Here’s a recap of the Browns v Speakers from yesterday:
Game 1: Cueto v Martinez. The Browns got to work off Martinez in the 2nd recording 7 hits in the inning. With one out the lower part of the order spit out 5 straight hits, including a bases clearing 2B from Harper. The damage was limited to just 5 runs, however, when Dozier, the inning’s 9th batter, singled to center and Kyle Seager was cut down at the plate. Those runs were all Cueto needed to secure the victory as he scattered 7 hits and a walk over 9 shutout innings. Browns 8/12/0 Speakers 0/7/0
Game 2: Arrieta v Taillion. Jameson Taillion received a rude welcome to the OOTL in the form of a 3 run dinger off the bat of Rougned Odor in the 2nd. Gonzalez pushed the Speakers lead to 4-0 with a solo shot in the 3rd. But Jake Arrieta’s only shaky inning let the Browns back into the game. Cabrera and Harper, perhaps spurned on by recent trade rumors surrounding each of them, led off the 5th with walks. Salvy Perez then got his once-a-series 66 for a 3 run bomb. Fowler then doubled and came in to score on an error by shortstop Machado to tie it up. Manny made amends for the error by roping a homer in the top of the 6th off Taillion who the Sharts inexplicably sent back to the mound rather than going the pen. The Speakers loaded the bases in the 9th but couldn’t get an insurance run. In the bottom of the 9th T. Turner led off with a single, stole 2nd and was moved to 3rd on a ground out from Miggy. Harper lifted a ball to left. When Turner tried to tag from 3rd he was axed at home by Gonzalez to end the game. Speakers 5/9/1 Browns 4/4/0
Game 3: Hammel v Hellickson. The Browns fashioned a 3-0 lead using a 2-out HR from Turner in the 2nd, a 2-out RBI single from Fowler in the 5th and, you guessed it, a 2-out RBI single from Cabrera in the 6th. Until that point the Speakers had base runners on in just about every inning but couldn’t cash in against Hammel. They got to him in the 6th as Rizzo led off with a walk, Bryant singled and Gonzalez doubled in their first run. Machado flew out to shallow left to bring up Kinsler. He singled and Bryant waltzed home but Gonzalez was cut down at home by Fowler’s throw. The Browns got an unearned run (also with 2 out) in the 7th to make it 4-2. The lead blew out to 9-3 behind a Fowler 2-run 3B and a Dozier RBI single, both with two outs in the 8th, followed in the 9th by a Harper 2-run homer… say it with me: with 2 outs. Browns 9/12/2 Speakers 3/8/1
Game 4: Tillman v Price. The Speakers struck first with an unearned run via a Bryant 2-out RBI single in the 1st. Sean Rodriguez leveled it up at 1 with a solo HR in the 2nd and the Browns pushed ahead with a C. Seager RBI double in the 4th. The Browns looked to put the game away in the top of the 5th when they loaded the bases with none out through walks to Tomlinson and Abreu with Guyer reaching on another Machado error in-between. Dozier hit a ball to medium center and Tomlinson was thrown out at home. Then, with 2 outs, Cabrera delivered a hit (on the rare play board), but this time it was Guyer who was thrown out by Bryant from RF. In the bottom of the 5th Rizzo got a 2-out double and Machado once again followed an error with a dinger. His 2-run shot put the Speakers in front, 3-2. The Browns did tie it in the top of the 8th when C. Seager singled in Dozier, who had doubled to lead off the inning. But the shaky Browns pen couldn’t hold the tie. Tony Watson issued a 1-out walk to Bryant before striking out Odor. The Browns summoned Nate Jones to try and get the 3rd out, but he gave up a 2-out, 2-run shot to Kinsler. Speakers 5/9/1 Browns 3/8/2
The Browns are now 16-8 and head to Hustontown to face a murderers row of starting pitching on Monday. This is almost certainly the Sharts’ last day in 1st place.
Notes:
The Browns slashed .265/.346/.471 in the series.
Dexter Fowler had hits in 5 straight AB’s from Game 3 to game 4 of the series and has now reached base safely in his last 17 games as well as 18 out of 19 overall.
Hairpin went 4-11 in 3 games including a homer, 3 doubles and 2 walks. He is still hitting below .200 for the season, however.
Cueto’s complete game shutout was the 3rd for the Sharts in ’17. They had 2 in all of ’16.
The Browns are now 11-5 in games started by RHP and 5-3 vs left handed starters.