Cleveland, OH (92.3 The Fan) – The Indians lost to the Rangers 11-5 on Monday afternoon. Texas pulled away in the eighth inning, scoring nine runs. The Indians are 0-2 this spring.
The game was tied 1-1 until things unraveled in the eighth inning. Ben Taylor allowed seven runs on seven hits and the Rangers were in control from there. Texas batted around in the inning. Second baseman Nolan Fontana had two-RBI singles in the eighth.
Ernie Clement hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the inning to trim the Rangers' lead to 10-3. The Indians scored two runs in the ninth, but the result was never in doubt.
Here are a few takeaways from the Indians' loss to the Rangers:
Trevor Bauer off to a good start
Bauer made his first start of the spring, pitching three innings of shutout baseball. He allowed one hit, walked a batter and struck out two. For all of the flack Bauer takes and deservedly so, he reminded everyone of how good he is.
Thought you might like to see Trevor Bauer throw a warm-up pitch.We are also playing baseball right now, which is cool.#TribeSpring | #RallyTogether pic.twitter.com/ZixayO4a4A
— Cleveland Indians (@Indians) February 25, 2019Bauer:3 IP, 0 ER, 1 BB couple of k’s. Looked like Bauer. Sharp. pic.twitter.com/pPiNDhsCqF
— Jay Crawford (@JaycrawfordCLE) February 25, 2019Allen's Power
No one expects Greg Allen to hit 20 home runs, but if the 25-year-old can bring any power to the plate, then he'll be a starting outfielder for the Tribe. He had two hits, including a leadoff home run on Monday. Allen is a high-end defender and could separate from the rest of the outfield candidates if he can be a threat at the plate.
He also drew a walk, which is worth noting. Allen had 21 stolen bases last season. If he can show the organization that he can bring a little pop, while also being patient at the plate, then he has a chance to be a big-time contributor this season.
Young Energy
The Indians scored four times in the final two innings. Wilson Garcia and Eric Haase both registered RBI doubles in the ninth. Manager Terry Francona likes when the young players bring energy late in games and they certainly did that.
Ramirez Not in Goodyear... Yet
The Indians reportedly agreed to a deal with Hanley Ramirez on Saturday night, but he wasn't in Goodyear today and Francona didn't comment on the potential signing. They Indians won't comment publicly until the deal is official, which means Ramirez has to pass a physical and sign the deal. The 35-year-old will likely battle for the designated hitter spot.
The ballpark was beautiful today; the score was not.It's Spring Training. --♂️#TribeSpring | #RallyTogether pic.twitter.com/dk5pgWi90O
— Cleveland Indians (@Indians) February 25, 2019
