Indians waste Salazar's solid effort, lose 2-1 to Phillies
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - One run short once again.
Vince Velasquez tossed two-hit ball over six innings and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Cleveland Indians 2-1 Sunday for their sixth straight win.
The Indians have played six straight one-run games, losing five. They're 4-7 overall in one-run games.
"We've had close games all year," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "We talk about being one run better. In this series, that's what they did."
Danny Salazar (2-2) was the hard-luck loser for Cleveland. He gave up two runs, three hits and fanned eight in seven innings. Salazar hasn't allowed more than three hits in any of his five starts.
Salazar balked home the decisive run in the third inning.
"I slipped," he said. "I was trying to push off and my right foot went back. The mound was a little wet."
The Indians can't afford even the smallest mistakes the way things are going.
"In close games, everything is so magnified," Francona said.
Freddy Galvis had an RBI single a day after driving in three runs in a 4-3 win, helping the surprising Phillies win for the 15th time in 21 games since starting 0-4.
Velasquez (4-1) struck out six and pitched around trouble because of four walks. He lowered his ERA to 1.44. David Hernandez pitched two hitless innings and Hector Neris earned his first career save after giving up a solo homer to Carlos Santana with one out in the ninth. Closer Jeanmar Gomez wasn't available after pitching four of the previous five games.
Velasquez helped himself by drawing a walk with one out in the third. He advanced on a single by Peter Bourjos and scored on a two-out single by Galvis. Bourjos scored on Salazar's balk to make it 2-0.
Salazar was annoyed he walked the pitcher.
"I was trying to get strike three and left the ball up," he said. It's frustrating, but we're working hard and things will get better."
Left fielder Darin Ruf, who played exclusively first base throughout spring training, made an outstanding, diving catch to rob Rajai Davis of extra bases with two runners on and two outs in the fourth, preserving the 2-0 lead.
STANDINGS
Indians: Have lost five of six, falling to 10-12.
Phillies: A 15-10 record is their best since finishing the 2011 season with a franchise-record 102 wins. Previous six-game winning streak was May 13-18, 2015. Have consecutive three-game sweeps for first time since September 7-12, 2012.
STREAKING
Indians: Jason Kipnis was 0 for 4, snapping a nine-game hitting streak.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Indians: Placed C Roberto Perez on the 15-day disabled list with a right thumb injury and purchased the contract of C Adam Moore from Triple-A Columbus. Perez injured his thumb diving to make a tag in the fifth inning of Saturday night's loss.
UP NEXT
Indians: After a day off, RHP Josh Tomlin (3-0, 3.18) faces Tigers RHP Justin Verlander (2-2, 5.46) Tuesday night in the opener of a six-game homestand.