Game Recap
Francisco Lindor never ceases to amaze me. From his otherworldly defensive skills at shortstop, to his passion for the game, and love for Cleveland and the fans, it's hard not to pull for the 23-year old kid from Puerto Rico. On Wednesday night, he endeared himself even more to Tribe fans everywhere, as he clobbered a 1-1 pitch from Rangers closer Sam Dyson deep to right for a grand slam. Not only did it give the Indians a 9-6 win, it was also his first career grand slam, as part of an incredible night (3-4, 2 HR, 5 RBI). If there was anyone more deserving of Player of the Game honors, I don't know who he is. Francisco Lindor is a better person than he is a ballplayer, and he's one of the best ballplayers I've ever seen!
After a rare fielding error in the 5th inning handed Texas a 5-3 lead, it looked like the Indians might have to settle for two out of three in Arlington, Texas. But the Tribe showed patience at the plate and simply scratched and clawed to a 6-5 deficit until Lindor's blast gave them the lead for good. Lindor entered the game in a mini-slump, failing to tally a hit in the series' first two games. He left with a .300 AVG and his first two home runs this year.
Cleveland starting pitcher Danny Salazar went 5 2/3 innings, allowed two earned runs on five hits, and struck out nine while walking four. I thought it was a solid start for Danny after missing most of the playoffs last year due to injury. While he struggled with some command issues early, he still proved that he has absolutely NASTY stuff when he settles in, striking out nine Texas hitters. I also am pleasantly surprised with how he's grown as a pitcher since he first came into the league. When he made his first start against the Toronto Blue Jays back on July 11, 2013, he heavily relied on the fastball and not much else. He has really started to incorporate some wicked breaking pitches into his arsenal, making him that much more dangerous as a pitcher.
Player of the Game: Francisco Lindor (Editor's note: DUH! :) )
WP: Shawn Armstrong (1-0)
LP: Sam Dyson (0-2)
SV: Bryan Shaw (1)
Up next, the 3-0 Indians have an off day Thursday, before they head to Phoenix for three with the Diamondbacks starting Friday night. Pitching Probables: RHP Josh Tomlin vs. RHP Shelby Miller
The Last Word
I am amazed at how resilient this team seems to be in general as well. I know we are only three games in, but it's already clear that this bunch of Indians does one thing: fight. The Tribe had to come from behind to win two of the three games in this series. It might be easy for a team to pack it in, but the Indians will never be out of a ballgame if they continue to do what they did in this series. This team not only has the attitude to come back, they are built for it as well. They have a lineup that is both powerful and fast, a solid rotation that can keep them in ballgames, and a lockdown bullpen that can shut other teams down if they have the lead late. Buckle up everybody. 2017 could be a great year to be a Cleveland Indians fan!
Fun Stat of the Night
Last night marked the first time the Tribe have swept the season-opening series since 1952. The Indians finished 93-61 that season, two games behind the New York Yankees for a playoff spot in a tough American League.
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