Carlos Carrasco will try for his first victory in over a month when he takes on Tim Wakefield and the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night at Fenway Park in Game 3 of this four-game series that stands at one win apiece.
It will help if Carrasco can keep his emotions in check when adversity enters the game — as it surely will against the AL-best Red Sox.
Carrasco (8-9, 4.67 ERA) has not won since June 29, and has dropped five consecutive starts, losing his cool in more than one appearance, including his last time out when he buzzed Kansas City’s Billy Butler after surrendering a grand slam to the previous batter.
Carrasco has been assigned a six-game suspension for the incident, which he is appealing and which allows him to get the start tonight.
In his last five games, Carrasco has allowed 24 runs in 23.2 innings, and has seen his ERA go from 3.54 to its current number, more than a run per game higher.
Carrasco will be making his first appearance in 2011 vs. the Sawks, against whom he is 0-1 with an 8.10 ERA in one outing totaling 3.1 innings.
Carrasco’s opponent has — shall we say — had a bit more experience against the Indians.
Wakefield (6-4, 5.06 ERA) will be facing Cleveland for the 31st time in his career, and tonight’s will be his 24th start against the Tribe. Wakefield has gone 12-8 vs. the Indians with a 4.05 ERA in 162.1 innings.
Wakefield faced Cleveland way back on August 6 in a relief appearance, going two innings and giving up one run.
It will be interesting, given the Tribe’s struggles of late offensively, to see how they fare against the knuckleballer Wakefield. Especially since the “new blood” of the Indians has never faced him.
One thing is certain, and that is that Cleveland could use a win, as they sit a season-high three games behind the Tigers, with four more tough games on this road-trip coming after tonight.
Go Tribe!