News » Pannone’s first two starts were against the Baltimore Orioles

A look at what’s happening around the majors today:MATTY WOODWORKMatt Carpenter has four homers in five games heading into St. Louis’ series finale against Miami. Carpenter hit his 30th home run in a 3-2 win Monday http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-jake-odorizzi-jersey , becoming the first left-handed Cardinal to hit 30 home runs since Jim Edmonds hit 42 in 2004, according to ESPN Stats & Info. “I couldn’t imagine the stretch I’m putting together,” Carpenter said. “I would have never guessed that. It’s uncharted territory for me.”FIRED UPMike Fiers makes his first start since the Athletics acquired him Detroit earlier this week. The right-hander will pitch at the Coliseum against a tough opponent in Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Fiers is 7-6 with a 3.48 ERA this season and 2-2 with a 1.96 ERA over his last seven starts.“I wasn’t really planning on going anywhere and just focused on what I had to do there. The time came and I was traded and now I’m here trying to do my job every fifth day,” he said.BOSTON BAIL OUTThe Red Sox go for their sixth straight win a night after overcoming a blown save from closer Craig Kimbrel. The Blue Jays rallied in the ninth, getting a solo homer from Justin Smoak off Kimbrel to force extra innings, only to have Ken Giles allow a three-run homer to Mitch Moreland and a two-run shot to Jackie Bradley Jr. in the 10th. It was the second blown save in four appearances for Kimbrel, though he struck out the other three batters he faced Monday.Boston, which has the best record in the majors, turns to left-hander Brian Johnson (2-3, 3.74) to keep the streak going against Toronto’s Mike Hauschild (1-0, 0.00).SCORING FOR YOThe last-place Rangers score a lot of runs when Yovani Gallardo is on the mound. Gallardo, 6-1 since rejoining Texas in mid-June for the first time since 2015, starts the series finale against Seattle. While Gallardo has a 4.76 ERA in seven starts since a no-decision in his season debut for the Rangers, they have averaged an MLB-best 11.57 runs per nine innings with the right-hander on the mound. No AL pitcher has more wins in that span. TORONTO — The Cleveland Indians are a team headed for the postseason, but they have had their troubles with a team that will be going nowhere but home when the season ends in the Toronto Blue Jays.The Indians, who have a big lead in the American League Central, have a chance to escape the Rogers Centre with a series win Sunday afternoon. It has not been easy.Despite being outhit 18-11 on Saturday, the Indians were able to squeeze out a 9-8 victory over the Blue Jays, who almost came back from an 8-3 disadvantage after Cleveland’s seven-run fifth inning.Article continues below ...Cleveland has won two of the first three in the four-game series. The season series stands 3-3.The Indians had a big inning from catcher Roberto Perez, who led off the fifth with his second homer of the season and finished the scoring in the inning with a three-run run double.The Blue Jays had two homers from Randal Grichuk, but their pitchers gave up nine walks.The Indians will start right-hander Mike Clevinger (11-7 Eddie Rosario Jersey , 3.11 ERA) in the series finale and the Blue Jays will send out left-hander Thomas Pannone (1-1, 4.58).Clevinger helped the Indians end a three-game losing streak and posted his 11th win of the season while holding the Kansas City Royals to one run in six innings in a 10-strikeout outing Tuesday He allowed four runs and three hits in four innings of a no-decision outing against the Blue Jays on April 13.Clevinger has gone 4-2 with a 2.32 ERA in nine starts since the All-Star break. He is 1-0 with a 6.75 ERA in two career games (one start) against Toronto.Pannone will make his third career major league start because Marcus Stroman is out with a blister on his right middle finger.Pannone’s first two starts were against the Baltimore Orioles with contrasting results. He pitched a one-hitter in seven innings to pick up the win on Aug. 22 in Toronto, but in Baltimore six days later, he allowed seven runs and nine hits in 3 1/3 innings to take the loss. He has made six major league relief appearances.He was acquired in a trade July 31, 2017, that sent reliever Joe Smith to the Indians.Kevin Pillar, who doubled twice Saturday after hitting an 11th inning walkoff homer Friday, is the player with most seniority on a team that is looking to the future with an abundance of September callups.“It’s definite energy and I think it’s a reminder, too,” said Pillar, who has six years with the Blue Jays. “I was in their shoes, too. I was a young kid, trying to prove myself. I think it’s just kind of a friendly reminder that they’re here to take your job and you have to go out and perform every single day, even when it feels like we’re not playing for anything. You have to remember it’s our job to go out and perform, continue to work and prove yourself every day.”Rowdy Tellez already has become a crowd favorite only four games into his big-league career. He hit his first career homer Saturday and added a single. His first six hits were doubles.He is the first player since 1913 with seven extra-base hits in his first four career games. He is the fourth player in the live ball era to have each of his first seven hits go for extra bases.Based on the game Saturday, Cleveland’s bullpen needs help. It could be coming, Andrew Miller (left shoulder impingement) threw 33 pitches off the bullpen mound Saturday afternoon and tried simulating a game setting. The 33-year-old threw a bullpen session Thursday. He has on the disabled list since Aug. 29 and was eligible to be activated Saturday.“I think the next step is to get used in a game and handle that adrenaline again,” Miller said. “I don’t know exactly what we’ll do. It hasn’t been that much time. I think I’d like to get into some games, I’d love to pitch here (in Toronto).”The Indians had left fielder Michael Brantley back in the lineup Saturday and he produced a two-run homer, a single and two walks. He has six career homers against the Blue Jays.He grounded out as a pinch hitter Friday in his only appearance of the first two games of the series because of a bruised left foot. He had fouled a ball off the foot Wednesday.