Fausto Carmona's first start coming off the disabled list was a disaster. His second start Thursday was much better. Carmona pitched into the seventh inning to get the win in the Indians' 9-4 victory over Detroit.
After giving up nine runs in two-plus innings in his first start after a two-month absence, Carmona gave up just two unearned runs in 6 1/3 innings Thursday. The time Carmona missed while out with a strained hip was critical, as the Indians slid out of contention, a tumble that eventually led to the trades of CC Sabathia and Casey Blake.
Now that Carmona is back, the focus of the Indians' season has changed drastically. Mired in last place in the AL Central, they will spend the next two months evaluating some of their younger players.
Carmona is a young veteran whose goal the rest of this season will be to re-establish himself as the 19-game winner he was last year. The way it looks now, Carmona and Cliff Lee will be the top two starters in what figures to be a very different rotation next season.
INDIANS 9, TIGERS 4: Fausto Carmona pitched into the seventh inning to get his first win since May 12, and Grady Sizemore hit a three-run home run and had four RBIs as the Indians salvaged a split of their four-game series with the Tigers.
