Cleveland Vs. Detroit 8-10-11
Ubaldo Jimenez was not very effective in his Cleveland debut. He'll likely need to be better if the Indians are going to put more pressure on the first-place Detroit Tigers in the AL Central.
The right-hander makes his Progressive Field debut trying to help the Indians move closer to the division leaders with a 13th straight home victory over the Tigers on Wednesday night.
Coming off a 19-win 2010, Jimenez was a disappointing 6-9 with a 4.46 ERA in 21 starts this season for Colorado. In his first start since being acquired by Cleveland (57-56) at the trade deadline, Jimenez allowed five runs, walked three and struck out seven in five innings of an 8-7, 11-inning loss at Texas on Friday in a game where the Indians held a pair of five-run leads.
"I'm really disappointed," Jimenez said. "We have a five-run lead but I wasn't able to hold it. I really take it personally. I have to be ready for my next one."
Jimenez faced Detroit this season while with the Rockies, giving up three runs in five innings of a 5-4 win June 18. However, he knows this outing carries more importance.
"I'm really excited about my first start in Cleveland," Jimenez told the Indians' official website. "But then especially pitching against Detroit. We're competing against them, and we have to do everything we can to stay close."
The Indians moved to within three games of the Tigers (61-54) with a 3-2, 14-inning victory in Tuesday's marathon series opener that featured a rain delay of just over two hours.
"It's unbelievable," Indians rookie second baseman Jason Kipnis said. "We'll take them any way we can and hopefully get another one (Wednesday)."
The Indians managed just seven hits, but won after Kosuke Fukudome was hit by a pitch from David Pauley with the bases loaded. Cleveland is 5-2 this season versus Detroit, which has lost 12 straight at Progressive Field since a 6-4 win on May 8, 2010.
"It's a tough way to end the game," said Detroit's Duane Below, who threw four hitless innings of relief.
Cleveland is 4-0 at home against the Tigers this season with all four coming in the final at-bat - three on walkoffs.
Asdrubal Cabrera went 2 for 4 with an RBI and scored the winning run for the Indians, who returned home after going 3-4 at division leaders Boston and Texas. Cabrera is batting .357 with five RBIs in his last 11 games overall and .294 (5 for 17) against Rick Porcello (11-6, 4.49 ERA), who is 2-0 with a 1.64 ERA in five starts at Progressive Field.
The right-hander allowed only home runs to Michael Brantley and Carlos Santana and struck out seven in seven innings of a 3-2, 13-inning loss at Cleveland on April 30.
Porcello has been very good lately, going 5-0 with a 3.26 ERA in six starts since losing to the New York Mets on June 28. He gave up three runs in 6 1-3 innings of a 4-3, 10-inning win at Kansas City on Friday.
"Every time he goes out there now, we really feel we're going to win," teammate Brennan Boesch said. "He's really been pitching well. He's been growing all season long, getting better as the year goes on. That's what we need from him. He's stepping up big."
Detroit's Victor Martinez had two hits against his former team Tuesday in his return after missing one game with a sprained knee. Martinez is batting .325 in his first season with Detroit and .429 (6 for 14) versus Cleveland this year.
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