The Indians' woeful offense didn't get much better over the weekend as they were held to one run over the last 20 innings in losing two of three games in the Metrodome to the Minnesota Twins.
The Indians followed a 3-0 loss on Saturday with a 2-1 loss in 10 innings on Sunday. Slumps are rampant throughout the lineup, with only the .360-hitting Victor Martinez performing near the level expected of him. Manager Eric Wedge continues to criticize the players' lack of patience and their approach at the plate. Wedge feels the players are giving away too many at bats, not working hard enough to get into good hitters' counts.
Unfortunately for them the Indians' team-wide slump has come at a time when the team's pitching has begun to improve. Sunday it was Paul Byrd who produced his second straight quality start.
Byrd has only allowed one earned run in a combined 13 innings in his last two starts, but he hasn't won either game. Over the Indians' last four games the starting pitchers have a 1.57 ERA, but the team has lost two of the four games due to a lack of hitting.
TWINS 2, INDIANS 1 (10 innings): LHP Rafael Perez gave up three straight two-out singles in the bottom of the 10th inning, the last being a game-winning hit by 1B Justin Morneau. RHP Paul Byrd turned in his second consecutive quality start, allowing just one run over seven innings, but the Indians' offense produced just one run, coming on an RBI single by OF Franklin Gutierrez in the second inning.
