The Browns hosted the Juggernauts tonight.
Game 1: Rodon v Carrasco. The Juggs opened the scoring in the 5th as Ramirez led off with a single, Votto walked and Schoop singled to load the bases. With two outs back-to-back singles from Orlando and Springer made it 3-0. In the bottom of the 6th Kyle Seager singled and came around to score on Dozier’s triple. Dozier cut the lead to 3-2 coming into score on a passed ball. Rodon took the loss and Carrasco earned the win while Harris earned a 2 inning save. Juggernauts 3/6/1 Brown 2/4/0
Game 2: Cueto v Sabathia. The Juggs got on the board first once again when Freddy Galvis led off the 3rd with a dinger. Ramirez then doubled and made it 2-0 on Rivera’s RBI single. That would be all the support Sabathia needed as he twirled a complete game 2-hit shutout. The Browns didn’t get their first hit until the 6th and that was followed by a GIDP. Sabathia faced 28 batters in the win. Juggernauts 5/11/0 Browns 0/2/3
Game 3: Tillman v Kershaw. The Browns got their first (and what would turn out to be only) lead of the series when Reyes smacked a solo homer in the 2nd. The Juggs got that run back in the 3rd on a 2-out solo homer from Ramirez. Rivera made it 3-1 with a 2-run shot in the 5th and then a Krush Davis RBI single in the 6th pushed the lead to 4-1. Belt homered in the 8th vs Kershaw. Juggernauts 4/8/1 Browns 2/6/0
Game 3: Lester v Happ. The Juggs pushed across 2 unearned runs vs Lester in the 2nd on a Herrmann sac fly and a Votto RBI single after a Reyes error at short. In the top of the 6th the Browns got two out walks from Dozier and Reyes and tied things up with a double off the bat of Brandon Belt. But the Juggs came right back in the bottom of the 6th; loading the bases with walks to Springer and Ramirez with a K. Davis single in between. Herrmann walked with the sacks full to break the tie and Votto hit a sac fly to right to get the all important insurance run. The Browns threatened in the 8th as C. Seager pinch hit for Reyes and singled. Belt then followed with a single but Fowler struck out in his pinch hitting appearance and K. Seager grounded out. Juggernauts 4/4/1 Browns 2/7/2
Notes:
The Browns slashed .158/.211/.267, results more like the ’16 Browns than this year’s model.
Through the first 32 games the Browns averaged 5.06 runs per game and 8.75 hits per game. In this series those averages were 1.5 and 4.75.
Facing 3 lefty starters, including a 13 and a 17, Jose Reyes (+18 vs LHP) was 1-9 with the only hit being a 66 HR.
B. Belt was the only hitting star for the Browns going 4-12 with a 2B, HR, 2 BB and collecting 3 of the team’s total 5 RBIs in the series.
The most batters the Browns sent to the plate in 1 inning was 7 in the 6th inning of Game 4. Conversely they had only 3 batters in an inning 22 times out of 36 innings. 61% of the time. Yuck.
This concludes the first period for the Browns who will now take May off for a few well earned vacations. Chances are pretty good I probably won’t want to play again for a few weeks in June either after the bad taste this series left in my mouth.
Manager Tony