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Fausto, Sipp Combine to One-Hit Rays in Rain-Shortened Win
July 24, 2010 By John Skomra
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Fausto Carmona improved the Indians second half record to 7-1 with a superb outing allowing one unearned run in five innings of work in the rain-shortened 3-1 win Friday night at Progressive Field over the Rays. Carmona's effort combined with Tony Sipp relief one-hit the extremely potent Rays offense.
Carmona (10-7) recorded seven strikeouts in five innings and lowered his season ERA to 3.51. Both Fausto and Rays' starter Jeff Niemann were forced to exit after just five innings due to a rain delay.
The Indians got to Niemann early taking a 1-0 lead in the first. Following a walk to Michael Brantley and a single by Asdrubal Cabrera, a scorched line drive by Carlos Santana that Carlos Pena could not handle cleanly allowed Brantley to score. The fielder's choice gave Santana is twentieth RBI of the year.
The Rays responded in the top of the second taking advantage of sloppy Tribe defense. A routine ground ball hit into the shift by Pena was thrown off target allowing him to reach base. He stole second and advanced to third on a wild throw by Santana. The Indians conceded the run on an RBI ground out by John Jaso to knot the score at one apiece.
Shin-Soo Choo returned to the lineup for the first time since July 3rd and helped the Tribe retake the lead in the bottom half of the third. His RBI ground out scored Michael Brantley from third to move the score to 2-1. Brantley had singled and then advanced to third on an Asdrubal Cabrera double to right center. The Indians have now recorded an extra base hit in 45 straight games. This streak now leads the majors.
The game was delayed after five complete due to rain. Play resumed after ninety minutes asthe Indians added a run in the sixth off Rays reliever Dan Wheeler on a two out blast to right field by Trevor Crowe increasing the lead to 3-1.
The Indians bullpen continued to pitch well. Tony Sipp threw two innings of shutout baseball to pick of the save.Seven complete innings were in the books when a second rain delay halted play and was eventually called final.
Cabrera had three hits in the win while Choo went 1 for 3 with an RBI in his return. He also made a spectular catch crashing into the wall to rob Ben Zobrist of a leadoff extra-base it. Combine this concept of winning with the return of Cabrera and Choo and the Indians really have something to be optimistic about for the second half of the season.
In three starts against Tampa Bay this season Carmona is now 2-0 with a 1.99 ERA.
"Fausto was fantastic and had a lot of movement and pitched ahead. Tony Sipp was lights out. You got to take them any way you can," Indians manager Manny Acta commented after the game was called.
Neimann (8-3) and Tampa lost for the first time on the road when he starts, as they were previously 9-0. He pitched well allowing two runs on five hits, while striking out four.
The Indians are now 10-2 in their last twelve games at Progressive Field and have now won eighteen straight games against the Rays at home since their last loss in 2005.
They improved their record to 41-55 while the Rays drop to 57-37 and four games behind the first place Yankees in the American League East. Game two of this series is schedule for tonight at 7:05 EST at Progressive Field as David Price and Mitch Talbot battle on the bump.
