Gomes Home Run Gives Tribe Series Win Over White Sox
Series Result: Indians win series over White Sox 2-1
Game Results
Game 1: Cleveland 7 Chicago 4
Game 2: Chicago 6 Cleveland 2
Game 3: Cleveland 3 Chicago 2
Indians MVP
Yan Gomes
Gomes went 3-for-10 in the series with a home run and 3 RBI’s, to go along with 2 walks. What makes Gomes standout in this series was his game 3 performance where he drove in all 3 runs for the Tribe and hit the go-ahead homer in the bottom of the 8th to help the Indians win the game and the series.
Indians LVP
Austin Adams
Adams was just called up for the White Sox series to give the Tribe an extra bullpen arm. It wasn’t all Adams fault, some of the blame has to go onto Terry Francona. In game 2, Adams was called on in a 1-run game and gave up 3 runs to effectively end the Tribe’s chance at a comeback.
Game 1: Swisher and Tribe’s offense back Kluber in 7-4 win
Corey Kluber may not have had his best stuff in this game, but for once the offense showed up to back Kluber. Kluber went 6 innings, gave up 4 runs on 8 hits, while striking out 5 and walking 2, but wasn’t as dominant as his past starts. The White Sox got things going first in this game with 2 runs in the top of 2nd inning, thanks to an Adrian Nieto RBI double and a Leury Garcia groundout, not the most frightening names in the lineup, which gave Tribe fans some early concerns. In the very next frame, Nick Swisher got things going with 2 outs with a single into right field. David Murphy stepped up to the plate and showed us just how good of a guy his is with a home run, his 6th of the season, to tie the game at 2. Kluber continued to labor through the game and in the top of the 4th gave up an RBI double to Adam Eaton (Miami University of Ohio alum) to give the Sox a 3-2 lead. The Tribe would respond immediately as Chris Dickerson drew a bases loaded walk to tie the game again. With fans expecting a big inning, Jason Kipnis grounded out to the pitcher, and the Tribe stranded more runners. Corey came back out for the 5th inning and gave up a leadoff home run to Adam Dunn putting the White Sox in lead again. Then in the bottom of the 5th the game changed after Asdrubal Cabrera was apparently thrown out trying to steal second base, but after a Terry Francona challenge Cabrera was called safe and the inning continued. Lonnie Chisenhall singled in Asdrubal and the game was tied again. Nick Swisher then provided the big hit with an absolute bomb (415 feet) to center, to give the Tribe a 6-4 lead. The bullpen entered the game to start the 7th and the combined trio of John Axford, Bryan Shaw, and Cody Allen didn’t allow a base runner the rest of the game. Tack on an insurance run from a Carlos Santana RBI double and the Tribe wins 7-4.
Game 2: 9th inning collapse dooms Tribe
Zach McAllister returned to the rotation, and no one knew what to expect. McAllister pitched well enough to keep the Tribe in the game going 7 innings, giving up 3 runs on only 4 hits, striking out 2 and walking 2. McAllister looked very good early, breezing through the first 2 innings only throwing 17 pitches. The key factor in this game was probably my presence at the game, as the Indians have now lost the last 4 games in which I have attended, so I apologize for that. In the top of the 4th inning, Jose Abreu did what he has done 28 other times this season, and launched his 29th home run to give the White Sox a 2-0 lead. That lead was then extended in the top of the 6th as Adam Dunn hit one of the longest RBI single’s you will ever see, to give the White Sox a 3-0 lead. The Indians started their comeback in the bottom of the 7th, as they loaded the bases. Jason Kipnis drew a walk to drive in a run and cut the lead to 3-1. Then Asdrubal Cabrera stepped up and swung weakly at three straight pitches to end the inning and leave the bases loaded again. You got to think that eventually the Tribe has to start hitting with runners in scoring position and when that happens the Tribe will be in business, but until that happens, the Tribe will continue to be a .500 team or worse. In the bottom of the 8th Michael Brantley gave the Tribe faithful more hope of a comeback, as he hit his team leading 15th home run to bring the Tribe within one. In the top of the 9th Terry Francona made one of the most puzzling moves you will ever see. With the Tribe down 1, Francona called upon Austin Adams, who would be making his major league debut. Even if Adams was put in a game where he was working with a 10 run lead, he would have the pressure of his debut, but putting him in; in a 1 run game made the pressure increase exponentially. Adams let the moment get to him as he gave up 3 runs in just 1/3 of an inning, give the White Sox a 6-2 lead. It should be noted that the White Sox flashed some serious leather in this game; some catches saved them from multiple runs being scored.
Game 3: Gomes saves day with 8th inning homer
Trevor Bauer pitched like the guy the Diamondbacks though they drafted. Bauer went 6 2/3 innings, giving up 8 hits, and 0 runs, while striking out a career high 10. Unfortunately, Bauer would not factor in the decision, as Bryan Shaw took the wind out of the Tribe’s sails, allowing the White Sox to take the lead in the top of the 8th inning. Before that moment, in the bottom of the 2nd, Yan Gomes drove in a run with a RBI single that scored Ryan Raburn. The game might look like a pitching duel on the outside, but both teams combined for 20 hits, the White Sox left 12 men on base, while the Tribe left 10 men on base. Trevor Bauer and John Danks both were able to shut down the opposing team’s hitters when they needed too. It was when the starters left the game when things got interesting. Bryan Shaw entered the game for the Tribe in the top of the 8th, and things started off well, as he struck out Dayan Viciedo. Then things went south, as Conor Gillaspie singled, then advanced to second after a wild pitch. Gordon Beckham drove him in with a RBI single to tie the game at 1. Tyler Flowers then grounded out, but Beckham was able to advance to second, then light hitting Leury Garcia singled home Beckahm to give the Sox a 2-1 lead heading to the bottom of the 8th. Nick Swisher led off with a single (Swish seems to be heating up, as over his last 9 games he is hitting .297, with 3 home runs and 9 RBI’s). Up stepped Yan Gomes, who teased fans with a ball down the line that just barely landed in foul territory, before he decided to show his opposite field power as he drove a 1-1 pitch over the right field wall to give the Tribe an unlikely 3-2 lead. Cody Allen came on to close the game out and made quick work of the White Sox to record his 12th save and help the Tribe to a 47-47 record at the All Star break.
Next Up: The Tribe heads to Detroit after the All Star break to face the AL Central leaders in a 4-game series
–Chris Sladoje (@CST_Doje)
Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images
