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Cleveland Indians

27-19,
1st AL Central

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Indians Team Report

Yahoo! Sports - 4 hours, 39 minutes ago

Inside Pitch
Notes, Quotes
Roster Report

Very quietly Zach McAllister has emerged as the No. 2 starter in the rotation. That's considerable progress for a pitcher who began the season as the No. 4 starter. But McAllister has earned it.

At the start of the season Justin Masterson was the No. 1 starter, Ubaldo Jimenez was the No. 2 and Brett Myers the No. 3. Jimenez so far has had a wildly inconsistent season. Myers appeared in just four games before being placed on the disabled list.

McAllister, meanwhile, continues to turn in one solid performance after another. In his 12-3 win over Boston on Thursday, McAllister wasn't great, but he was good enough, and he benefitted from a big offensive outburst by Indians hitters.

McAllister gave up three runs in five innings as he improved his record to 4-3. He came into Thursday's start with a 2.65 ERA, which ranked eighth in the American League. That ERA rose slightly to 2.89, but it still ranks second on the Indians' staff.

Perhaps McAllister's most impressive stat isn't a stat at all. It's his consistency. He has allowed three earned runs or fewer in all nine of his starts this season. He also has pitched six or more innings in six of those nine starts.

He hasn't done it with much fanfare, and his won-loss record isn't as gaudy as many pitchers with bigger names. But McAllister has had a very workmanlike first nine starts to the season, and he has become the second most consistent starter on the staff after Masterson.

Record:

27-19

Streak:

Won one

Past 10 Games:

6-4

NEXT: Indians (Justin Masterson, 7-2, 2.83) at Red Sox (John Lackey, 2-4, 3.31)

Player Notes:

3B Mark Reynolds was 2-for-2 with a double and three RBI with the bases loaded Thursday night, making him 4-for-8 with a homer, double and 10 RBI with the bases loaded this season. Asked what was going through his mind coming up with the bases loaded, he said, "Awesome. Hitting with guys on base, a guy on third with less than two outs, beautiful. These guys are unbelievable, man. Every at-bat I've had lately has been with guys in scoring position. It's fun to be in this lineup."
Reynolds enjoyed the video tribute the Red Sox gave their former manager, current Indians skipper Terry Francona, after the first inning of his return to Fenway. "That little montage they had … was pretty cool," Reynolds said. "I think it was a class act by the Red Sox. Tito, two world championships, playoffs almost every year … it was just neat to see the organization do that for him; and I think I saw him teary eyed a little bit during that thing. It was pretty neat and I was glad to be a part of it.
C Yan Gomes got a second life when 1B Mike Napoli dropped his foul pop in the sixth inning, and Gomes came through with a two-run double to extend his career-long hitting streak to seven games. He is 12-for-28 with three doubles, three homers and eight RBI during the streak.
RHP Zach McAllister, backed by huge run support, ran his record to 4-3 and extended his unbeaten streak to five starts (3-0) by pitching five innings in Thursday night's blowout of the Red Sox in the opener of a four-game series that marked manager Terry Francona's return to Fenway Park. McAllister, who last lost April 24 and lost to Boston on April 18, gave up a three-run homer to David Ortiz in the third inning but held the opposition to three earned runs or less in 12 straight starts dating back to last season.
RF Drew Stubbs broke out of an 0-for-11 spell in a big way, with two doubles and a triple in the loud win Thursday night. It was his third career game with three or more extra-base hits, the first two coming with the Reds.
RHP Justin Masterson, a former Red Sox prospect, faces his old team for the second time this season and the seventh time since he was traded to Cleveland in the deal that brought Victor Martinez to Boston. Coming in at 7-2, he is the first Indians pitcher to have seven wins in the club's first 42 games of the season since Charles Nagy in 1996. He is 3-2 with a 3.72 ERA against the Red Sox.
LHP Scott Barnes was recalled from Triple-A Columbus as the Indians, still searching for a second lefty in the bullpen (to go with Rich Hill), designated LHP David Huff for assignment. This is Barnes' second stop with the big club this season, and the Springfield, Mass., native celebrated his return with three innings of scoreless relief and his first big-league save. He was 2-2 with a 5.74 ERA in 12 games with Columbus. Huff, who had allowed five runs and seven hits in three innings over three relief appearances with Cleveland, was DFA after spring training but made it through waivers and was sent to Columbus. If he makes it through this time, he can declare himself a free agent.

Quote To Note:

"I think it was a class act by the Red Sox. Tito, two world championships, playoffs almost every year … it was just neat to see the organization do that for him; and I think I saw him teary eyed a little bit during that thing. It was pretty neat and I was glad to be a part of it."

—3B Mark Reynolds, on the tribute the Red Sox gave their former manager, current Indians skipper Terry Francona, on Thursday.

Medical Watch:

C Lou Marson (right shoulder inflammation) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 25. He had been activated April 24 from a prior DL stint. He was cleared to begin throwing program May 9.
RHP Brett Myers (right elbow inflammation) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 20. He made rehab starts for Double-A Akron on May 17 and May 22.
RHP Blake Wood (Tommy John surgery in May 2012) went on the 60-day disabled list March 11. He began a rehab assignment with Double-A Akron on May 4, then moved to Class A Lake County on May 15. He rejoined Akron on May 18.
RHP Josh Tomlin (Tommy John surgery in August 2012) went on the 60-day disabled list Feb. 15. He is expected to miss most, if not all, of the season as he continues his rehab.
RHP Frank Herrmann (Tommy John surgery in March 2013) went on the 15-day disabled list March 31, and he was transferred to the 60-day disabled list April 3. He will miss the entire season.