DETROIT — On a day of uncertainty, it is a good thing to have Aaron Civale on the mound.
Manager Terry Francona told reporters before Tuesday night’s game that right-hander Zach Plesac will be placed on the injured list because of a non-displaced fracture in his right thumb. It left two big holes in the five-man rotation and the powers that be are scrambling to fill them with starters needed Friday against Toronto and Monday for a doubleheader against the White Sox.
As for Wednesday’s bullpen game, well, Triston McKenzie will return from Class AAA Columbus for a one-and-done start.
Civale, in the midst of that organizational turmoil, delivered tranquility in the form of eight strong innings in a 4-1 win over the Tigers at Comerica Park. Civale does not appear to be a spur of the moment guy. He is routine and game-plan oriented, a long-range planner.
But on Tuesday night Civale pitched as if he was delivering a message — win today and worry about tomorrow tomorrow.
“I can’t think of time when it’s not good to have a guy throw a game like that,” said Francona. “We struck out 13 times, but because of the way he pitched, four runs was enough and it seemed like it was a nice, solid game.”
Civale (7-1, 3.04) in his longest start of the season improved to 3-0 against the Tigers this season and 6-0 in his career. He struck out six and walked one. Francona gave Civale a chance to get the shutout, which would have been the first of his career, but Jeimer Candelario started the ninth with a single. Then he walked Miguel Cabrera to bring James Karinchak into the game.
Karinchak, as he usually does, added tension to the situation. He allowed an RBI single to Jonathan Schoop and walked Akil Baddoo to load the bases before striking out Willie Castro and retiring Eric Haase on a fly ball to center for his sixth save.
“Every time I’m out there, I’m trying to go as deep into the game as possible,” said Civale. “Circumstances are such and it’s unfortunate that it happened (the Plesac injury), nobody’s fault, just kind of a freak thing that happened. But we just got to play together and grind together, that’s what we do. Obviously it’s nice to put that game together, but it was, again, a team win. We don’t win without the whole team.”
The offense didn’t overwhelm Civale with support, but they struck early and late and that was more than enough. Cesar Hernandez opened the game with a home run and Eddie Rosario scored in the fourth on a double and ground ball. Jordan Luplow closed the deal with a two-run homer in the eighth.
After losing two out of three over the weekend to the last-place Twins, the Indians have won two straight against the Tigers. They are 6-2 against the Tigers this season and 31-6 since 2019.
Hernandez homered over the left field fence on the night’s second pitch. It was his second leadoff homer in eight days and the 15th of his career.
“I hope he makes a habit of that,” said Francona.
The Indians pushed for a bigger inning as Amed Rosario walked and Eddie Rosario hit a two-out single to left. Left-hander Tarik Skubal (1-7, 5.23), however, retired Harold Ramirez to end the inning.
Skubal, who entered the game having lost five of his last six starts, allowed just one more run. Eddie Rosario, who had two hits in Monday’s 6-5 win, opened the fourth with an infield single. Harold Ramirez pulled a double past third as Rosario went to third. Rookie Owen Miller’s bouncer to short brought him home for Miller’s first big-league RBI.
The inning could have been bigger, but Skubal retired Miller, Yu Chang and Austin Hedges to strand Ramirez.
Luplow, whose ninth-inning catch in right saved the Indians on Monday night, gave Civale some insurance in the eighth. Rightd-hander Kyle Funkhouser hit Amed Rosario to open the inning, but Jose Ramirez forced him at second. Ramirez took second on a wild pitch before Luplow hit a 2-2 slider 420 feet over the fence in left center for a 4-0 lead.
It was Luplow’s seventh homer, but his first since April 26.
Asked if he was looking for a specific pitch, Luplow said, “I was trying to hit the ball, man. I was just trying to make contact. At that point, you ain’t looking for anything. You just try to take contact, man.”
Luplow, who struck out in his first three at-bats Tuesday night, was in a 7-for-64 (.109) skid when he homered.
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