Here are 17 Walk-Off Thoughts on the Indians’ 3-1 win against the Chicago White Sox Tuesday night.
1. Corey Kluber continues to turn in terrific performances. Kluber allowed one run and seven hits in six innings and struck out seven Tuesday night.
2. He’s now won four consecutive starts and his last five decisions over his lsat seven starts. In that stretch, he owns a 1.65 ERA and has struck out 49 batters in 49 innings pitched. He last won five consecutive starts to end the 2014 season, when his second half powered him to the 2014 American League Cy Young Award.
3. Certainly, over the last seven starts, Kluber has looked like the ace the Indians want to see.
4. Said Kluber, “I don't know if it's easy to compare different years. The one thing is that, once I'm able to get on a routine and stick with it—we’re in a stretch right now where we're playing lots of games without a lot of off-days, so I'm pretty much pitching every fifth day. I usually tend to like sticking on that five-day routine.”
5. Said Indians manager Terry Francona, “The ball is coming out of his hand so crisp. And they made him work. He had to pitch out of some jams. They got his pitch count up. But, other than he threw two breaking balls in a row to Morneau that he hit for the home run… He looks like the tank's full, which is really good for us.”
6. Andrew Miller took over for Kluber and pitched two hitless innings in the seventh and eighth. And he needed just 16 pitches to do it.
7. Since giving up a home run to Minnesota’s Joe Mauer in his Cleveland debut, Miller has been borderline untouchable. He’s given up one run and two hits and stuck out 11 in 8 2/3 innings. He’s also now had consecutive two-inning outings, which has essentially shut the door leading to Cody Allen.
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8. Miller has taken the Indians’ bullpen to that next level. Quipped one beat writer Tuesday night, after another swing-and-miss slider, “How are you supposed to hit that?” The bullpen is entering, “If they have the lead, and Miller and Allen are available, it’s over” territory.
9. Said Francona, “It's one thing to have his stuff, because his stuff's really good, but he doesn't mess around. He speeds them up with the breaking ball and he keeps firing strikes. Again, you bring him in when we do in the seventh and it doesn't necessarily mean you're going to keep him in through the eighth, but as long as he has a six or seven-pitch inning, there's no reason not to. And the good thing is, we didn't have to get Shaw up and have him sitting out there. So, it helps in a lot of ways.”
10. The left side of the Indians’ infield had a couple of nice plays. In the fourth, White Sox catcher Omar Narvaez hit a ball to third base that Jose Ramirez almost caught on a dive but instead short-hopped it. Ramirez righted himself and one knee fired to first to beat Narvaez to the bag.
11. Ramirez made another snag later in the game. He looks more comfortable at third base now that he’s playing there every day.
12. Said Francona, “I don't think he makes those plays before. And I get it, because he's going back and forth. And the brunt of his work was in the outfield, because he hadn't played there. But, now that he's just been there, you can see he's getting his legs under him. His reactions are quicker. The ball has more carry.”
13. Then, in the seventh, Lindor stole a hit away from Narvaez as well, though it required an Indians challenge. Lindor ranged toward third base and into shallow left field, fielded it and fired across his body to make the play.
14. Said Lindor, “Yeah, I thought I had a chance. As soon as I caught it I knew I had a chance. It was a catcher running. Napoli grabbed the ball. It seemed to me he was out, but I wasn't 100 percent sure. It was too close for me to be sure it was a definite out. Then I saw the replay and was like, ‘I think I got him.’”
15. Lindor put the Indians on top 1-0 in the first inning with a double that scored Jason Kipnis, who had doubled as well. He’s now hitting .355 at home this season, the best home average in the AL. In this homestand, Kipnis is hitting .526 with five extra-base hits and seven runs scored.
16. Ramirez has remained on fire at the plate in addition to his gains defensively at third base. He’s hitting .418 with eight doubles, four home runs, 10 RBI and 17 runs scored in his last 20 games.
17. Said Lindor on Ramirez, “Great. He’s great. He’s been great. He’s been playing defense, he’s been helping us on the base paths, he’s been helping us hitting. He’s been a huge part of us this year.”