There is a kind of numbness that can set in after a team accepts the fact that its season has spiraled beyond the point of being salvaged. For the Indians, the pain has been so deep that each loss still feels like a sucker punch.
“It still stings the same,” Indians setup man Vinnie Pestano said.
On Tuesday night, this disappointing summer in Cleveland continued its slow march to the regular-season finish line. The Tribe suffered a 6-5 loss in 12 innings to the Twins, pulling the clubs into a last-place tie in the American League Central cellar.
If there was anything to be taken from the contest it was a statistical footnote. Cleveland used a franchise-record 10 pitchers in the game. That factoid will will go down as little more than a slice of trivia in the end. What Indians fans will likely remember, however, is the costly extra-inning blunder turned in by Matt LaPorta.
Tribe fans have long memories and LaPorta — a key component of the blockbuster trade in 2008 that sent CC Sabathia to the Brewers — has been a popular target for criticism.
In a month meant as another chance to prove his worth, LaPorta once again did himself no favors. The first baseman made a perplexing decision in the field at a crucial turn in the ballgame, paving the way for a decisive two-run rally for Minnesota.
“It was a big mental mistake,” Indians manager Manny Acta acknowledged.
With two outs and Darin Mastroianni on second base in the 12th inning, Alexi Casilla chopped a pitch from Indians lefty Scott Maine to the right side of the diamond. Second baseman Jason Kipnis glided to his left, gloved the grounder and threw to first, but LaPorta was off the bag.
Thinking the baseball was destined for right field, LaPorta had moved into cutoff position.
“I was up the middle,” Kipnis said, “so I’m sure he was just thinking that the ball was through and he had to get out there for the cutoff.”
Acta said it was the wrong approach, no matter where the ball wound up.
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