Reaction: Cleveland Indians swept in first series of the season at Progressive Field

Cleveland Indians outscored 25-15 in first home stand of 2015

—Final Update: 5:15 p.m. —

–According to Jordan Bastian of MLB.com, this is the first time the Indians have surrendered 8+ runs and 11+ hits in three straight games since May 25-27, 2012 against the Chicago White Sox.

-After the game, manager Terry Francona acknowledged a series sweep against the Tigers hurts. Per Chris Assenheimer of the Chronicle-Telegram:

–Jason Kipnis, too, acknowledged the disappointment but also pointed out that the biggest impact was losing both Michael Brantley and Yan Gomes during the series.

—Update: 4:45 p.m. —

The best news of the day: Miguel Cabrera and the Detroit Tigers are leaving town tonight. 

Continuing their struggles against the Tigers, the Indians fell behind early and could never catch up against a hot-hitting offense. Since 2013, the Indians have been owned by Detroit. They’ve posted a 12-29 record, including 5-18 at Progressive Field, while allowing six runs per game. Over that span, the Tribe has allowed 54 home runs to Tigers’ hitters and clubbed just 34 home runs themselves.

Cleveland expected T.J. House to be the change of pace that might slow the potent offense of the Detroit Tigers. House, though, was hit hard in his first start of the season, allowing six earned runs in 1.1 innings of work. The Tribe was outscored 25-15 in the series — including 15 response runs — and fell behind early in all three games of the series.

Recent call-ups Austin Adams and Shaun Marcum were excellent out of the bullpen. The duo combined to throw 7.2 innings and allowed just two earned runs, both coming off home runs. Strong performances from Adams and Marcum allowed manager Terry Francona to save a bullpen that was taxed heavily during this series.

Offensively, Carlos Santana and Ryan Raburn both tallied two hits in the contest. Santana, who is hitting .333 through six games, drove in his fifth run of the season in the first inning. Raburn put together one of his best games in the last two seasons, driving in two runs on two hits.

Cleveland will have a one-day vacation before playing host to another division rival, the Chicago White Sox, for a quick two-game set beginning on Tuesday.

—Update: 4:20 p.m. —

The Indians got two runners on base to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning, including a walk by Brandon Moss and a double off the bat of Ryan Raburn. Both runners eventually scored, but the next three Indians were retired in order to end the inning 7-5.

As usual, the Tigers responded in the top half of the ninth and tacked on an extra insurance run on a solo home run by J.D. Martinez. That was the Tigers’ 15th response run of the series. Shaun Marcum finished his day, allowing just one run in five innings pitched.

Cleveland comes to bat in the bottom of the ninth inning against Joakim Soria.

—Update: 4:05 p.m. —

After getting tortured by Miguel Cabrera all game long, the Indians finally elect to intentionally walk him in the top of the eighth and get Victor Martinez to ground out to end the inning. The Tribe gave up a grand total of eight hits to the Astros all series to start the season. They allowed 11 hits to Cabrera alone in this series, including the two home runs in this game.

—Update: 3:50 p.m. —

According to T.J. Zuppe of 92.3 The Fan, the Indians announced 19,555 fans in attendance today. Not a great turnout, but that’s still over their 18,428 average from a year ago.

—Update: 3:45 p.m. —

Cleveland managed one base runner against Angel Nesbitt in the bottom of the sixth inning. Lonnie Chisenhall was hit by a pitch above the right ankle and, since both teams were (unnecessarily) warned in the first, manager Terry Francona came out for a few words with home plate umpire Dan Iassogna. In more non-game-related news, Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today tweeted this photo of a woman camping out for Cleveland Cavaliers playoffs tickets:

Perhaps we’ll see Tribe fans camped out at the Progressive Field box office in October.

—Update 2:55 p.m. —

The Indians trimmed the deficit to three on a two-out, two-RBI single off the bat of Ryan Raburn in the bottom of the third. But, just as they’ve done all series long, the Tigers responded with a lead-off solo home run by Miguel Cabrera. Cabrera continues his absolute destruction of Tribe pitching in this series.

Cleveland trails 7-3 now with one out in the top of the fifth inning. Recent call-up Austin Adams threw 2.2 innings and allowed just one run in his season debut. Veteran Shaun Marcum, who was scheduled to start for Triple-A Columbus makes his first appearance of the season.

—Update 2:25 p.m. —

Nick Castellanos made two impressive defensive plays in the bottom of the second on a pair of ground balls by Ryan Raburn and Mike Aviles to save a couple Indians runs.

When things are going your way, those are the kinds of plays you make. When they’re not, well, you see what happens to the Tribe.

—Update 2:00 p.m. — 

Some non-game-related news from August Fagerstrom of MLB.com:

"First baseman/outfielder Nick Swisher is coming along in his recovery from last August’s double knee surgery. Reports out of the team’s facilities in Arizona are that Swisher is swinging the bat well and that he’s seen time in the outfield. He was placed on the 15-day DL on April 2. Utility man Zach Walters is also progressing in in-game activity at the team complex in Arizona as he rehabs a strained right oblique suffered in Spring Training. He’ll be sent to Triple-A Columbus once he ramps up to a nine-inning workload. Walters has already played five positions in limited time at the Major League level, but Francona mentioned that the team will likely keep him at just one position in the early stages of his rehab as he focuses on his health. Zach McAllister, who won the Indians’ fifth-starter job out of Spring Training, will be available out of the bullpen starting Tuesday. Due to off-days on Monday and Thursday, the Indians don’t need a full five-man rotation for the time being. Carlos Carrasco is scheduled to pitch Tuesday, with Trevor Bauer on Wednesday. After that, the team is sorting through possibilities of how the rotation will unfold moving forward."

—Update 1:45 p.m. — 

Good news and bad news. The good news is that Michael Bourn recorded his first stolen base of the season, snagging third base before scoring on a single off the bat of Carlos Santana in the first inning. The bad news, however, is that results are in on Yan Gomes‘s MRI this morning and the Brazilian catcher will miss significant time with a right MCL sprain.

The extended time will give the Indians a long look at Roberto Perez, who could very well be the answer to the Tribe’s quest to find a regular right-handed designated hitter against left-handed pitchers.

—Update: 1:30 p.m. —

Well that didn’t take long. T.J. House allowed a lead-off walk to Rajai Davis and a single to Ian Kinsler. Roberto Perez threw a ball into left field on a double-steal attempt by Davis and Kinsler before Miguel Cabrera, who regularly crushes Indians’ pitching, clubbed a two-run home run — and pimped it — to left center field. House, who (arguably) didn’t appreciate the “little extra” by Cabrera, drilled Victor Martinez with the next pitch. Four batters in and benches have already been warned.

In what seems to be an annual theme, Cabrera is already off to a hot start against Tribe pitching.

—Update 1:00 p.m. —

Michael Brantley and Yan Gomes were presented their Silver Slugger awards before the game. Of course, both players are injured and neither will play in this game.

Here’s Gomes hobbling out to receive his award.

Pregame Notes: T.J. House tries to salvage Cleveland Indians’ opening series in first start of the season

Detroit has had an answer to everything the Cleveland Indians have thrown their way thus far this series. After the Tigers jumped out to an early lead against Corey Kluber on Saturday afternoon, the Tribe — behind newcomer Jerry Sands — clawed back into the game and took a 3-2 lead in the sixth. Detroit responded with a three-run inning of their own in the top half of the seventh. Cleveland regained momentum with off a Sands’ two-run double in the eighth. Again, the Tigers responded with a four-run ninth and Cleveland couldn’t recover. Down 2-0 now in the season series, the Indians will trot out T.J. House to attempt to salvage the season. House came out of no where last season to put together a productive 2014, finishing 5-3 with a 3.35 ERA over 19 appearances. House threw 102 innings, striking out 80 batters and walking just 23. For Detroit, Kyle Lobstein will take the mound for his first start of the season, filling in for the injured Justin Verlander. Lobstein was 1-2 with a 4.28 ERA in six starts for the Tigers last season. Lobstein marks the second consecutive left-handed starter the Tribe will face and the third in the first six games. They are getting a lot of early cracks to shake their 2014 season-long Achilles heel of hitting the southpaws. Here are the starting lineups:

Sands will make his second straight start as Michael Brantley, again, will sit with an aching back. Roberto Perez gets the start in place of the injured Yan Gomes.

Hot-hitting Anthony Gose sits, as does catcher Alex Avila.

News & Notes:

-Gomes went down in pain shortly after receiving a throw from Carlos Santana on a play at the plate and taking a hard slide by Rajai Davis trying to score. Following an MRI this morning, the Indians put Gomes on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained knee.

While Gomes is certainly a big part of the Indians’ regular season plans, the Tribe believes they’re in good hands with Perez behind the dish for the time being.

-The Indians are still awaiting details on the extent of the injury, but manager Terry Francona has acknowledged that Santana will serve as the backup catcher only for today. Brett Hayes will be with the team for Tuesday’s series opener against the Chicago White Sox.

Next: Opposition research - Detroit Tigers