Jimenez Lousy, Hafner Injured as Tribe Drops to 4 1/2 Games Behind Tigers in Loss

Cleveland Indians GM Chris Antonetti might be walking by the mirror today, because for him to stop and look at himself might be a little difficult after Ubaldo Jimenez’s outing for the Tribe on Sunday. Jimenez surrendered 8 runs on 9 hits in just 3 1/3 innings of work, walking 3 and striking out 2 Tigers in the process. Jimenez was unable to get any velocity on his pitches, and the Tigers took advantage of it by scattering hits and homers around Comerica Park on their way to an 8-7 victory over the Indians. This was hardly the outing the Indians or their front office wanted from the guy who they bet the farm on at the trade deadline. For once, the Indians were on the other side of a major deal, but so far the deal has not paid off very well for the club.

After giving up 7 runs to the Tigers in the 3rd inning, the Tribe made it interesting, scoring 5 of their own in the 4th and 1 each in the 5th and 6th, but their rally came up sort in the end. With the loss, the Indians drop to 4 1/2 games behind the Tigers in the AL Central, their biggest deficit of the season. The Chicago White Sox sit just 1/2 game behind them in third, and the way they have been playing as of late, the White Sox could be sitting in 2nd place by the end of the week.

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As if a 4 1/2 game distance between the Tribe and first place wasn’t difficult enough for fans to swallow, the team also lost DH Travis Hafner for the 2nd time this season, as he heads to the DL with a strained right foot. Hafner pulled up lame in the 6th inning while trying to turn a single into a double. He was subsequently tagged out as he hobbled back to first base. The Indians will use Matt LaPorta as their DH on Monday night when they open up a four-game series with the Seattle Mariners which will include a day/night double-header on Tuesday. The Indians called up reliever Josh Judy to fill Hafner’s roster spot for now. Hafner spent much of May and June on the DL with an oblique injury, the Tribe is hopeful he will be back late this month or in early September.

By Robert Gonzalez
Cleveland Indians Correspondent

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