One tough Cookie: 3 takeaways as Carrasco records complete-game win over Brewers

MILWAUKEE– Carlos Carrasco and the Cleveland Indians as a whole were both in need of a bounce-back game as they took on the Milwaukee Brewers in an afternoon contest on Wednesday.

Both got what they were searching for as Carrasco went the distance in the Tribe’s 6-2 win.

With the win, the Tribe ended their longest losing streak of the season at four games. They are now back to a .500 record at 18-18.

Here are three takeaways from the victory.

1. Carrasco’s complete game

Coming into Wednesday’s contest, Carlos Carrasco was looking to right the ship. Over his previous two starts, he not only recorded his first loss of the year but had a 10.80 ERA in eight and one third innings.

Right the ship he did, as he pitched his second complete game this season, the most in Major League Baseball. Through nine innings, Carrasco gave up just five hits, two earned runs and one walk en route to fanning 14 batters. The 14 strikeouts is a season-high.

Carrasco cruised because he located his fastball while getting hitters to chase his slider out of the zone:

The cherry on top of the cake was Carrasco recording his second career major league hit and his first career RBI in the top of the ninth inning, as a single to left field plated Roberto Perez, who recorded a triple in the previous at-bat.

2. Two homers give plenty of cushion

Following Michael Brantley’s RBI single in the fourth inning to give the Indians a 1-0 lead, Tyler Naquin recorded a three-run bomb on an 87 mph slider. The pitch went an estimated distance of 418 feet, and had an exit velocity of 105.1 mph.

Exit velocity: 105.1 mph
Launch angle: 23°
Distance: 418 ft

Translation: GONE ?#RallyTogether pic.twitter.com/bckk0Fq1jj

— Cleveland Indians (@Indians) May 9, 2018

Francisco Lindor recorded the second homer of the game in the seventh inning on a 2-1, 96 mph four-seam fastball that he launched to right field. The ball had an exit velocity of 108.9 mph and landed about two-thirds of the way up the second deck at an estimated 424 feet.

Hello.
Goodbye.#RallyTogether pic.twitter.com/AyDl6HMVDw

— Cleveland Indians (@Indians) May 9, 2018

3. A streak to keep smiling about

Lindor extended his hit streak to 11 games with another multi-hit effort. He went 2-for-5 with a single and that previously mentioned homer.

The reigning American League Player of the Week is now batting .423 (22-of-52) over the 11 games. His current streak is the longest for any Indians slugger this season, and he is one of four  hitters in MLB with an active double-digit streak.

It should also be noted that eight of his last 11 games have been multi-hit games, and that Wednesday was his 10th home run this season.

Naquin also has a hit streak of his own going. Following his 2-for-4 outing on Wednesday, he’s now hit safely in each of his last six games.