Missed opportunities.
It was the same story for the second straight night. The Indians offense—sans Mike Aviles—could not muster much run production Wednesday evening. That lack of run production, combined with an untimely mental mistake, resulted in their second straight narrow defeat to the Atlanta Braves.
Chris Johnson singled through the left side to plate Jordan Schafer and the Braves won 3-2 in a walkoff victory. Atlanta used a solid effort from Paul Maholm, while the missed opportunities squandered another solid start by Justin Masterson.
Early wildness set the table for Atlanta to take an early lead in the second inning. Brian McCann singled to left field to start the inning. After Dan Uggla struck out and B.J. Upton popped out to shortstop, Andrelton Simmons doubled off the wall down the left field line. Indians left fielder Michael Brantley played the carom well and made a strong throw to keep McCann at third base on Simmons’ 19th double of the season.
It seemed like a little jam with the pitcher, Maholm, at the plate but Masterson walked him to load the bases. Schafer made the Indians and Masterson pay for walking the pitcher when he singled to left field to plate both McCann and Simmons and make it 2-0, Atlanta.
Justin Upton singled to center field to re-load the bases, but Masterson was able to strike out Freddie Freeman to stop a potential big inning.
In the top of the fourth inning the Indians finally put a run on the board in Atlanta when Mike Aviles lined his eighth home run of the season down the left field line. The solo blast cut the lead to 2-1. Brantley followed with a single and stole second base. After Drew Stubbs was intentionally walked, Masterson lined out to shallow right field, leaving the tying run in scoring position.
Maholm left after six strong innings when Elliot Johnson pinch-hit with a runner on. Masterson picked off B.J. Upton, then retired Johnson to end the sixth. Maholm allowed just one run over six innings, allowing six hits and two walks while striking out one. Just the home run to Aviles was his only blemish.
David Carpenter relieved Maholm in the seventh inning and gave the Indians a chance to tie the game. Brantley singled to left field and was able to advance to second base when Stubbs grounded weakly to second base. Matt Carson—just recalled from Columbus—pinch-hit for Masterson but struck out on three straight fastballs. Scott Downs relieved Carpenter and retired Michael Bourn on a fly ball to left field to strand another runner in scoring position.
Masterson pitched six strong innings, allowing two runs on five hits and four runs while striking out six on 98 pitches. It wasn’t the husky, side-winder’s best effort, but he battled the Atlanta lineup without his best stuff to give the Indians a chance to win.
Bryan Shaw relieved Masterson, working around Schaefer’s leadoff single. Justin Upton struck out before Carlos Santana threw out Schaefer trying to steal second base. Freeman flied out to finish the inning.
Luis Avilan took over for Downs and the Braves in the top of the eighth inning and the Tribe was finally able to take advantage with runners in scoring position. Nick Swisher and Jason Kipnis each singled to start the inning. After Santana fouled out to first base, Asdrubal Cabrera walked to load the bases. Mike Aviles tallied the Tribe’s second run of the game when he flew out to right field. His sacrifice fly brought Swisher home and tied the game at two.
Cleveland had a chance to tie the game, but Cabrera was officially caught stealing between first and second base. On a ball in the dirt, Cabrera took off for second base, but stopped when he thought it was a foul ball. Atlanta recovered and tagged Cabrera out on the mental mistake while the go ahead run was left on third base.
The Indians used three pitchers to get three outs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Shaw stayed on and got Johnson to strike out swinging before Rich Hill got McCann to pop out. Joe Smith and Lonnie Chisenhall both came on as part of a double switch that removed Aviles from the game. After Uggla and B.J. Upton singled, Simmons grounded to third base to end the inning.
Craig Kimbrel made short work of the Indians in the top of the ninth, retiring Brantley, Stubbs and Chisenhall.
Meanwhile Smith stayed on for the ninth inning and the eventual defeat. After an out was recorded, Schafer reached on an infield single and stole second base successfully this time to get to scoring position. Justin Upton flew out to center field for the second out of the inning. After walking Freeman intentionally, Johnson singled to left and Schafer beat Brantley’s throw to the plate with a head first slide.
Smith (5-2) suffers the loss while Kimbrel (3-2) earns the win for Atlanta. Kimbrel needed just eight pitches to set down the Indians in the top of the ninth inning.
The Indians’ loss is the second straight day they could have made ground on the Detroit Tigers—who lost 14-4 to the Oakland Athletics—in the Central Division race. Cleveland remains five and a half games back of the Tigers, but now trail by four games in the wild card race.
Tomorrow, the Indians will try to salvage a game in the three game series. Ubaldo Jimenez (9-8, 3.95) will try not to wilt early in the southern heat, while Kris Medlen (10-12, 3.74) will try to sweep the Tribe.
Photo: Kevin C. Fox/Getty Imgaes