ST Games #9 and #10: Indians Earn a Split with a Win in Goodyear Over Arizona, a Loss in Vegas to the A's

The long weekend for the Cleveland Indians wrapped up with a split of games, as the team was a 10-6 winner in Goodyear against the Arizona Diamondbacks, and a 8-5 loser in Las Vegas to the Oakland A’s.

On the weekend the team fell three times to the A’s, while gaining a win against the Diamondbacks at home.

The 1-3 weekend mark puts the team at 3-6 overall in Cactus League play as they start a new week Monday against the Texas Rangers.

In Goodyear the team was a winner with a number of prospects stepping up to produce in the victory.

Number six prospect Brayan Rocchio, a 19-year-old, hit a three-run homer in the victory. Another young prospect, Tribe fourth ranked prospect outfielder George Valera hit a solo homer in the sixth inning.

In Vegas, Adam Plutko struggled against the A’s, allowing three runs in the first inning as Oakland opened an 8-0 lead enroute to an 8-5 win.

The Indians bats finally got going in the sixth as they closed it eventually to 8-5, but it was not enough as they fell to Oakland by three runs to end the weekend.

Here are some tidbits from the pair of games Sunday:

On the Mound: Starting Goodyear, potential opening day starter Shane Bieber went 2.2 scoreless innings, striking out two Diamondbacks players in the win.

Bieber looks good thus far in a pair of starts, going 2-0 with not allowing a hit in 3.2 innings of work.

The pen stepped up with four scoreless innings after Bieber threw the 2.2 scoreless innings, as righty Jerson Ramirez, righty Jared Robinson, righty Dalbert Siri, lefty Kyle Nelson and righty Juan Hillman all threw well to hold the lead for the Indians.

As started earlier Plutko struggled in Vegas, as he gave up three runs in the first allowing three runs on three hits with a walk and two K’s in two innings total.

Matt Chapman’s double got Oakland on the board first against Plutko, and Ramon Laureno singled in another run to give the A’s the three-run advantage.

Sam Hentges struggled for the Indians in the third inning, as he gave up four runs as Oakland built a 7-0 lead.

The big hit of the inning for the A’s was a bases-clearing double by Dustin Fowler.

The Indians pen gave up one run the rest of the way, as righty Phil Maton, Nick Wittgren and Cam Hill all threw scoreless innings.

At the Plate: The Indians plated double-digit runs in the win in Goodyear, 10-6, with Rocchio starting the output with a three-run homer in the third to make it 3-0 Tribe.

Jose Ramirez continued his early strong spring, as he went 1-for-2 with a two-run homer in the fifth inning.

Fellow young prospect George Valera hit a solo homer for the Indians in the 6 inning to give the Tribe a 9-1 lead.

Things didn’t go so well in Vegas, as the Indians fell behind 8-0 before the bats finally got going.

Francisco Lindor drove in a run in the sixth inning with a hit that scored catcher Beau Taylor.

The Indians scored two more times in the ninth as shortstop Ernie Clement drove in a pair of runs with a two-run single.

Other Stuff: It was a day emphasized by youth, as Rocchio’s homer seemed to give the team a boost as they put up a 10-spot in the win in Goodyear.

Ramirez also continued his hot hitting thus far in the spring, as he’s now hitting .429 (6-for-14) with two doubles, a homer and five runs batted in playing in five games.

Valera made the most of his first appearance in a Major League spring game, hitting a homer and going 1-for-2 with a pair of walks and a run scored.

Bradley Zimmer got his first hit in three games hitting in the leadoff spot, going 1-for-3 with a double, run scored, and a strikeout. He’s hitting .200 this spring.

Against the Diamondbacks the team put up 12 hits with four walks in the victory. The Tribe was 5-for-9 with runners in scoring position.

It was a different story in Vegas, while the Tribe put up 10 hits and a walk, they pushed across five runs but all after the team trailed 8-0.

The Indians were 4-for-11 in Vegas with runners in scoring position and left six men on base.

The team will travel to Surprise Stadium on Monday as they will have a bullpen game against the Texas Rangers at 3:05pm. The Rangers will throw out former Twins starter Kyle Gibson.