CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) -- It was a career day for Indians starting pitcher Aaron Civale.
Just not the career day he had in mind.
The Indians right-hander labored through four innings, giving up ten hits and eight earned runs, including three home runs in an 8-0 loss to the Pirates on Saturday night at Progressive Field.
The hits, earned runs and home runs allowed were all career-highs for Civale, who eclipsed his previous career-high in hits set in his last start on September 21st against the White Sox.
“It’s definitely going to sting, it’s not the way I wanted to end the season or anyone wants to end the season,” Civale said. “But I don’t think it was as simple as just not having good stuff. I think my stuff was there. But I definitely missed some spots and those were the ones they hit over the fence.”
Down 5-0 with two outs and two-runners on in the fourth, Indians interim manager Sandy Alomar made a visit to the mound, seeking to give his pitcher some counseling.
Two pitches later, Colin Moran took Civale 425 feet to right field with a three-run home run.
“Tonight he didn’t have his best stuff. I felt like he didn’t have that life on his sinker and his breaking ball. He couldn’t finish guys off when he got two strikes,” Alomar said. “A couple of times he threw a breaking ball up in the zone, the one to Moran he hit a home run with a breaking ball. And at-bat prior to that he threw four or five breaking balls in a row that didn’t have that bite. “
Saturday’s start for Civale was a 180-degree turnaround from the first time he saw Pittsburgh’s lineup.
Civale recorded his first career complete game on August 19th, a 6-1 Indians win where the 25-year-old allowed five hits and one earned run while striking out six.
“I’m still trying to process what happened. It wasn’t clear-cut and simple ‘I missed my spot and they hit it.’ There were some things that I’ll have to go back and look at,” Civale said.
The loss ends the Indians’ hopes of snatching the American League Central crown after both the Twins and the White Sox won Saturday night. With a win on Sunday and a White Sox loss to the Cubs, Cleveland (34-25) can still secure home-field advantage in the Wild Card round.
Who the Tribe would play remains a mystery as the A’s, Blue Jays, Twins, White Sox and Yankees all remain possibilities for Game 1 on Tuesday.
The Indians offense couldn’t solve Joe Musgrove, who came into Saturday night’s matchup 0-5.
Musgrove walked off the mound tossing seven scoreless innings, walking one and striking out ten. The Tribe didn’t get a runner past second base and was shut out for the fifth time this season.
*We faced him before when he was in Houston. He’s been tough against us, he’s got good stuff,” Alomar said. “Good sinker, good slider. Frankie swung at a slider that hit him in the leg.”
The Indians will turn to Cal Quantrill in the season finale on Sunday, but Alomar said the Indians plan to give most of their relievers some work.
First pitch is scheduled for 3:10 at Progressive Field.
GAME NOTES -- Pirates rookie Ke’Bryan Hayes went 5-for-5 with two doubles, notching a career-high five hits. Hayes is hitting .370 since making his major league debut with the Pirates in early September.
-Triston McKenzie worked two scoreless innings of relief, striking out three batters in his second career relief appearance. McKenzie has now worked four scoreless innings out of the bullpen, allowing one hit and striking out six.
