The ups and downs of June

It was a strange month for the Tribe’s pitching staff, as we saw some brilliant and some dreadful performances.

On the positive side, Carlos Carrasco emerged as a potential top of the rotation pitcher. After allowing five runs in his first start of the month against the Rangers, he allowed just four in his next five starts – good for a 0.98 ERA. Overall, he posted a 1.90 ERA in June, among the best in recent memory.

On the flip side, Fausto Carmona was awful, proving once again that he simply doesn’t have the mental makeup to ever be an ace. In five June starts, Carmona posted a 7.62 ERA – the worst in the month since Dave Burba in 2000. Dating back to May 19, Carmona is 1-7 with an 8.58 ERA.

Tribe wins 1-0…. again

The Indians defeated the Yankees 1-0 on Monday night, their 3rd 1-0 victory of the season and the most they’ve had since 1989 when they had seven.

A few other notes from the game….

• It was the Indians first 1-0 victory in New York since 1988 when Greg Swindell tossed a three-hit shutout, out-dueling Al Leiter for the win.
• Carlos Carrasco is the first Tribe starter with two 1-0 victories in a season since Tom Candiotti, Bud Black and Swindell each had two in 1989.
• Carrasco is also the first Tribe pitcher to win consecutive starts by a score of 1-0 since Dick Tidrow on July 31 and August 4, 1972. Carrasco’s wins came in the 23rd and 24th starts of his career, Tidrow’s came in his 25th and 26th starts (and, unlike Carrasco, in his rookie year.)

Indians starters off to historically bad start

Through the first two games of the season Fausto Carmona and Carlos Carrasco have allowed a combined 17 earned runs. It’s the first time since 1950 that a team’s starting pitcher allowed 7+ earned run in each of its first two games of the season. That year the Red Sox and Yankees beat each other up, as all four starters involved in the first two games allowed at least seven runs.

On a positive note, Jack Hannahan has driven in runs in each of his first two games with the Tribe. If he drives in another one today he’ll be the first player with RBI in his first three games in an Indians uniform since Eduardo Perez (four straight) in 2006. Prior to Perez, you have to go back to Gomer Hodge in 1971.