Bauer Apologizes to Tigers After Hitting Three Batters; Indians Fall to Tigers 9-5

No matter how you look at Sunday’s 9-5 loss to the Tigers at Progressive Field, it was not pretty.

Tribe starter Trevor Bauer had command issues all day, and it resulted in hitting three batters, including hitting Ian Kinsler, knocking his helmet off.

Kinsler was ejected in the 5th inning after getting upset about being hit, and Miguel Cabrera also yelled at the Indians dugout during just the second win of the season for Detroit over the Tribe.

Bauer, who suddenly is a huge part of the rotation for the Indians with the latest injury to Carlos Carrasco, allowed 10 hits, as he gave up six runs in 5.2 innings.

The pitcher opened his post game session with the media saying he was sorry for plunking the three Tigers batters in the four-run setback.

“First off I want to extend my apologies to Ian, Victor (Martinez) and Miguel,” Bauer said. “The scouting report is to pitch in, and obviously I did not intend to hit any of them.

“Regardless of game situation or anything that could happen in a game, I would never intentionally throw at someone’s head.”

Bauer hit Cabrera on the left hand in the first, hit Kinsler in the third on the top of the helmet, and then Martinez in the knee later in the same inning.

The Indians, whose magic number remains at seven to win the AL Central, led 2-0 after two after RBI’s each for Brandon Guyer and Abraham Almonte.

Bauer allowed three runs in the third, and then two more in the 5th before the Indians rallied to make it 5-4. Up 6-4 in the 9th, the Tigers put the game away as J.D. Martinez hit a three-run homer to make it a 9-4 final.

Martinez has been a big reason the Tigers are still in the AL Central race at all, as he’s hitting .389 since June 3rd.

The Indians starter not only stated he was sorry to the Tigers via the media, but also tweeted out an apology after the game.

Want to extend my apologies to the @tigers I hit today. Especially Ian. Would never intentionally throw at someone's head. No place for that

— Trevor Bauer (@BauerOutage) September 18, 2016

Monday is the Indians final off day of the regular season, and Tuesday they will open a three-game set at home against the Kansas City Royals.