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 Right-hander Carlos Carrasco proved up to that challenge.
Carrasco tossed a two-hit shutout as the Indians defeated the
Houston Astros 2-0 on Wednesday night at Minute Maid Park.
Carrasco (8-5) recorded his first career shutout in his 52nd career
start, tallying a career-high 12 strikeouts against one walk.
He retired 17 consecutive batters before second baseman Jose Altuve
reached on his second infield single with two outs in the bottom of
the ninth inning. Altuve also recorded an infield hit leading off
the fourth.
Carrasco needed just 98 pitches to notch his first complete game. It
marked the fourth start this season in which he did not allow a run.
"He was so good," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "He pounded
the strike zone and he had a bunch of at-bats where it was three
pitches or less. He's commanding everything, so then they started to
try to get a little aggressive and he got some first-pitch outs. He
pitched with so much confidence and he just attacked the entire
night."
The Indians (78-73) kept alive their faint postseason hopes with
their second consecutive win, while the loss assured the Astros
(67-85) of a losing home record. Houston fell to 36-41 at Minute
Maid Park.
Carrasco was quick to prove that his previous outing at Detroit,
where he allowed four earned runs and didn't escape the seventh
inning, was an aberration. Before that game, Carrasco had not
allowed more than one run in six consecutive starts since rejoining
the rotation on Aug. 10.
Carrasco retired the first seven batters Wednesday and did not
surrender a hit until Altuve reached in the fourth. Altuve made his
way to third base via a steal and a throwing error by catcher Yan
Gomes, but Carrasco stranded Altuve by striking out designated
hitter Chris Carter and inducing a ground ball off the bat of
catcher Jason Castro that second baseman Mike Aviles snuffed with a
marvelous defensive effort.
Carrasco coasted from there, dominating with remarkable ease.
"I felt great," Carrasco said. "I think my changeup was really good.
I was throwing it for a strike. The best ones were the last three
changeups I threw for strikeouts. I think everything was good. I had
great command of the fastball, curveball and slider."
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Said Altuve: "I knew personally that I was in trouble with him since
the first at-bat he threw fastballs right in the middle and I
couldn't hit them. He beat me and I said, 'If you can't hit a
fastball against one guy, you're in trouble.'"
Gomes more than made up for his defensive miscue. He drove home the
first run with a single to center in the fourth after a two-out
double to left field by designated hitter Carlos Santana. Gomes then
hit an RBI triple off left-hander Brett Oberholtzer (5-12) in his
next at-bat, plating left fielder Michael Brantley for a 2-0 lead.
Oberholtzer was exceptional, allowing two runs on seven hits while
fanning three over 7 2/3 innings. But he, like his teammates, was no
match for Carrasco.
"Carrasco was on," Oberholtzer said. "He was mowing through the
lineup. I don't think anybody was going to be able to hit him with
his stuff tonight. You just tip your cap and go about your
business."
NOTES: Indians OF Ryan Raburn will under arthroscopic surgery to
correct meniscus damage in his left knee. A date has not been set
for the procedure, but manager Terry Francona anticipates that
Raburn will have the scope done in the immediate future. Raburn
suffered a left knee hyperextension on Sept. 13 at Detroit. ...
Astros RHP Brad Peacock will return to the rotation on Friday
against the Seattle Mariners after being scratched from his previous
start because of lower back tightness. Peacock has allowed only four
earned runs over his last four starts and 21 2/3 innings. ...
Indians 2B Jason Kipnis was held out of the starting lineup due to
leg soreness. Kipnis served as the designated hitter in the series
opener on Monday night, marking only the second time this season he
started a game while not playing second base.
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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