For the second time this week, the Indians will need a win in their next game to avoid falling under .500 for the first time since they were 1-2.
That “next game” comes tonight in Arlington against the Texas Rangers, who snatched victory from the jaws of defeat last night to beat the Tribe for the fifth straight time in 2011.
Fausto Carmona will go for his sixth win and try to avoid losing for the 12th time when he takes on the Rangers’ C.J. Wilson (10-5, 3.38 ERA) at 8:05.
Carmona (5-11, 5.31 ERA) has pitched three times since returning from the disabled list, and while he is only 1-1 in that span, he has fared a little better than before he went to the DL. In 19.1 innings Carmona has allowed six earned runs on 17 hits.
Carmona has faced Texas once this year, losing in Cleveland June 4 in a game in which the Tribe was shut out 4-0. In that game Carmona went 6.1 frames and gave up all four Texas runs, and dropped to 2-7 in 10 career starts vs. the Rangers, with a 5.43 ERA in 54.2 innings of work.
Wilson worked against the Indians on June 5, in another game in which Cleveland was blanked. In that game, Wilson went 7.2 innings and gave up only three hits and two walks, while fanning seven, and got the 2-0 victory.
For his career, Wilson has faced the Tribe 21 times, only three of which were starts. In 34.1 frames against The Good Guys, Wilson is 2-1 with a 2.62 ERA.
This series will wrap up with another night game from Texas on Sunday at 8:05, when Josh Tomlin (11-5) will face Colby Lewis (10-8).
The Indians trail Detroit by four games, matching their largest deficit of the season. The Tigers will take on the Kansas City Royals a little earlier on Saturday evening in Missouri.