 overcame his slow start to pitch seven innings. He struck out 10 but allowed four runs and wasn't happy afterward.''I stink right now,'' the right-hander said. ''It has been really frustrating, but I'll figure it out. I've got to be better.'' Bauer walked four and was annoyed he has allowed 23 bases on balls in 47 2/3 innings. But his ERA is 2.45, and he made his 60th consecutive start without allowing more than four runs.Only Greg Maddux has had a longer such streak since 1970.''Today he didn't have his best stuff, but he's a competitor,'' Gonzalez said. ''Being able to help after a rough start was awesome.'' Gonzalez's homer off Sandy Alcantara (1-3) broke a 3-3 tie in the third. The three-time All-Star, who signed in mid-March and was called up from the minors on April 14, had been 2-for-14 with runners on base.''This whole thing has been new for me - not having spring training,'' Gonzalez said. ''It takes a little time. Right now I'm feeling a lot better.'' The Indians need him. They came into the game last in the AL in batting and slugging.Carlos Santana hit his second homer in as many games and his third of the year for Cleveland, and also had an RBI single.Former Marlin Brad Hand completed a five-hitter by pitching a perfect ninth for his ninth save in as many chances.Curtis Granderson hit his fourth homer for the Marlins, who lost their fourth game in a row and have the worst record in the majors.Alcantara allowed six runs, four earned, in 5 1/3 innings.''I always see it as a lack of aggression - a lack of confidence in his fastball,'' Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. ''I feel you don't see his best stuff as often as we could. When you have 97-98 in the tank, you'd like to see it more.'' HURT AGAINGarrett Cooper came off the injured list to start for the Marlins at first base, but he left the game in the third inning after a 96-mph fastball from Bauer bruised his left knuckle. X-rays were negative.Cooper has been the Marlins' opening day right fielder the past two years, but because of injuries, he has played in just 18 games since the beginning of 2018.''These last couple of years have taken a toll on me mentally, but I'm glad there's nothing broken,'' Cooper said. ''Hopefully it will be a few days, and I'll get back to swinging this weekend.'' BOTCHED BUNTIndians manager Terry Francona took the blame after his team allowed Alcantara to drop down an RBI sacrifice bunt with runners at first and third in the second inning.''That's my fault,'' Francona said. ''It's good National League baseball. We'll need to clean that up when we're in National League cities.'' WHAT RELIEFThe Marlins' Nick Anderson struck out both batters he faced in the sixth. He has 27 strikeouts and two walks this season while facing 51 batters.TRAINER'S ROOMIndians: RHP Mike Clevinger (back) threw from 60 feet and said he felt great. The earliest he can come off the injured list is June 6.Marlins: INF Neil Walker underwent an MRI and was diagnosed with a mild bone bruise in his left knee. He struck out as a pinch hitter in the sixth.UP NEXTIndians: RHP Corey Kluber (2-3, 5.88 ERA) will face the Marlins for the first time Wednesday.Marlins: LHP Caleb Smith (2-0, 2.17), who will start the series finale, has an NL-best batting average against of .167.---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports---Follow Steven Wine on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Steve-Wine)
Indians' Bauer gets rare matchup with Marlins The Miami Marlins and Cleveland Indians, who split two games last week, meet again on Tuesday night.This time, the club head to Marlins Park for two games. The Tuesday pitching matchup will feature a pair of right-handers. Cleveland's Trevor Bauer and Miami's Sandy Alcantara.Bauer (3-1, 1.99 ERA) was an All-Star last year, and he is off to another fine start this season. His most recent performance was a 2-1 win over the Houston Astros on Thursday, when he allowed one run in eight innings."He competed his rear end off," Indians manager Terry Francona said postgame. "His last pitch was 97 or 98 (mph). (Houston's) lineup is good, and (Bauer) competed like crazy." Bauer will be making his first-ever visit to Marlins Park, and he did not face Miami in last week's two-game set.In fact, the only time he has ever faced the Marlins was on Sept. 3, 2016, and he earned the win, allowing three runs on four hits and three walks in 8 1/3 innings. However, it's impossible to extrapolate too much from that game as it pertains to Tuesday's matchup because the Marlins have changed so much since then.In that 2016 game, Miami's starter was Jose Fernandez, who died three months later. The Marlins' lineup featured since-traded regulars such as Christian Yelich, J. T. Realmuto and Dee Gordon. The only remaining Marlins player who faced Bauer that day is Martin Prado, who went 0-for-3.Last season, Bauer went 12-6 with a 2.21 ERA. He was in position for a possible American League Cy Young Award when a leg injury sidelined him from Aug. 12-Sept. 20. Among qualified starters, he finished second in the American League in ERA.His ERA was also the lowest by an Indians starter since 1973.The 28-year-old Bauer, who was the third overall pick in the 2011 draft, has long had elite velocity. But he is also a student of pitching and has worked to improve his spin rate, and it shows in his improved secondary pitches -- changeup, slider and curve.Alcantara, 23, is 1-2 this season with a 4.50 ERA in five starts this year.He wound up with a no-decision last week when he faced the Indians for the first time in his career, allowing four hits, four walks and two runs (one earned) in five innings. He struck out two and allowed a solo homer to Jose Ramirez.Alcantara's average fastball is 95.0 mph, just a touch harder than Bauer's (94.7 mph).Bauer, though, is 44-24 since 2016 while Alcantara's career record is 3-5.As for other factors regarding Tuesday's matchup, the Indians are 8-8 on the road this season while the rebuilding Marlins are just 5-11 at home.The Marlins could have first baseman Neil Walker back in the lineup. He has been dealing with a hamstring injury and has missed three consecutive starts, although he was used twice last weekend as a pinch hitter.In his most recent start, Walker went 3-for-5 with two doubles on Thursday night in a 3-1, 10-inning road win over the Philadelphia Phillies."Walker had good at-bats all night," Marlins second baseman Starlin Castro said.Certainly, the Marlins are hoping Walker can help against Bauer, who ranked fifth in the majors in ERA among starting pitchers through the weekend.--Field Level Media
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