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 Salazar pitched an eight-hit shutout for his first career
complete game and the Indians rebounded from a crushing loss Tuesday
with a 7-0 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday night at
Progressive Field.
Salazar (6-6) struck out nine and did not walk a batter.
"Danny sure answered the bell tonight," Cleveland manager Terry
Francona said. "He really dialed it up. Nine strikeouts and no
walks. He really pitched."
First baseman Carlos Santana belted a two-run homer in the first
inning to give the Indians a lead they never relinquished -- unlike
Tuesday night, when Cleveland right-hander Cody Allen gave up a
three-run homer to left fielder J.D. Martinez with one out in the
ninth inning, turning a 2-1 Indians lead into a 4-2 loss.
After losing the first two games of the series, the Indians won the
third game. The American League Central rivals conclude the
important four-game series Thursday night with Indians right-hander
Trevor Bauer facing Tigers right-hander Max Scherzer.
Salazar, still throwing 97 mph in the ninth inning, finished with a
flourish, striking out the last two batters he faced to end the
game, Martinez and third baseman Nick Castellanos.
"(Castellanos) was going to be his last hitter, no matter what
happened," Francona said. "You want to see the kid get the shutout,
but I didn't want him to go much farther than that."
Salazar threw 118 pitches, 83 of them strikes.
"The key for me is that I was able to work ahead in the count,"
Salazar said. "I felt better in the ninth inning than I did in the
first inning. This was a big win for us. This month, we need to win
as many games as we can."
Salazar is the first Indians pitcher to throw a complete game
shutout against the Tigers since Jaret Wright did it on June 1,
1998.
"I knew it was going to happen sometime, but it's nice to get my
first complete game," Salazar said.
Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said, "He overpowered us at times in
fastball counts. I know he's highly touted. That's the best we've
seen him."
Detroit outscored Cleveland 16-3 and outhit the Indians 35-15 in
winning the first two games of the series, but it was a different
story Wednesday.
Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander (12-12) gave up seven runs (six
earned) and nine hits in 6 2/3 innings.
"I didn't throw as well as I would have liked to," Verlander said.
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Ausmus said, "He threw better than the number of runs he gave up."
The Indians knocked Verlander out of the game with a three-run seventh
inning.
Cleveland took a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
Shortstop Jose Ramirez singled and stole second. With two outs, Santana
pounded a 2-0 pitch from Verlander into the right field seats for his
24th home run of the season. Santana also hit a two-run homer in the
first inning Tuesday. His 24 home runs are three shy of his career high
of 27 set in 2011.
The Indians doubled the lead in the fourth inning. With one out, second
baseman Jason Kipnis walked and scored on a double by third baseman
Lonnie Chisenhall.
Chisenhall went to third on a throwing error by second baseman Ian
Kinsler and scored on a bloop single to shallow right field by catcher
Yan Gomes, giving Cleveland a 4-0 lead.
An RBI double by Ramirez, who had three of Cleveland's 11 hits, and an
RBI single from left fielder Michael Brantley in the seventh inning
capped the scoring.
NOTES: Before the game, the Indians activated RHP Josh Tomlin from the
paternity list. ... According to Elias, Tuesday's game, in which Indians
RHP Carlos Carrasco and Tigers LHP Kyle Lobstein both struck out 10 in 5
1/3 innings, was the first game in modern major league history (since
1900) in which each team's starting pitcher struck out at least 10
batters in fewer than six innings. ... Tigers C Alex Avila did not play
Wednesday after leaving Tuesday's game in the sixth inning, when he
became dizzy after getting hit in the mask by a foul ball. Tests done
Wednesday revealed that Avila does not have a concussion.
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