Cleveland Indians: 3 takeaways from the great series in Baltimore

The Cleveland Indians put a beatdown on the Baltimore Orioles during the latter half of a great road trip. Here is what stood out from the series.

The Cleveland Indians left town last week after dropping two of three to the Los Angeles Dodgers and sitting just one game above .500. They return home seven games over .500 and in first place.

After a four-game sweep of the Minnesota Twins, the Indians took three of four from the Baltimore Orioles, with that series nearly being another sweep.

The Indians now hold a 2.5-game lead over the Twins as the two teams are prepared to meet up tonight in Cleveland. Another sweep could give the Indians a lead to be defended for the remainder of the season.

This weekend will feature some raucous home crowds, given the weather holds off. But for now, let’s take a look back at what stood out from the four games in Baltimore.

1. The two aces on the staff

The Indians had an offensive explosion on Monday, scoring 12 runs en route to a 12-0 victory over the floundering Orioles. But the star of the game was not on offense.

Corey Kluber pitched all nine innings in that shutout victory, striking out 11 and giving up just three hits. It was his second complete-game shutout victory of the season, and his third start in which he allowed no runs.

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Kluber has now started four games since returning from the DL, and has allowed five earned runs in 28 innings, striking out 39 in that span.

Nearly topping him was Carlos Carrasco, who had a great start of his own on Wednesday after Josh Tomlin struggled on Tuesday. Carrasco went six scoreless innings, thanks to the heroics of Andrew Miller in relief, striking out 10 batters.

Kluber’s outing was far more impressive, but Carrasco has joined Kluber as one of the main weapons in this rotation. It is now up to others to fill out those other three spots in time for the second half of the season.

2. Jackson earning a full-time spot

Austin Jackson has been receiving regular playing time with Michael Brantley out, and has seized the opportunity. While Daniel Robertson may be losing out on his shot with poor play, Jackson has asserted himself as a key piece in the lineup.

He picked up six hits in Baltimore, driving in seven runs and raising his average on the season to .301. He capped off the series with a three-hit performance Thursday night, driving in three runs that proved to be the difference in the game.

The Indians took a chance on Jackson this offseason and it appears to be paying off. It will lead to some tough decisions when Brandon Guyer and Abraham Almonte return from their injuries, but it would be hard to imagine Jackson being demoted if he keeps up his solid play.

3. Jose’s insane streak

Jose Ramirez only had one hit Thursday night, which was a rare sight after the streak he was on entering the game. Ramirez entered Thursday’s game with a streak of nine straight games with at least two hits, but his overall hit streak continues as the Indians head home.

He has raised his batting average to .321 and has become the top force in the lineup. His five runs scored in the series show how normal it is for Ramirez to reach scoring position and ultimately come around to score.

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Jose has acted like he belongs since the day he arrived in Cleveland and is backing up his attitude with actions this year. The series in Baltimore was further proof that he is a star and will be a valuable piece for this team for years to come.