INDIANAPOLIS -Will Craig's 22nd home run of the season, his first since August 4 against Columbus, wasn't enough as the Indians only tallied two hits to lose the series opener against the Clippers, 4-2.
INDIANAPOLIS -Will Craig's 22nd home run of the season, his first since August 4 against Columbus, wasn't enough as the Indians only tallied two hits to lose the series opener against the Clippers, 4-2.
With the loss, the Indians (65-72) dropped into third place in the IL West for the first time since April 9. They last were two-hit on July 24 against Syracuse, when they won and outhit the Mets 2-1.
Connor Marabell went 3-for-3 on the night as a late addition to the lineup. Former Indian Ryan Lavarnway got things started for the Clippers in the first inning with an RBI double to score Marbell and followed it up with a sacrifice fly in Columbus' two-run fourth inning to take a 3-0 lead.
Columbus (78-59) scored another run in the sixth inning to give itself an added cushion against the Tribe's late offense.
The Indians led off their game with a double by Cole Tucker, but stranded two runners on with no run scored. They then went down in order for 15 straight batters until Ke'Bryan Hayes led off the seventh inning with a walk. Craig's two-run shot out to left field was the Indians first home run in five games.
Michael Peoples (W, 10-6) fanned seven Indians while posting six one-hit innings. Jared Robinson entered in the seventh and surrendered the first Tribe runs, but Kyle Nelson and James Karinchak (S, 2) shut down the Tribe with just one baserunner in the final two innings.
Rookie Davis (L, 1-6) made his first start with the Tribe since June 16 and allowed three runs on three hits in 3.1 innings. Blake Cederlind surrendered one run on four hits in 2.1 relief innings before Yacksel Ríos entered and shut down the Clippers offense. Dovydas Neverauskas closed out the game by striking out the side in the ninth.
The Indians round out their home season tomorrow night against the Clippers in a 6:05 p.m. ET start. Cody Ponce (1-2, 4.15) is slated to take the mound against Shao-Ching Chiang (8-9, 5.36).
