Perhaps fitting for a pitcher known for his eccentricities and odd routines, Trevor Bauer’s first start with the Indians was more than a bit unusual.
The 22-year-old right-hander, called up to make a spot start for the injured Scott Kazmir, gave up three runs and walked seven batters in the Tribe’s 6-0 loss to the Rays on Saturday night, their second straight shutout at Tropicana Field.
Bauer walked the first four batters he faced, matching Tampa Bay’s combined walk total from its previous four games. He got out of two bases-loaded jams in his first three innings. He somehow carried a no-hitter into the fourth despite his high walk total. He even had to hit when Cleveland gave up its designated hitter.
“I thought I was out of the National League,” Bauer quipped.
Who would have guessed Bauer’s outfield-spanning long toss and his running, hopping warmup heave wouldn’t rank among the most unusual things that happened in his Indians debut?
By the time he was done after five innings and 105 pitches, Bauer had posted a bizarre pitching line of three runs on two hits, seven walks and two strikeouts — plus a strikeout as a batter.
“I was missing by feet, not inches,” Bauer said. “Sometimes I have outings like that, where I just can’t find it and then I find it, and it’s kind of what happened tonight. I had a rough first and third and then, after that, kind of found it and was able to locate again.”
Bauer gave up the first run right away, walking the first four Rays batters who came to the plate. That made him just the second Indians pitcher since 1984 to walk four men to start a game. Bartolo Colon did the same on April 9, 1997.
“My worst moment? Probably walking the first four batters I faced. All four of them, just group it one moment,” Bauer said. “You look up and you’re like, ‘Oh, it’s bases loaded, one run’s in and I still don’t have an out. Uh oh.'”
Bauer got out of the first without any further damage, thanks mostly to right fielder Ryan Raburn, who caught a line drive from Yunel Escobar and made a sharp throw home in time for catcher Lou Marson to tag out Matt Joyce. That ended the inning, helped Bauer pitch as deep into the game as he did and, as manager Terry Francona pointed out, kept the Tribe within striking distance early on.
Bauer got out of a jam in the third inning after issuing a leadoff walk to center fielder Desmond Jennings, who went on to steal second and third. When Joyce knocked a grounder to Lonnie Chisenhall at third base, Jennings dashed home. Chisenhall fired the ball to Marson, but Jennings ran straight into the 26-year-old catcher, resulting in a violent collision that clearly shook up Marson but kept a run off the board.
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