Series Preview: Indians vs. Mariners

The Indians 14-game home winning streak is snapped. We knew it was going to happen sooner or later. The Tribe ran into a quality ballclub that was on a hot streak. Nothing to be ashamed of.  Now the Indians will welcome Seattle to town to begin a new streak and try to avoid a season high third straight home loss.  Still a little disappointed with the fan turnout, but hopefully that will change tonight. I mean come on, it’s fireworks night!!

May 13-15, 2011

Progressive Field

Scouting Report

• Seattle – The Mariners come into this series winning just three out of their last ten and have lost five straight overall and they haven’t had much success since the last time these two teams met up.  In that series the Indians plated 20 runs in route to a series sweep, their only series sweep on the road. And yes, I will bring this up. It’s Eric Wedge’s first visit to Cleveland since being fired after the 2009 campaign. Wedge was 561-573 over seven seasons with the Indians, guiding them within one win of the 2007 AL pennant. Seattle (16-22) broke a scoreless tie in the top of the 12th inning Thursday, but Baltimore plated two in the bottom of the inning to hand the Mariners their fifth straight loss, 2-1. The staff has allowed at least 10 hits in each game and a total of 69 during the skid.

• Cleveland – The Indians had their 14-game home winning streak snapped at the hands of the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday and will look to avoid losing three straight games at home for the first time all season.  The Indians’ slide could indeed be short. Cleveland swept the Mariners in a three-game set April 8-10 in Seattle behind Asdrubal Cabrera and Orlando Cabrera.  Asdrubal was 6 for 14 with two homers and three RBIs, while Orlando was 6 for 10.  The Indians are seeking their 15th win in 19 home games, a mark they didn’t reach last season until their 35th home game.

Pitching Match-up(s)

Game 1 – Doug Fister vs. Fausto Carmona

• Doug Fister  2-4, 3.40 ERA

Doug Fister (2-4, 3.40), who flirted with a dubious club record his last time out, will try to end Seattle’s slide. Facing the slumping White Sox on Saturday, the right-hander yielded 14 hits — one shy of Greg Hibbard’s 1994 record — in 5 2/3 innings of a 6-0 loss. Fister allowed two runs — one earned — and six hits over six innings in a 2-1 defeat to the Indians on April 9. He’s made one start in Cleveland, pitching into the seventh in a 4-3, 11-inning Mariners loss Aug. 22, 2009.

Game 2 – Erik Bedard vs. Alex White

• Erik Bedard 1-4, 4.78 ERA

Bedard has a 1.89 ERA over last three starts, though he lasted just five innings Sunday due to a high pitch count while striking out season-high nine. Had worst outing of year vs. Indians April 10 (4 IP, 10 hits, 6 runs).

• Alex White  1-0, 3.75 ERA

It took two starts for White (Cleveland’s first-round Draft pick in 2009) to notch his first career win in the Majors. On Saturday, the 22-year-old righty limited the Angels to three runs on seven hits over six innings in a solid road effort.

Game 3 – Michael Pineda vs. Josh Tomlin

• Michael Pineda  4-2, 2.84 ERA

Pineda’s last start came May 10 against the Orioles where he gave up three runs on seven hits over six innings. He walked one and struck out six but walked away with no decision as the Orioles won it in the 13th.

Projected Lineups

Seattle

1. RF Ichiro Suzuki

2. 3B Chone Figgins

3. LF Milton Bradley

4. DH Jack Cust

5. 1B Justin Smoak

6. C   Miguel Olivo

7. 2B Adam Kennedy

8. SS Brendan Ryan

9. CF Ryan Langerhans

Cleveland

1. CF Michael Brantley

2. SS Asdrubal Cabrera

3. RF Shin-Soo Choo

4. C    Carlos Santana

5. DH Travis Hafner

6. 2B Orlando Cabrera

7. LF Austin Kearns

8. 1B Matt LaPorta

9. 3B Jack Hannahan