-0 lead in the first inning.
The Cleveland Indians on Sunday will attempt to complete a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels in Cleveland for the first time in 17 years. Shortstop Francisco Lindor got his glove on the ball while ranging to his right, but it bounced into left field for a single. Hall of Fame right-hander Walter Johnson pitched in relief, allowing one run in the final five innings.
Clevinger, who was dealing with a callous on his middle finger, allowed a run in the second, thanks to a pair of walks and an RBI groundout.
“About the fourth I was looking to see who was coming up on the scoreboard and I was like, ‘Wait, there’s no hits up there, ‘ he said”. There’s a run on the board. “His pitches I don’t know the locations they were in but it seemed like Kip was getting some good pitches to hit”.
“Our baserunning set the tone”, Indians manager Terry Francona said. “There was some traffic, but he really competed”. He was drafted by the Angels in 2011 and traded to Cleveland three years later in exchange for reliever Vinnie Pestano.
The Angels’ skid is their longest since they dropped 11 in a row from July 16-26, 1999.
Thanks again for the Indians’ top pitching prospect, Los Angeles.
Simmons’ single was the only hit the Angels could muster. He gave up a tying double to Tyler Naquin off the right-field fence.
Los Angeles’ other highlight came in the second, when Simmons scored on a sharp grounder to third by Johnny Giavotella. He walked Mike Trout with two outs in the sixth before allowing the hit. The Indians have spent the weekend bashing the Los Angeles Angels and will go for a four-game sweep when they host the finale on Sunday.Cleveland dropped six of nine coming out of the August 1 trade deadline to briefly let the Detroit Tigers back into the race in the AL Central but finally figured out how to get the pitching and the hitting together in the same game while taking the first three over the Angels by a combined 32-8. The Indians have won four of five against the Angels this season and they have dominated this weekend series, posting 27 runs to the Angels 7.
The Angels are 5-2 in their last 7 during game 4 of a series and 6-13 in Weavers last 19 road starts. Mejia chopped a grounder down the line, and third baseman Gerson Montilla missed trying to backhand it for a two-base error. Ramirez, Kipnis and Lindor each drove in two runs.
Angels: OF Shane Robinson (right hip strain) was placed on the 15-day disabled list. OF Nick Buss had his contact selected from Triple-A Salt Lake.
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Indians C Carlos Santana wasn’t in the starting lineup Saturday, but has been cleared to play after missing Friday’s game while undergoing concussion tests. He was hit in the head by a foul ball while standing in the dugout Thursday. The two-time NL Cy Young Award victor was 2-6 with a 9.16 ERA in nine starts for the Angels.
