Ubaldo Jimenez guides Cleveland Indians to a 2-1 victory over Kansas City Royals –MLB Update
Ubaldo Jimenez finally showed brilliance at the mound for the Cleveland Indians after a midseason transfer from the Colorado Rockies to prove his critics wrong in a well-fought 2-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio
on Friday, August, 26.
Jimenez had not been in the best of forms this season but the Indians believed that he has the ability and the talent to uplift a weak pitching rotation and he did exactly that in a spell of seven epic-innings which saw him give away just one run amid seven
hits and ten strike-outs to bring his mediocre earned-run average down to 5.79.
The only scoring chance for the Royals came in the fourth inning when Eric Hosmer unleashed his arms for a 398-feet home-run towards the right outfield to bring up his 12th homer this season. Jimenez did well to recover after that blow and kept
things tight to win his second game with the Indians with a sole loss to his credit.
Jimenez displayed his entire arsenal in a spell which saw him throw 105 pitches. He was not hesitant in using his curveball and this gave hope to the management for a better performance by the pitching outfit in the now-more-important next campaign.
Felipe Paulino was as brilliant as Jimenez for the Royals but inaccuracy in the seventh inning saw him leak two crucial-runs to the opposition to give them a one-run lead which was then never to be recovered.
Paulino’s 120 pitches in his mesmerising spell saw him strike six batters out and produce 74 strikes amid vast variety and confidence. However, a seventh inning effort initiated by Jack Hannahan saw Carlos Santana complete the first run for the Indians before
Ezequiel Carrera’s subsequent walk allowed Kosuke Fukudome to take the Indians past the Royals.
Vinnie Pestano and Chris Perez took over the reins in the eighth and ninth inning respectively and both were spotless to give Indians an important win at home. Pestano earned his 18th hold this season while Perez’s tally of saves has soared up
to 28.
The Indians lead the three-game series 1-0.
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