Severino and Miscues Too Much for Indians in Yankees 8-1 Win; Three Takeaways From the Loss

CLEVELAND - The Indians had a chance Sunday to take three of four from the hated New York Yankees, but a key mistake in the outfield and a dominant outing by

CLEVELAND - The Indians had a chance Sunday to take three of four from the hated New York Yankees, but a key mistake in the outfield and a dominant outing by Yankees starter Luis Severino was too much for the Indians as they dropped an 8-1 decision.

Severino held the Tribe to just one run on one hit, a Michael Brantley homer in the first that gave the Tribe an early advantage.

Carlos Carrasco made it hold up till the 6th, when a key walk combined with a massive outfield miscue did him in as he fell to 10-5 on the season with the loss.

Here's three takeaways from the loss as the Indians get their only off day of the month Monday before hosting the Colorado Rockies for two starting on Tuesday night.

3. Abe's Outfield Adventure

Abraham Almonte didn't have a day to remember in his return to the lineup for the Tribe, as he was 0-for-3 at the plate with a strikeout, but his defense is what everyone was talking about in the 8-1 setback.

With two outs in the 6th and the game tied at one with the bases loaded, Jacob Ellsbury hit a long fly to right, and Almonte went back on it, only to appear to hold up or duck as the ball landed behind him right at the wall.

The bases were cleared with Ellsbury, and while he was credited with a triple, everyone, including Almonte, felt the ball should have been caught.

It was a monster error in a game that at the time could have easily gone the other way if the Tribe bats would have been able to get going, but instead it just went down as a three base hit that made it 4-1, more than enough for the Yankees to eventually get to the seven-run win.

2. Severino Serves Up a Sensational Outing

The Yankees starter not only was effective with his fastball for 6.2 innings, but also had very good off-speed pitches, making it a long day at the plate for Tribe batters.

It started good with Michael Brantley homering in the 1st to make it 1-0, but little did anyone know that it would be the only Tribe hit until an Edwin Encarnacion single in the 6th with two outs.

Severino struck out nine Indians batters, and walked one, throwing 107 pitches, 69 of which were strikes. "It was really impressive," Indians manager Terry Francona said of Severino's outing.

On the season he moves to 9-4, and from what Indians batters and Francona had to say about it after the game, it was one of the more impressive outings of the season from a Tribe opponent.

1. A Rough Road Ahead

Indians players had better sleep in on Monday, as it's their only day off until August 31st, a stretch where they will play 23 straight games without another break.

They were supposed to have a day off next Monday the 14th, but that was blown up due to the rain out in Boston last Wednesday, and after they play four in Tampa they will have to make a one-day trip to Beantown to play the Red Sox.

The stretch includes a lot of very good teams that are very much in the mix for the postseason, starting with the Colorado Rockies for two on Tuesday and Wednesday at Progressive Field.

The Indians have been bad in Interleague this season, and it would be nice to get the last two of National League teams they play this season.

Also the rest of the month they will play at Tampa, at Boston (make up game), at Minnesota, at Kansas City, vs Boston, vs Kansas City and at New York to end the month.

Minnesota at 6.5 back of the Indians are really the only team out of the playoff mix at the moment, as the Yankees and Colorado both have eyes on the wild card, while the Red Sox lead the East, and the Royals are fighting with the Indians for the AL Central lead.

Tampa is 5.5 back of the Red Sox in the East, but also just 0.5 back in the AL Wild Card race.