Door opens but Tribe can't break through Indians held to Kipnis HR in Ohio Cup loss

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1 Door opens but Tribe can't break through By Jordan Bastian / 12:24 AM ET + 0 COMMENTS CINCINNATI -- Indians manager Terry Francona held up his right hand, motioning for home-plate umpire Will Little to give him a few extra seconds. Francona had lost sight of the baseball, as did third-base coach Mike Sarbaugh, so he was hoping someone in the clubhouse could take a good look at the replay. "They couldn't see it," Francona said after the Indians' 5-1 loss to the Reds on Monday night. Full Game Coverage But Edwin Encarnacion saw it, and he turned to the visitors' dugout at Great American Ball Park and told Francona not to bother with a challenge. "It" was a baseball that rocketed off Encarnacion's bat in the sixth inning, veered to the left of the pole and clanked off a white beam near the top of the left-field bleachers and just under the scoreboard. Foul ball. Had the 428-foot shot been just a few feet closer to the Ohio River, Encarnacion would have had a two-run homer to give Cleveland a 3-2 lead and, possibly, the momentum for the final three innings. Instead, Reds starter Scott Feldman -- who jumped off the mound in disgust after thinking he had allowed a game-changing homer -- was given a second chance. Feldman later froze Encarnacion with a backdoor sinker for an inning-ending strikeout, rendering that long foul ball just one more missed opportunity for the Tribe. "It gave me a heart attack, honestly," Feldman said. "I would have hated to see the lead surrendered right there. Probably went in one too many times in a row there with him and didn't quite get it in there far enough. And luckily, it hooked foul." Encarnacion used a different word to describe that moment. "Unfortunate," said the slugger. It was exactly that for Cleveland, as that sixth inning signified the lone breakthrough against Feldman, who dotted the lower edge of the strike zone and ended the evening with nine punchouts in six frames. Jason Kipnis led off the inning with a home run to center, Francisco Lindor followed with a double and Michael Brantley drew a walk, creating a two-on, none-out situation with Cincinnati clinging to a 2-1 lead. With Carlos Santana looming, Reds pitching coach Mack Jenkins headed to the mound for a quick chat with Feldman. Santana, who is known for his keen eye, adopted an aggressive approach with Feldman seemingly on the ropes, swinging at the first pitch. The result was a double play that moved Lindor to third with Encarnacion due up. "I tried to figure out the pitch," Santana said. "He threw a changeup." Feldman then worked ahead, 0-2, on Encarnacion, opting to go low and inside with his third pitch. Encarnacion anticipated that plan and pulled the pitch high but foul, with an exit velocity of 110 mph, according to Statcast. Encarnacion has shown signs of life at the plate of late, and it looked for a moment as if he had come up big. Francona lost track of the ball in the twilight. Encarnacion did not. "Late, at the end, it was far, and then I saw the ball move to the left," Encarnacion said. "You want to get results. The only thing I can do about it is continue to keep working hard and continue to try to do the best I can do, and continue to work and find a way." Indians held to Kipnis HR in Ohio Cup loss By Mark Sheldon and Jordan Bastian / MLB.com May 22nd, COMMENTS CINCINNATI -- For the first time in his brief career, Reds right fielder Scott Schebler has slugged a home run in three straight games. Schebler's homer to lead off the bottom of the second inning helped Cincinnati to a 5-1 victory over Cleveland in Monday's Ohio Cup series opener. The Reds already held a 1-0 lead thanks to Adam Duvall's two-out RBI single off Indians starter Josh Tomlin in the first inning. Schebler lifted the first pitch that Tomlin offered in the second inning -- an 85-mph cut fastball -- into the right-field seats for the homer. That had him tied for second in the National League with 13 homers for the season. Full Game Coverage "I happened to put a good swing on a pitch down the middle," said Schebler, who is 6-for-13 in his last four games. "[Tomlin] probably wasn't trying to throw it there, but you have to take advantage of the mistakes when they make them." Reds starter Scott Feldman struck out each of his first five batters and nine of his first 10 to keep Cleveland quiet much of his night. The Indians picked up a run when Jason Kipnis hit a 2-2 Feldman pitch for a leadoff homer in the top of the sixth. Feldman finished with one earned run, four hits, two walks and nine strikeouts over six innings. Tomlin was out after 6 1/3 innings, charged with five runs (four earned), nine hits, no walks and four strikeouts. Feldman gives Reds sorely needed solid start "[Feldman] lived at the bottom of the zone," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "We didn't do a lot. We had a couple pretty good chances, and we didn't cash in. I just thought off of the fastball, there was some deception, and there's good movement on his fastball." Cincinnati created some space with a three-run bottom of the seventh that included an RBI squeeze bunt by pinch-hitter Arismendy Alcantara against Tomlin and Zack Cozart's two-out, two-run single against Dan Otero for a four-run lead. The Ohio Cup rivalry hadn't been much of one recently. Cleveland entered having won nine of 10 against Cincinnati since the start of 2015, including wins in all four games in '16. There is one more game at Great American Ball Park before the Interleague matchup moves along the shores of Lake Erie for two more games beginning Wednesday. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Big opportunity missed by Cleveland: Feldman appeared to hit a wall in the sixth, with the Kipnis homer followed by Francisco Lindor's double and a four-pitch walk to Michael Brantley that put the potential go-ahead run on base. After Carlos Santana bounced into a double play, Edwin Encarnacion nearly picked up the slack when he demolished a long foul ball to left field that narrowly missed being a homer. Encarnacion was

2 ultimately caught looking at a sinker for strike three and struck out for the third time. The Indians wound up 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. "Late, at the end, it was far, and then I saw the ball move to the left. It's unfortunate," Encarnacion said of his near home run. "You want to get results. The only thing I can do about it is continue to keep working hard and continue to try to do the best I can do, and continue to work and find a way." More > You're squeezable: Back-to-back one-out singles by Jose Peraza and Tucker Barnhart against Tomlin in the seventh put runners on the corners. Instead of going with a power guy, Reds manager Bryan Price summoned Alcantara and put on the safety squeeze play. Alcantara perfectly bunted to the right side between the mound and first base, and Tomlin's rushed throw went into right field for an error. Peraza didn't break for the plate until the throw, which put two men into scoring position as the lead stretched to two runs. "In that situation you don't want to sell out," Price said. "They might sniff something out and pitch out or just throw a pitch that we can't get down. A safety squeeze in that situation doesn't force the runner to break early or the hitter to have to bunt at the pitch. It ended up working in our favor." QUOTABLE "I could have sworn that thing was fair. Scott said the same thing. He thought it was going to hit the scoreboard. It was absolutely crushed. Luckily, it went foul. He threw probably the best pitch of the night on the [last] pitch, a backdoor sinker. After that hit-and-run, Edwin said, 'That was the best pitch he threw all night. It was nasty.' I said it came at a great time." -- Barnhart, on Encarnacion's long foul ball in the sixth SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Raisel Iglesias finished the game for the Reds in a non-save situation and pitched a scoreless ninth, with a leadoff double and two strikeouts. Iglesias has not allowed a run in his last 11 appearances and 12 1/3 innings pitched, tying the longest scoreless streak of his career. His last run allowed came on April 23, vs. the Cubs. He has a 0.76 ERA in 18 appearances this season. SANTANA'S EVENTFUL NIGHT With no designated hitter available in Cincinnati, Francona started Santana -- typically the first baseman -- in right field. In the second inning, the move nearly backfired on a foul popup off the bat of Peraza. While trying to chase down the fly ball, Santana crashed hard into the side wall, and remained on the ground in pain for several moments after jarring his back. After a visit with Francona and head athletic trainer James Quinlan, Santana stayed in the game. "It looked violent," Francona said. "So I was just glad when they said it wasn't his head or his knee. By the time I got out there, you could tell he was OK. He was just trying to catch his breath." That gave Santana a chance to show off his athleticism in the sixth, which he ended with a diving catch to rob Eugenio Suarez of a hit. Santana then threw to shortstop Lindor, who relayed it to Kipnis at second for a double play. According to Statcast, the catch probability on the play was 24 percent, making it Cleveland's first five-star catch of the season. WHAT'S NEXT Indians: Carlos Carrasco (4-2, 2.60 ERA) got through his week with no issues after experiencing tightness in his left pectoral muscle in his previous outing, on May 15. The big righty is scheduled to return to the mound for a start against the Reds on Tuesday in a 7:10 p.m. ET Interleague tilt at Great American Ball Park. Reds: Coming off a poor start in his return from Triple-A Louisville, rookie Amir Garrett will seek better fortunes when he faces Cleveland on Tuesday. Garrett, who is 3-3 with a 5.18 ERA, gave up six earned runs, five hits and four walks on Thursday in a 9-5 loss to the Cubs. Kluber ready to begin rehab assignment By Jordan Bastian / May 22nd, COMMENTS CINCINNATI -- Corey Kluber is one step closer to returning to the rotation. The Tribe ace completed another bullpen session with no issues on Monday in Cleveland and is on target to make a Minor League rehab assignment with Triple-A Columbus. Indians pitching coach Mickey Callaway said that the goal is to have Kluber (on the 10-day disabled list with a lower-back issue) log around five innings or 70 to 75 pitches in his start on Thursday with the Clippers. If everything goes according to plan, Kluber would then meet with manager Terry Francona, Callaway and the team's medical staff to determine if being activated is the next step. "We don't want this recurring," Callaway said prior to Monday's game against the Reds at Great American Ball Park. "We need our ace out there every day, and we think we went with the right approach." With Kluber on the shelf since May 3, right-hander Mike Clevinger has filled in admirably in the rotation. In four appearances, including three starts, Clevinger has turned in a 1.56 ERA with 19 strikeouts, 11 walks and six hits allowed in 17 1/3 innings. "You try to turn something that could be a negative into a positive," Francona said. "You don't ever want to be without Klube, but Clev making these starts, one, it's been good for us, but it's been really good for him. I think he's learning that, if he throws the ball where he wants to, he's going to have success." Salazar focusing on routine In recent conversations with Danny Salazar, Callaway has reminded the struggling starter that it will take time for his statistics to return to the usual level. In the meantime, he wants Salazar to concentrate more effectively on his between-starts routine. "We've got to do some things to get his confidence back," Callaway said of Salazar, who has a 5.55 ERA through nine starts. "I think it's focusing on the little things -- the way he plays catch, the way he prepares for the game. Those are some of the things we've talked about. Making sure that he puts himself in a spot when he gets on the mound that he has more confidence. "And not focusing on the numbers is one of the big keys. I told him, 'It's not going to bring [your] numbers down very quickly, so let's focus on winning for the team, and only for the team, and going out there and competing.'" Carrasco set for Tuesday Right-hander Carlos Carrasco, who exited his outing on May 15 with tightness in his left pectoral muscle, is feeling good and is on track to start on Tuesday against the Reds.

3 Said Callaway: "He's in a really good spot. He feels great. His bullpen was outstanding the other day. We're going to lean on him a lot the rest of the season, so a couple extra days doesn't really hurt if you can get them." Carrasco starts Ohio Cup contest in Cincy By Jeremy Vernon / MLB.com May 22nd, COMMENTS The Ohio Cup continues on Tuesday night as the Indians and Reds meet at Great American Ball Park to finish a two-game set before moving to Progressive Field on Wednesday to finish the season series. Taking the hill for Cincinnati is rookie left-hander Amir Garrett, and Carlos Carrasco will start for Cleveland. Garrett is coming off one of the worst starts of his young career. Against the Cubs on May 18, he gave up five hits and six runs in four innings. He has struggled with his command of late, walking at least three in each of his last four starts. Carrasco has been one of the lone bright spots in the Indians' rotation this season, as Cleveland is 6-2 in his starts. He came out of his last start early after experiencing tightness in his left pectoral, but manager Terry Francona said there haven't been any further issues. "Once he got examined, I think we felt pretty good. But then the next day [we felt even better]. When guys show up the next day, that's normally when, if something's going in the wrong direction, you get a pretty good indication pretty quickly." Three things to know about this game The Indians and Reds came into this series with two of the worst starters' ERAs in baseball. Cincinnati's starters have a combined ERA of 5.93, the highest in the Majors, while Cleveland's 4.98 ERA is worst in the American League. Only two Reds -- Joey Votto and Eugenio Suarez -- have more than five career at-bats against Carrasco, but they have a combined.389 average and a pair of home runs against him. Among all pitchers who have ended at least 50 at-bats with offspeed pitches, Carrasco's.094 slugging percentage allowed is the lowest. He has given up one extra-base hit (a double) on his curveball, slider or change. Tribe's Lindor, Reds' Cozart candidates to bring skills to Midsummer Classic By Joe Trezza / MLB.com May 22nd, COMMENTS The Ohio Cup is always appointment viewing, for little reason other than it pins two intrastate rivals who happen to be two of the more storied franchises in baseball against one another. But the 2017 version of the series -- which begins tonight at 7:10 pm ET at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati -- adds another level of intrigue. For that, look no further than shortstop, where both the Indians and Reds feature players who could end up representing their league in July at the MLB All-Star Game presented by MasterCard. Between Francisco Lindor and Zack Cozart, Ohio seems to be shortstop country these days. This season, both have been #ASGWorthy, to say the least. Simply put, both Lindor and Cozart have spent most of this season raking. Let's start with Cozart, who hopes to return to the lineup Monday despite a minor wrist issue. Cozart is leading all Major League shortstops in fwar (2.3), hitting (.351), OBP (.432), SLG (.595), woba (.431) and wrc+ (165), and he is the only one with an OPS above (1.028). It would be the first All-Star appearance of Cozart's seven-year career, if he's selected to the Midsummer Classic. Lindor, who burst onto the scene with a top 10 American League MVP Award finish last season, is also having a huge year. The 23-year-old is leading AL shortstops in fwar (1.6), doubles (12), homers (9) and slugging (.518), while pacing the reigning AL champion Indians in hits (46), runs (29), homers and fwar (1.6). Lindor brings a seven-game hitting streak into the series, as well as a small but significant history at Great American Ball Park. The Indians shortstop is a career.440 hitter (11-for-25) in Cincinnati, with six runs scored in five games. Lindor remains a favorite to sit atop the first Esurance MLB All-Star Game Ballot at his position, but he does face some stiff competition in the AL. Also having #ASGWorthy years are Seattle's Jean Segura (.336 average), Boston's Xander Bogaerts (48 hits, seven steals) and Houston's young stud Carlos Correa (24 RBIs). Cozart's main competition will likely come from a bigger name in a bigger market -- Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager. The reigning National League Rookie of the Year Award winner is hitting.292/.392/.497 with seven home runs, tops among NL shortstops. Arizona's Chris Owings (.323 average, 51 hits), and Chicago's Addison Russell (despite a slow start) could also contend for the starting spot. Fans may cast votes for starters at MLB.com and all 30 club sites -- on computers, tablets and smartphones -- exclusively online using the 2017 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Ballot until Thursday, June 29, at 11:59 p.m. ET. On smartphones and tablets, fans can also access the ballot via the MLB.com At Bat and MLB.com Ballpark mobile apps. Vote up to five times in any 24-hour period for a maximum of 35 ballots cast. Following the announcement of the 2017 All-Star starters, reserves and pitchers, fans should return to MLB.com and cast their 2017 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Final Vote for the final player on each league's All-Star roster. Then on Tuesday, July 11, while watching the 2017 All-Star Game presented by MasterCard live on FOX, fans may visit MLB.com to submit their choices for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet with the 2017 MLB All-Star Game MVP Vote. Covering the Bases: Game 43 by Jordan Bastian FIRST: The Indians play in the American League, which uses a designated hitter. Given that fact, Cleveland constructed its roster with the idea in mind that it would have, you know, a designated hitter. This past winter, the Indians handed out the largest contract in franchise history to Edwin Encarnacion. When Carlos Santana is playing first base, Encarnacion is the DH. When Encarnacion is at first base, Santana is the DH. So, when there s not a DH available, well, Indians manager Terry Francona has a problem on his hands.

4 A lot of times in Interleague, Francona said, our lineup doesn t look the way you want it to, so you kind of roll the dice a little bit. The roll of the dice on Monday was the same as in early April in Arizona. In order to keep both Encarnacion and Santana in the lineup, Encarnacion handled first base and Santana headed out to right field. That knocked over a domino that sent Lonnie Chisenhall from right to center, and another domino that moved rookie Bradley Zimmer from center to the bench. This isn t an ideal alignment or lineup situation for the Indians. I m not a big fan of it, said Francona, referring to the lineup juggle necessitated by playing under National League rules. I think everybody knows that. Monday s decision nearly led to Santana getting injured. In the second inning, Cincinnati s Jose Peraza flared a pitch from Josh Tomlin down the right-field line, where it tailed into foul ground. Santana hustled hard in an effort to track down the fly ball, glancing quickly to see how far he was from the side wall. Santana made a sliding attempt at a catch, but came up empty and slammed hard into the padded wall. He remained on the ground for several moments, while teammates headed over and both Francona and head athletic trainer James Quinland made their way from the dugout. It looked violent, Francona said. That was very scary, Encarnacion said, the way he hit the wall. Santana eventually sat up and then moved to his feet, convincing Francona and Quinlan that he was OK to stay in the game. After the loss, Santana said he hit his left knee and jarred his lower back, and was still feeling a little sore for the rest of the game. Francona was relieved it wasn t as bad as it looked initially. I was just glad when they said it wasn t his head, or his knee, said the manager. By the time I got out there, you could tell he was OK. He was just trying to catch his breath. SECOND: It should be noted that Francona would not put Santana in right field if he didn t think the first baseman could handle it. Santana played left in the World Series and survived. He played right in Arizona in April and looked fine. Santana is no longer built like he was back in his catching days. He is leaner and, as Francona likes to say so often: He s more athletic than people give him credit for. Santana appreciates that kind of trust, too. I know right field is not my natural position, he said. But, Tito is confident and he knows, and I know, I can play there. I ll be fine. Santana put that on display in the sixth, when Eugenio Suarez sent a sinking liner to right. Santana broke in quickly and covered the 43 feet necessary in 3.2 seconds. Those numbers combine for a 24-percent catch probability on that particular play. That s a five-star catch, per Statcast. Yes, Carlos Santana the first baseman, DH, former catcher and once-upon-a-brief-and-forgettableperiod-of-time third baseman registered the Indians first five-star outfield catch of the 2017 season. After the catch, Santana fired the ball to second to start an inning-ending double play. And Santana did all that after getting banged up on that crash into the side all. I m surprised he stayed on the field playing, Encarnacion said. But, he s the man. He s a great guy. THIRD: You knew it was probably going to be a tough night for the Tribe 9 when Reds starter Scott Feldman opened his outing with five straight strikeouts, six whiffs to the first seven batters he faced and eight punchouts through four innings. He went right through our first five hitters, Francona said. The third time through the order, Feldman looked like he hit a wall. Jason Kipnis opened the sixth inning with a home run, cuting Cincy s lead to 2 1. Francisco Lindor then doubled and Michael Brantley drew a walk. Two on, no outs, with Santana and Encarnacion due up. We ve got a pretty good chance there, Francona said. Except, following a mound visit, Feldman got Santana to roll over into a double play, and then struck out Encarnacion with a called backdoor sinker. That was that. When the smoke cleared, Cleveland s lineup went 0-for-9 on the night with runners in scoring position. There was a dramatic moment within Encarnacion s at-bat. On an 0 2 count, Feldman went low and inside and Edwin was ready for it. The slugger drilled the pitch to deep left with an exit velo of 110 mph and it soared 428 feet. In real time, it looked like Encarnacion might ve had a two-run homer to give the Tribe the lead. I could have sworn that thing was fair. Scott said the same thing, Reds catcher Tucker Barnhart said. He thought it was going to hit the scoreboard. It was absolutely crushed. No one was quite sure where it landed. The ball could be spotted rattling around in the left-field bleachers just under the scoreboard but the point of impact was hard to see. After multiple viewings of the replay (more than I m willing to admit), I finally caught a glimpse of where the ball landed. It s hard to see in this screengrab, but the baseball is in the yellow circle below. This grab is from just after the ball struck the white beam to the left. Encarnacion saw the ball tail foul and told Francona not to challenge the foul-ball ruling. It was a few pitches later that Encarnacion struck out. I saw the ball move to the left. It s unfortunate, Encarnacion said. You want to get results. The only thing I can do about it is continue to keep working hard and continue to try to do the best I can do, and continue to work and find a way. HOME: Tomlin s pitching line winds up looking worse than he pitched: 6.1 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 1 HR, 76 pitches (57 strikes). It was made more glaring in light of the lack of run support against Feldman. Tomlin allowed one run in each of the first two innings, but then limited the damage through the sixth. After Scott Schebler s leadoff homer in the second, Cincinnati went 3-for-18 off Tomlin before a run of three straight singles to chase the righty in the seventh. I thought he was really good, Francona said. It started out he gave up a single run in both of the first two innings, and then made some adjustments and just kept it right there. His pitch count was so low. We didn t get to [him hitting in the seventh] inning, so we left him in. After the first two one-out singles in the seventh, Francona stuck with Tomlin with runners on the corners and the pinch-hitter Arismendy Alcantara up. Part of the reason, when it was first and third, and we keep him in, Francona explained, it s because he fields his position and you can t run on him.

5 Except The kid laid down a great bunt, continued the manager. And the ball goes in the outfield. Then things get tough after that. Alcantara delivered a great squeeze bunt, which Tomlin fielded and threw to first before Kipnis was at the base. The throwing error allowed one run in and two batters and two relievers later Zack Cozart s two-run single off Dan Otero put the game away for the Reds. I Was aware of it, said Tomlin, asked if he was expecting the squeeze. I kind of had it in my head that it was a possibility. But, it was a good bunt and I made a bad play on it. I threw to a base that no one was there. I ve got to be better about that. It cost an extra run. May 22: Tito s pregame minutiae by Jordan Bastian Update on Corey Kluber (10-day DL, lower back): He s doing well. He s going to throw Thursday in Columbus. I think we re shooting for maybe somewhere in there. Again, it depends on how he s doing, how he s feeling, and we ll evaluate after that game, kind of like we always have, see what s best for him next, whether it s another one, if he needs it, or pitching for us. But, I think we ll talk to him and certainly talk tot he medical people, the trainers, but I think talking to Klubes at that point is probably the most important thing. On how Mike Clevinger (1.56 ERA) has done in Kluber s place: It s kind of that old thing you always say you try to turn something that could be a negative into a positive. You don t ever want to be without Klube, but Clev making these starts has been, one, it s been good for us, but it s been really good for him. I think he s learning that, if he throws the ball where he wants to, he s going to have success. On Carlos Carrasco (scheduled to start on Tuesday after experiencing left pectoral tightness in last outing): No issues. We just backed him up a couple days and he s been fine the whole week. Asked if team dodged a bullet in Carrasco s case: Once he got examined, I think we felt pretty good. But then the next day, when guys show up the next day, that s normally when, if something s going the wrong direction, you get a pretty good indication pretty quickly. On Yan Gomes (1.057 OPS in last 21 games after.318 OPS in first nine games of the season): I think, if you ask him, I think he was starting to feel it a little bit. And I think he almost gave himself a talking to, and you can kind of see his demeanor be like, OK, if I m not going to get a hit, nobody is going to steal a base. And then, the hard work offensively, he s back to being that guy that we kind of knew. Aggressive swinger, but if you make a mistake. Like yesterday, he hit the ball out of the ballpark. That s a nice guy to have sitting down there lower in the order. He went from the first couple weeks where everybody was like, What s wrong with Gomes? to now where he might be one of the better hitting catchers in the league again. It s kind of funny how that works. On Gomes not tinkering during early struggles this season: He actually hasn t done that this year, which is good. I think last year, you can never just wipe it off the board, but there were so many things that happened. He was struggling. He got hurt. He just never got a chance to have the at-bats where he could turn it around. This one, this is kind of a good story, because it s through hard work. He got beat down a little bit, and came back with a vengeance. That s kind of what you like to see. But, through it all, and it s the same thing with Roberto, Roberto s not really swinging the bat really goo dyet, but team s have a tough time running. And that s a big help to our staff. On sweeping Houston and getting better pitching after meeting with rotation members on Friday: I think meetings can be overrated. I think sometimes they can be used as excuses. I think sometimes when we want to talk to guys, that s kind of how I felt. I think sometimes if a manager lets it go too long, then you scream. Nobody gets anything out of that but the manage. You relieve some stress. But, letting the pitchers talk also I think was important, because we listened. And it wasn t anything earth shattering. I just think sometimes allowing them to voice some things and communicate a little bit, and maybe just listening to guys talk, I think it was a good thing. It helps when they go out and pitch better. I thought yesterday, Danny, I still think there s a lot more in that tank. The good part is he s working real hard, which is good. And we ve set the bar so high for him, because of his stuff, but like yesterday, we had to warm up Goody in the fourth, again in the fifth, and that s a hard way to continue, or sustain success. So, hopefully, he takes the good from yesterday, because there was a lot of it, and then starts to add to it. On Danny Salazar dealing with lack of confidence: I think it s obvious that when you re giving up more runs than you want to, I don t think your confidence is going to be at an all-time high. But, I also didn t really see him backing off. He just wasn t really locating well enough. And he may never have pinpoint command he doesn t need to. But he needs to work ahead, and at times he yanks some balls all the way across. Those are the ones that hurt him. On playing Carlos Santana in right field with no DH: I kind of thought about a lot of things. I talked to Edwin for a while. He really wanted to play, and I kind of like that, that he does. I didn t think a day off for somebody here is bad, but he really [wanted to play]. And I think he s starting to feel better at the plate, so I don t want to get in the way of that. A lot of times in Interleague, our lineup doesn t look the way you want it to, so you kind of roll the dice a little bit. We ll put Santana in right and Lonnie in center and hopefully we get a lead, and then we d make some adjustments if we do. But, I think sometimes you come in and you get a little bit cautious. You don t want the ball to get kicked around ever, but if you don t score, either So, that was the idea. On Austin Jackson (10-day DL, hyperextended left big toe): He s doing pretty well. He ll play the next game in the next day or so. He s doing OK. He s doing pretty good. After his next game, we ll sit down again and kind of see where he thinks he s at. Because, he doesn t have to play every day, but you want to give him a chance to feel like he s OK and, one, not going to get hurt, but two, be able to help. On the Reds: Their whole lineup is swinging. Cozart is, and he was actually, every time we saw him this spring he was getting hits. They re all swinging it. That s not an issue. It s hard to imagine playing a 2 1 game here in this ballpark. We probably will, because I said that. But, Hamilton s got his stolen bases. Votto is hitting. They ve got a pretty deep, balanced lineup. We re going to need to score. Asked if he s excited to see Josh Tomlin bat:

6 I know he is. I m trying to talk him into wearing that double-earflap helmet. If you see him up there in that, that will be my doing. On the lack of DH creating a chain reaction that led to Francona deciding to sit Bradley Zimmer on Monday: I m not a big fan of it. I think everybody knows that. But, somebody s got to not play. I just feel like Lonnie s done such a good job. And again, if we re winning, you ll see Zimmer in this game. And I m not sure it hurts to sit a game. I certainly don t want him sitting for a week, but I don t really think it s going to hurt him that much. My guess is he ll end up in this game. On the early impression of Zimmer: It s a small sample with the hitting. I thought he was pretty nervous the first [game], which [was expected]. He s so exciting on so many levels. One, defensively, everybody talks about his development, how raw he was, he s going to be a really good center fielder, as he learns the league and stuff. And in the meantime, he s going to run balls down, because his strides are so good, and his jumps are really good. So, that s exciting. And he s probably going to steal a bunch of bases. He doesn t necessarily look like it, because he s so big and rangy, but he can move pretty good. On Zimmer s speed up the first-base line: He did beat out one [in Houston]. And hitting wise, I think he s a work in progress. I think he knows that. I think there s going to be period where you see him strikeout. Hopefully, that doesn t get in the way of the really good stuff he can do, because if you leave something out of the plate, he should bang it pretty good. He s done it a couple times. JB Cleveland Indians handcuffed by Scott Feldman, Cincinnati Reds, 5-1 Paul Hoynes, on May 22, 2017 at 9:51 PM, updated May 22, 2017 at 11:40 PM CINCINNATI - The Indians' offense was a no-show for the in the first segment of the Battle of Ohio. Scott Feldman struck out nine in six innings, as Cincinnati beat the Indians, 5-1, Monday night at Great American Ball Park. The Indians arrived in Cincinnati after sweeping a three-game series from Houston over the weekend at Minute Maid Park. The Astros have the best record in the big leagues. Monday, however, the only offense the Indians could manage was a solo home run by Jason Kipnis to start the sixth inning. It was Kipnis' fourth homer of the season, all of them coming since he moved into the leadoff spot on May 15. The rest of the night belonged to the Reds. It was only their second win in the last 10 games. "Feldman lived at the bottom of the strike zone and we didn't do a lot," said Tribe manager Terry Francona. "We had a couple of pretty good chances, but we didn't cash in. "He had good movement on his fastball, and there was some deception there are well." Adam Duvall gave Cincinnati a 1-0 lead off Josh Tomlin (2-6, 6.70) with a two-out single in the first. Billy Hamilton opened the game with a single, took second on Joey Votto's groundout and scored on Duvall's single to left. Scott Schebler made it 2-0 with a leadoff homer in the second. It was his 13th of the season and came on Tomlin's first pitch. It was the seventh homer Tomlin has allowed this season. "I thought Tomlin was really good," said Francona. "He started out giving up a single run in the first and second and then made some adjustments and kept it right there." Feldman (3-4, 3.99) struck out six of the first seven Indians he faced. Several of the Indians had a problem with umpire Will Little's version of the strike zone. "Early on in the game it was hard to see for everybody," said Francona. "He went right through our first five hitters. You've got a guy (Feldman) who is pounding the zone low and he's calling it, so he kept doing it. I don't blame him." The Indians put the leadoff batter on base in the fourth and fifth innings, but Feldman squashed the potential rallies. Shortstop Francisco Lindor walked to start the fourth, but Michael Brantley flied out to left and Carlos Santana and Edwin Encarnacion took called third strikes. Jose Ramirez, robbed of a base hit by a fine catch by Hamilton in center field in the first, doubled to start the fifth. Feldman retired Lonnie Chisenhall, Yan Gomes and Tomlin to end the inning. Kipnis made it a 2-1 game with a leadoff homer in the sixth. He hit Feldman's 2-2 pitch over the wall in center. When Lindor doubled and Brantley walked, the Indians appeared to be well positioned to at least tie the score. Santana, however, grounded into a double play on Feldman's first pitch, and Encarnacion struck out for the third straight time. The Reds took control of the game with a three-run seventh. Jose Pereza and Tucker Barnhart singled off Tomlin to put runners on the corners with one out. Pinch-hitter Arismendy Alcantara dropped a nice bunt down the first-base line to score Peraza. Tomlin fielded the ball, but made an errant throw to first as Barnhart went to third and Alcantara went to second. Boone Logan relieved and struck out Hamilton. Dan Otero replaced Logan and gave up a two-run single through the middle to Zack Cozart to make it 5-1. "I knew the squeeze (bunt) was a possibility," said Tomlin. "I kind of had it in the back of my head. But it was a good bunt and I made a bad play on it. I threw to first base and no one was there." Tomlin said if he'd waited for Kipnis to cover first, he probably would have gotten Alcantara out. Tomlin allowed five runs, four earned, in 6 1/3 innings. He struck out four. Feldman allowed one run on four hits in six innings. He walked two to go along with his nine strikeouts.

7 The Indians managed seven hits while striking out 12 times. The pitches Tomlin threw 75 pitches, 57 (76 percent) for strikes. Feldman threw 98 pitches, 61 (62 percent) for strikes. A hit for the pitcher Tomlin gave the Indians their first hit of the night, a two-out bloop single down the right-field line in the third inning. The single gave him a.467 (7-for-15) batting average. Down goes Santana Santana, who started in right field, hit the grandstand wall in foul territory while chasing a fly ball by Pereza in the second inning. He was down for several minutes, but finished the game. "I was trying to make a catch," said Santana. "I was trying to make an out. I hit my left knee and my lower back. But I'll be fine." Thanks for coming The Indians and Reds drew 26,794 fans to Great American Ballpark on Monday night. First pitch was at 7:10 p.m. with a temperature of 71 degrees. Next Right-hander Carlos Carrasco (4-2, 2.60) will face Cincinnati left-hander Amir Garrett (3-3, 5.18) on Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. SportsTime Ohio and WMMS/FM will carry the game. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: Cleveland Indians clear Corey Kluber for rehab start with Class AAA Columbus Paul Hoynes, on May 22, 2017 at 8:58 PM, updated May 22, 2017 at 11:45 PM CINCINNATI - Another day, another hurdle cleared for Corey Kluber. Kluber, after throwing a three-inning simulated game on Saturday, threw a bullpen session on Monday at Progressive Field. That cleared him to start a rehab game on Thursday for Class AAA Columbus. Depending on what Kluber does in that game, he could be ready to rejoin the Indians' rotation. He's been on the disabled list with a lower back strain since May 3. Pitching coach Mickey Callaway said Kluber will probably throw 70 to 75 pitches Thursday when Columbus plays Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Callaway said Kluber's next goal would be to throw between 90 and 95 pitches in a game. Whether he does that in a big league game or another rehab start remains to be seen. "We'll evaluate him after that game," said manager Terry Francona. "We'll see what's best for him. Whether it's another (rehab) start if he needs it or he's pitches for us." Mike Clevinger, in Kluber's absence, has gone 2-1 with a 1.56 ERA in four games, including three starts. He threw seven scoreless innings on Saturday in a 3-0 win over the Astros. "It's kind of that old thing you always say -- you try to turn something that could be a negative into a positive," said Francona. "You don't ever want to be without Kluber, but Clevinger making these starts has been good for us and really good for him. I think he's learning that, if he throws the ball where he wants to, he's going to have success." Roll of the dice: Francona, with National League rules in effect, started Carlos Santana in right field on Monday night at Great American Ballpark. It was Santana's fourth start in right field this season. Francona thought of playing Santana at first and resting Edwin Encarnacion. "Edwin really wanted to play and I kind of like that," said Francona. "He's starting to feel better at the plate so I don't want to get in the way of that. A lot of times in interleague play, our lineup doesn't look the way you want it to, so you kind of roll the dice a little bit." Santana gave the Indians a scare in the second inning when he banged his knee into the grandstand while trying to catch a foul ball by Jose Peraza. Santana stayed down for several minutes, but stayed in the game. Finally: Outfielder Austin Jackson is scheduled to play a rehab game for Columbus on Tuesday. He's recovering from an injury to his left big toe. He'll be evaluated after that and could be activated. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: Will the Cleveland Indians be able to patch the hole in Danny Salazar's confidence? Paul Hoynes, on May 22, 2017 at 8:01 PM CINCINNATI - The crisis of confidence continues for Danny Salazar. He made some headway in Sunday's 8-6 win over Houston, but manager Terry Francona and the Indians expect more. "He bent and he didn't break," said Francona after the game. "We set a high bar for Danny because of his stuff, knowing that there's more in there and we want him to reach that level so bad. I'm thrilled we won, I just think he can set himself up, the way he's pitched, to have more success." Salazar allowed three runs on four hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out seven and walked three. But he was in trouble early and Francona had Nick Goody up twice in the bullpen before he relieved Salazar in the sixth. Tip for all Indians starting pitchers: if you continually struggle early in the game and make Francona wear his relievers out before they get into a game, that's is not going to make you popular with the manager.

8 "We had Goody up for two innings," said Francona. "That's something we try to stress to Danny - you're making it hard on guys." Catcher Yan Gomes, who helped Salazar reach the sixth inning for the first time in four starts on Sunday, said it was encouraging to see him get out of a fourth-inning jam. Salazar allowed three hits, including a two-run homer by Jose Altuve, and a walk in the inning. "I don't think he realizes how good he really is," said Gomes. "When he gives up a couple of runs, things start snowballing. To be able to shut them down after they got a couple of runs (in the fourth inning) was good to see. And to see him get into the sixth inning is really good for his confidence." Salazar said escaping the fourth with minimal damage helped his psyche. "That was good. It brought my confidence back to me," he said. "That's something I've been losing in the games sometimes. Like I say I need to keep working on that so I can get my confidence back 100 percent." How does a big-league pitcher patch a hole in his confidence? Pitching coach Mickey Callaway says he has to start small. "It's focusing on the little things," said Callaway. "The way he plays catch. The way he prepares for the game. Those are some of the things we've talked about. Making sure that he puts himself in a spot when he's gets on the mound that he has more confidence." Salazar's stat line is not pretty - 3-4, 5.55 ERA, 29 earned runs and 49 hits in 47 innings. He's also allowed a team-high 11 homers. Callaway told him to forget about his numbers. "Not focusing on the numbers is one of the big keys (to restoring confidence)," said Callaway. "I told Danny that he's not going to bring his numbers down very quickly. So let's focus on winning for the team and only the team and go out and compete and we'll do those small things in between starts." Over the weekend starters Trevor Bauer, Mike Clevinger and Salazar went a combined 3-0 with a 2.95 ERA in a three-game sweep of Houston. With ace Corey Kluber getting closer to coming off the disabled list, the rotation might be ready to overcome a poor start to the season. "The sweep means we're getting better," said Salazar of the rotation. "It means we're working on what we need to work on. We're getting that confidence back in us. Like last year every time we went to a a new stadium the other team said, 'Oh, my god, we got to face this guy?' We're working hard right now to get back there." Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: Collision paths: Cleveland Indians' Carlos Santana, Edwin Encarnacion go boom against the Reds BY PAUL HOYNES, CLEVELAND.COM CINCINNATI - Carlos Santana and Edwin Encarnacion are friends and teammates on the Indians. On Monday night, Santana collided with the grandstand wall in right field and Encarnacion collided with a baseball in a game against the Reds at Great America Ballpark. Santana came away from his collision with a bruised left knee and sore lower back. Encarnacion came away with 428 feet worth of foul ball and a little more aggravation on what has been a difficult start to the season. In the second inning of the Tribe's 5-1 loss, Jose Peraza sent a fly ball down the right field line. Santana, usually the Indians first baseman, was making his fourth start in right field this season. He was out there because the Indians can't use the DH in a National League park and manager Terry Francona was trying to get as many bats into lineup as possible. As Peraza's fly ball sliced into foul territory, Santana did the same. He reached for the ball and ran out of room. There wasn't time to drop and slide so Santana fell and dove into into the wall in an awkward blur of body parts. "I was just trying to make a catch, trying to make an out," said Santana, after a long soak in the ice tub after the game. "Right field is not my natural position, but Tito is confident in me and I'm confident I can play out there. I'll be fine." Santana said he hit his left knee and lower back against the wall. He was down for several minutes as center fielder Lonnie Chisenhall,second baseman Jason Kipnis and Encarnacion sprinted to the scene of the collision. Francona and head athletic trainer James Quinlan arrived shortly afterward. "It was very scary the way he hit the wall," said Encarnacion. "I was surprised he stayed on the field. But he's the man. He a great guy." When asked if he thought about leaving the game, Santana said, "I like to play. I know I'm a little sore right now, but I'm fine. I can play." Watching Santana collide with the wall had to be a nightmare for Francona. He knew he was rolling the dice putting him in right field, but he was trying to use his best lineup knowing that one of the hitters would be starting pitcher Josh Tomlin. Terry Francona on Josh Tomlin's start and Carlos Santana's collision "It looked violent," said Francona. "I was just glad it wasn't his head or his knee. By the time I got out there, you could tell he was OK. He was just trying to catch his breath. In the sixth inning, Joey Votto opened with a double. Tomlin struck out Adam Duvall, but Eugenio Suarez sent a low liner to right field. Votto was so sure it was going to drop for a hit that he was standing on third base when Santana made a diving catch. Santana threw to second base for the double play. "That was a great play," said Francona. "I think he's more athletic than people give him credit for. He does fine out there." Kipnis started the sixth with a homer to cut Cincinnati's lead to 2-1. Francisco Lindor doubled and Michael Brantley walked. The Indians, with Santana and Encarnacion due to bat, were in a good spot to tie or take the lead. Santana, uncharacteristically, swung at Scott Feldman's first pitch and grounded into a double play. Feldman put Encarnacion in a 0-2 hole before he yanked a 91 mph slider high and far down the left field line. It looked like it went right over the foul pole and before disappearing. Statcast measured the probable distance of the foul ball at 428 feet with an exit velocity of 110 mph. Francona, however, didn't ask for a review because no one had a clear view of it. "I lost it because it was that time of night," said Francona. "I asked Sarbie (third base coach Mike Sarbaugh) and he said he wasn't really sure. Edwin, actually told me it was foul. We called upstairs (to video replay) and they couldn't see it." Said Encarnacion, "I didn't see it until late. Then I saw the ball move to the left of the foul pole - unfortunately."

9 In the end it turned out to be a foul ball, an impressive foul ball, but a foul ball nonetheless. Feldman came back to strike out Encarnacion and end the inning. Encarnacion, who doubled and struck out three times Monday, is hitting.208 (32-for-154) with seven homers and 17 RBI. He's hitting.116 (5- for-43) with two homers and 10 RBI with runners in scoring position. Over the weekend in Houston, Encarnacion hit a similar drive that went foul. He wnet 3-for-12 with one homer and three RBI. "Sometimes you want to get results, but there's nothing I can do," said Encarnacion. "I've got to continue to work hard, continue to try and find a way. Every day I feel like I'm get closer and closer." Santana, meanwhile, has every intention of being back in right field on Tuesday night if that's where Francona wants him to play. "I like to play and I'll be ready for tomorrow," said Santana. "I'll play wherever Tito puts me. Like I said, I like to play. I know I'm a little sore, but so what. "Today was a bad day, but tomorrow is a new day." Indians get dusted after sweep, fall 5-1 to Reds Joe Kay The Associated Press CINCINNATI The Cleveland Indians were out of their league Monday, in more ways than one. They can blame most of that on Cincinnati Reds starter Scott Feldman. The right-hander did things no Reds starter has done in a long time. He struck out a season-high nine while ending Cincinnati s long stretch of ineffective starts, and Scott Schebler homered for the third straight game Monday night in handing the Indians a 5-1 loss in interleague play. In fact, Feldman fanned the five batters with such ease that it got him wondering. Why can t I do that every time? he mused. The Reds took the opener of the annual intrastate series. The teams play two games in Cincinnati followed by two in Cleveland. The Indians had won their last four at Great American Ball Park and six straight overall in the Ohio series. The Indians were coming off a three-game sweep in Houston, but couldn t get much going against Feldman, who was coming off his worst performance of the season. He allowed seven runs in only 2 2/3 innings of a 7-5 loss to the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Wednesday. Feldman (3-4) got the first victory by a Reds starter since May 9. He gave up four hits, including Jason Kipnis homer, while becoming the first Cincinnati starter in the last 10 games to make it through six innings. The Reds rotation is last in the NL in ERA and innings pitched. He gave us a chance to take the lead, which was huge for us, manager Bryan Price said. He was locked in the first time through their order. Three relievers closed out a seven-hitter for Cincinnati s second victory in 10 games. Schebler connected off Josh Tomlin (2-6) for his third homer in a span of seven at-bats. It s the first time he s homered in three consecutive games. I came out feeling good, said Schebler, who leads the team with 13 homers. I felt good in batting practice. I happened to put a good swing on a pitch down the middle. I don t think he wanted to put it there. It was the only glaring mistake by Tomlin, who gave up nine hits in 6 1/3 innings. Adam Duvall and Arismendy Alcantara had RBI singles against Tomlin. Zack Cozart s two-run single in the seventh off Dan Otero put Cincinnati in control. Tomlin gave up six runs in only 2 1/3 innings in his last start, a 7-4 loss to Tampa Bay. I felt good my last start, but stuff just kind of snowballed in a hurry, he said. Same thing here. No walks Tomlin didn t walk a batter. He has walked two or fewer in 40 straight starts, a club record. Since the start of the 2015 season, Tomlin has made 25 starts without walking a batter, most by any AL pitcher during that span. Ouch! Indians right fielder Carlos Santana stayed down on his back for a couple of minutes after he slammed into the padded wall trying to catch a foul ball in the second inning, hurting his back. He stayed in the game. By the time I got out there, you could tell he was OK, manager Terry Francona said. He was just trying to catch his breath. Nice play Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor made an over-the-shoulder catch of Cozart s popup into center field in the third. Santana made a diving catch of Eugenio Suarez s liner in the sixth and threw to second base to double up Joey Votto. Interleague Cleveland leads the series The Indians are 0-4 overall in interleague play this season. The Reds are 3-3. Stats Feldman s career high for strikeouts in a game is 12, for the Cubs against the Padres in Jose Peraza extended his hitting streak to nine games, matching his career high. Kipnis homer gave him an eight-game hitting streak. Lindor also has hit in eight straight. Trainer s room Indians: RHP Corey Kubler is expected to throw pitches for Triple-A Columbus on Thursday. If he comes through that OK, the Indians will consider activating him from the DL. He s been sidelined since May 3 with a strained lower back. Reds: Cozart was back in the lineup after missing one game with a sore right wrist. Up next Indians: RHP Carlos Carrasco (4-2) hasn t pitched since May 15 because of tightness in the front of his shoulder. He s 2-0 against the Reds in three career starts and one relief appearance. Reds: Rookie LHP Amir Garrett (3-3) makes his second start since returning from a stint in the minors. He gave up six runs in four innings of a 9-5 loss to the Cubs last Thursday.