Detroit muzzled by Pack, start year 0-2
With Carlos Carrasco looking sharp down the stretch, the Cleveland Indians could be a dangerous team in the postseason.
Carrasco allowed one hit in seven scoreless innings, and Jose Ramirez homered twice to lift the Indians to a 7-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday. Cleveland took three of four in this series after entering on an eightgame losing streak, and now the Indians are closing in on a playoff berth.
“I’ve been working a lot just getting to this point, but I feel really good right now,” Carrasco said.
This was Carrasco’s first win of September, but he’s been impressive this month, allowing one run or fewer in three of his four starts. Cleveland’s starting pitch
ing has been a strength from the start this season, with Shane Bieber and Zach Plesac leading the way with ERAs under 2.00.
The offense, on the other hand, ranks near the bottom of the AL in runs, homers and OPS.
Ramirez has done his part, though, hitting 15 home runs this year. He had two multihomer games in this series.
“He’s always happy, he’s rooting for other players in the dugout,” interim manager Sandy Alomar Jr. said. “He’s one of those guys that COVID hasn’t even (brought) him down, because he’s just motivated all the time.”
Matthew Boyd (2-7) was perfect through four innings for the Tigers, but the Indians scored three runs in the fifth. Then Ramirez added two-run homers in the sixth and seventh to make it 7-0.
Miguel Cabrera hit his 484th career home run for Detroit in the eighth.
Carrasco (3-4) struck out 11 and retired the Tigers in order in five of his seven innings. He allowed a hit and a walk to start the Detroit third but escaped that jam. He walked two in the seventh but also struck out three in what was his final frame.
Carrasco is now tied with Herb Score on the Indians’ career list with 26 games of at least 10 strikeouts. He moved out of a tie with Trevor Bauer. Carlos Santana singled up the middle leading off the fifth for the first Cleveland baserunner. The Indians took the lead on Jordan Luplow’s RBI single, and Delino DeShields added a two-run single that inning.
“Pitches I wanted to throw and just didn’t throw how I wanted to. That’s really the difference,” Boyd said. “That’s what I want back today.”
Willi Castro hit an RBI single in the eighth, and Cabrera followed with a tworun homer. Niko Goodrum doubled home another run in the ninth for Detroit.
Ramirez’s second homer came immediately after the Tigers failed to turn a double play in the seventh. Goodrum, the second baseman, appeared to take his time while turning it, and then his throw was off target for an error.
Detroit plays at Minnesota on Tuesday night. Tarik Skubal (1-3) takes the mound for the Tigers.