Cleveland Indians top Milwaukee Brewers 6-2 behind Carlos Carrasco complete game

WP: Carlos Carrasco (5-1); LP: Junior Guerra (2-3); Save: none; Home runs: Cle - Tyler Naquin (2): Mil - none

A boring box score for your perusal

The Cleveland Indians (18-18) gained a split in their two game set with the Milwaukee Brewers (21-16) with a 6-2 win at Miller Park this afternoon. The Indians’ Carlos Carrasco dominated the Brewer bats with a complete game win, his fifth win and second complete game of the season.

Brewer starter Junior Guerra looked very tough for three innings, and then very hittable in the fourth. He allowed a single and walk in the first inning but struck out two to get out of it, then worked 1-2-3 in the second and third with four more k’s.

Juni G struck out two more in the fourth but they came after the inning started double, single, double, and three run homer (from Tyler Naquin) and a nothing-nothing contest was 4-0, and feeling out of reach for the anemic Milwaukee offense.

Said offense had produced nothing for three innings before falling behind. Nobody moved past first base with just a first inning single and a second inning walk - erased by a double play. Carrasco had struck out five through three, including all three in the third. He stayed hot through the fourth and again struck out the side; six straight and eight for the game. This one looked a lot like Sunday’s game, where the Brewers were totally inept at the plate.

Jacob Barnes had the sixth and allowed singles to his first two batters but escaped with no damage. Corey Knebel made his return to a big league mound in the top of the seventh and served up a no doubt homer to Francisco Lindor on his fourth pitch, then retired the next three. His curve ball looked flat and wasn’t controlled well, in general, but that will come.

The seventh also saw the Brewers finally look at least a little bit ept. Christian Yelich singled and Jesus Aguilar took a slider into left center for a one bagger, sending Yelich to third. Travis Shaw grounded to second and the throw to second was in time for one out but there was no throw to first, Yelich scoring the Brewer run. Carrasco settled down and struck out Domingo Santana and Jonathan Villar to end the frame with a game total of thirteen strikeouts.

Cleveland has had recent bullpen issues, so Indians’ manager Terry Francona let Carrasco bat in the top of the ninth after a leadoff triple by Tribe catcher Roberto Perez. Of course, Carlos singled to left to push the lead to 6-1, off of Jorge Lopez. Lopez had worked a perfect eighth but was touched for that ninth inning run. It’s possible that Lopez will be sent back down on Friday if Zach Davies is able to make the start.

Carrasco finished his complete game win with a perfect eighth and a one-run ninth. Lorenzo Cain doubled to right leading off the inning, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on a sac fly to the right field wall by Aguilar. He struck out Shaw to end things, finishing with a five hitter with two walks and fourteen strikeouts.

Milwaukee travels to Denver to begin their four game set against the Rockies tomorrow. Jhoulys Chacin (2-1, 4.08) goes for the Brewers, and the Crew will face the Rockies’ Gernan Marquez (2-3, 4.76).