Bauer labors, Indians drop 4th straight
OAKLAND, Calif. — Trevor Bauer couldn't get out of the first inning on Sunday, and the Cleveland Indians still haven't rolled out of their All-Star break hammocks.
Bauer allowed four runs in the first inning as the last-place Oakland Athletics completed a three-game sweep of the first-place Indians with a 7-3 victory at the Oakland Coliseum. The loss ran the Indians' losing streak to four games — the first time they've lost more than three straight in almost two years.
The last time the Indians lost more than three
consecutive games was July 23-July 28, 2015, when they dropped six in a row.
Bauer (7-8) threw 43 pitches and faced eight batters before manager Terry Francona lifted him. Bauer issued three walks and had two strikeouts as he struggled to find the strike zone. In all those pitches, he allowed just three hits, but the last two hurt.
Ryon Healy, with two out and the bases loaded, sent an 0-and-2 pitch into right field for 2-0 Oakland lead. Bauer walked Matt Chapman to reload the bases before giving up a tworun single to left by Jaycob Brugman. The rookie center fielder hit a full-count, 95-mph fastball from Bauer for a 4-0 lead.
“He walked three, and six of the eight hitters he faced reached base,” Francona said. “It was a shame because he got to two outs and an 0-2 count (on Healy), but he just didn’t know where he was throwing his fastball.
“Obviously, it’s a really tough way to start the day.”
Bauer said, “I had no feel for anything I was throwing. No feel for how my body was moving, where the ball was going.”
Sean Manaea (8-5) beat Cleveland for the second time this season, allowing two runs on five hits with eight strikeouts in
seven innings.
Manaea is 3-0 with 1.71 ERA in three career starts against the Indians.
“We all think he’s good,” Francona said. “He’s real tough on lefties and he’s got some sneaky to his fastball. He’s a good pitcher and he’s going to get better.”
The Indians did manage to score two runs against him on Sunday. Michael Brantley scored them both with a single in the fourth. But Cleveland wasted good opportunities as well.
Francisco Lindor, who had four of the Tribe’s eight hits, started the sixth and eighth innings with two of his three doubles. He was stranded each time despite the middle of the order coming to the plate.
The Indians’ final run came on Abraham Almonte’s homer with two out in the ninth. It was his second of the season.
Francona had to empty the bullpen to get through the game. Dan Otero, who relieved Bauer, allowed one run in two innings.