Jason Kipnis soured Joel De La Cruz’s Major League debut with a two-out, two-run single in the fifth and Danny Salazar enhanced his All-Star candidacy as the Indians extended their winning streak to 12 games with Wednesday night’s 3-0 victory over the Braves at Turner Field.
Salazar won his sixth straight start and lowered his ERA to 2.22 with seven scoreless innings. Kipnis extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a two-run single that followed Rajai Davis’ two-out single. Lonnie Chisenhall’s two-out solo homer in the sixth inning provided some insurance for the Indians, who are one win shy of matching the franchise-best 13-game win streak recorded in both 1942 and 1951.
The Braves have lost six of eight since recording a season-best six-game winning streak. They received more than they could have expected from De La Cruz, who allowed three earned runs over six innings. The 27-year-old right-hander was promoted from Triple-A Gwinnett to fill the rotation spot vacated when Aaron Blair was optioned to Gwinnett.
With his solo home run on Wednesday, Chisenhall has now homered three times in the past four games. All five of his homers this year have come since May 31. The 27-year-old is batting .322 (29-for-90) with 16 RBIs during that span. The right fielder’s hot hitting has played an influential role in the Indians’ winning streak, during which he’s batted .359 (14-for-39).
Jace Peterson recorded a pair of leadoff doubles off Salazar, who entered the game having limited left-handed hitters to three hits in 26 at-bats in June. But Peterson was retired when he tried to score on Ender Inciarte’s grounder to third in the first inning and he was left stranded when Salazar concluded the sixth with consecutive strikeouts of Freddie Freeman and Nick Markakis. Freeman shattered his bat against the ground when Bryan Shaw struck him out with two on to end the eighth.
With one out and a runner on first in the bottom of the fifth, De La Cruz pushed a sacrifice bunt toward the left side of the pitcher’s mound, hoping to advance Emilio Bonifacio to second. Jose Ramirez snuffed the play out, though, and threw across his body to second base to initiate an inning-ending double play. The utility man has proven himself at third base, committing zero errors in 63 chances this year.
De La Cruz had been promoted to the Major Leagues three previous times (twice this season) but had not made an appearance. The Minor League journeyman notched his first big league hit with a third-inning single, and he held the Indians scoreless through the first four innings. But his good fortune expired when Davis doubled and Kipnis followed with his sharp two-run single that eluded a diving Adonis Garcia at third base.
Atlanta will open a four-game home series against Miami on Thursday at 6:10 p.m. CT. Mike Foltynewicz will return from the disabled list to make his first start since May 30. Thunder Radio will bring you the broadcast as part of the Atlanta Braves Radio Network beginning with the pregame show at 6:00 PM.
