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Indians can't break into French, Mariners
Carmona takes sixth consecutive loss despite stellar outing
By Doug Miller / MLB.com
09/04/10 2:16 AM ET
SEATTLE -- Moral victories don't count in baseball, and the Indians weren't considering their 1-0 loss to the Mariners on Friday night as anything other than their 81st defeat of the season.Still, the ninth-inning noise from an otherwise-silent offense and an ace-like outing from starter Fausto Carmona gave Cleveland at least a few positives to take out of a quick departure from Safeco Field.
Oh, and the fact that the Tribe didn't get no-hit.
For 6 1/3 innings, that's exactly what was happening at the hands of Seattle starter Luke French, who hadn't allowed a runner to reach second base and who was seemingly cruising along with a legitimate shot at history.
"He had a very good changeup," said Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera. "It made his fastball better, and he threw a lot of strikes."
Shelley Duncan got a fastball he could handle with one out in the seventh and roped it up the middle, ending what could have become the 13th no-hitter in history against the Indians and the first since Sept. 4, 1993, when Jim Abbott pulled the trick in the Bronx.
Duncan said the no-hitter wasn't exactly in the minds of his teammates, but winning a one-run game was.
"I don't think we had that feeling that we were going to get no-hit," Duncan said. "He was making a lot of good pitches, but our timing was getting on them more and more as the game went on. We were taking better at-bats."
Unfortunately for Cleveland and Carmona, the Indians made a few late-game baserunning mistakes that sealed their fate.
Duncan's single pushed Shin-Soo Choo, who had walked, to second base, but Choo was caught between second and third on Jayson Nix's lineout to left, which made for a quick inning-ending double play.
Trevor Crowe drew a leadoff walk against Seattle closer David Aardsma in the ninth, but he was caught trying to steal second base.
He probably would have scored the tying run, because Michael Brantley and Cabrera followed with singles before an Aardsma wild pitch pushed them to second and third.
But after an impressive nine-pitch at-bat, Duncan finally ended the game by striking out on a foul tip, and the Indians' efforts went for naught.
French's mastery overshadowed the fine work of Carmona, who went the distance and only gave up one run, that coming in the first inning on a Franklin Gutierrez single. Carmona escaped a bases-loaded jam in that frame and allowed nothing else but two singles after the first. He gave up four hits, striking out six while walking five, and turned in his second consecutive quality start.
He also threw his third complete game of the season, but he has now lost two of those, and Friday night's defeat was his sixth setback in a row.
"He was very tough after we only got the one run in the first," said Mariners left fielder Michael Saunders. "He was keeping the ball down and making it tough to hit. I thought he pitched a great game. Our guys just pitched a little better."
Manager Manny Acta agreed, and while it was noted that Carmona could occasionally wilt under pressure in early innings, the Cleveland skipper saw a tougher, more focused pitcher.
"Fausto got out of that bases-loaded jam in the first inning and was just lights out after that," Acta said. "He had a real good sinker and made them beat the ball on the ground the whole night."
Duncan shook his head, frustrated that he couldn't deliver for his ace when given the opportunity in the ninth.
"Fausto gave us a chance to win the game," Duncan said. "That's why he's the man.
"That's why we're grateful every time he pitches. He gives us a shot. I just wish we pulled it out."
Doug Miller is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
