“The main thing”, Salazar said afterward, “was to feel good, and I did”. “It’s going to be really important that I get back on the same level everyone else is”. Carrasco (9-6) was masterful while limiting the A’s to four hits over eight innings. The right-hander allowed six runs to match a career high and walked three with two strikeouts in his second start since coming off the disabled list. Carrasco has had at least eight strikeouts in his last four starts, the longest active streak in the majors.
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“They got pretty good swings at his fastball”, Francona said. He struck out nine and did not walk a batter.Left-hander Andrew Miller struck out the side in the ninth for his 11th save, his second as an Indian.The combined shutout was Carrasco’s second of the season.Among the batters Miller retired was Valencia, who didn’t start for the second consecutive game. Neither team did much offensively until Santana’s one-out home run off reliever Ryan Dull (5-4), his 27th of the season to match a career high.
“I thought maybe foul”, Santana said of his initial reaction to the ball that almost reached the second deck in the spacious Oakland stadium. “He tried to throw middle away and the fastball stayed in the middle”.
Right-hander Carlos Carrasco will seek to improve upon his already impressive road numbers when he duels A’s rookie Andrew Triggs in the series opener. He’s 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA in three games, including two starts, against the A’s in his career. Despite his best efforts, he still doesn’t have a big-league win and will carry a 4.98 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in tonight’s outing versus the Indians. The A’s have a record of 53-71 and find themselves 19.5 games behind the Rangers. It’s the team’s worst record after 125 games since 1997. The out was confirmed, which cost Oakland a run when Jake Smolinski followed with a single.An error on second baseman Kipnis put two men aboard for Khris Davis, but Carrasco struck him out to keep the game scoreless.NOTES: Before the game, the A’s announced that 1B/3B Danny Valencia and DH Billy Butler were fined, but not suspended, for their fight in the clubhouse before a Friday win at Texas. He only surrendered two hits without walking a batter in what was his best showing of his rookie season. “It’s probably one of those plays where if they call him safe, the call stands”.
The Cleveland Indians closed out a highly successful 11-game homestand over the weekend – one during which Jose Ramirez left his mark time and time again. Butler, who was injured in the fight, was placed on the seven-day concussion disabled list Monday.
Cleveland’s starter opened his evening with 10-consecutive fastballs, all but one of which in the strike zone. Shortstop Marcus Semien was not with the team after leaving to be with his wife for their birth of their child. A’s RHP Henderson Alvarez (right shoulder surgery) threw a 30-pitch bullpen session before the game and said he hopes to see game action before the end of the season. Infielder Arismendy Alcantara was called up from Triple-A Nashville.
Davis homered for the fourth time in Manaea’s last six starts, this one a three-run shot in the first inning that enabled Manaea to cruise to a 9-1 win over Cleveland Tuesday.
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Salazar had to be pulled after one inning in his last start, Thursday at home against the Chicago White Sox.
