CLEVELAND – Hitting wasn’t much of a problem for the Indians on Sunday. Scoring was another story.

The Indians’ futility with runners in scoring position caught up to them in the rubber match of a three-game series against Tampa Bay, Cleveland dropping a 4-2 decision at Progressive Field.

The Indians, who outhit the Rays 11-7, went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position, leaving 11 on base. Over its last four games, Cleveland has collected just one hit in 27 at-bats with runners in scoring position.     

“Offensively, we were horrible,” said Indians manager Manny Acta, whose last-place team fell to 7-3 since the All-Star break. “We had terrible approaches in hitter’s counts.

“We got (11) hits. We just couldn’t take advantage of our opportunities.”

Indians starter Justin Masterson pitched well enough to win, but the lack of run support derailed that bid. The right-hander allowed three earned runs, all of them in the second inning, on five hits, while striking out five over 6 2/3 innings.

Masterson (3-9, 5.19 ERA) retired the first five hitters he faced before walking Willy Aybar and allowing a base hit to John Jaso. Reid Brignac followed with a three-run home run, providing all the runs Tampa Bay would need.

“When you get two outs, you don’t want to walk people because it’s going to come back and hurt you,” Masterson said. “You get two outs and you want to get a nice popup or something, but that’s not the way the luck’s been running for me.”

Masterson’s second inning was a carbon copy of Mitch Talbot’s fifth inning in a loss to Tampa Bay on Saturday. Talbot retired the first two hitters before allowing two to reach base, both of the runners scoring on a three-run homer from Ben Zobrist.

“It’s a lesson to be learned,” said Acta, who told Masterson as much during a lengthy conversation with the pitcher on the mound before removing him. “When we have two outs and nobody on, we need to smell blood and go after guys.”

Masterson found a groove after the second inning, allowing just an unearned run in the fifth, thanks to an error from third baseman Andy Marte.

“I was pretty happy with the way I came back,” Masterson said. “We were right there. We had a lot of opportunities as the game went on. We just weren’t able to come through.”

Tampa Bay starter Wade Davis got the win after allowing two runs on seven hits over 6 1/3 innings. Both of Cleveland’s runs came within the first two innings.

The Indians scored once in the opening inning on a sacrifice fly from Carlos Santana, and another in the second on a fielder’s choice grounder from Marte.

Shin-Soo Choo and Travis Hafner accounted for six of their team’s hits, Hafner going 4-for-4 with a double. It equaled a career-high hit total for Hafner, who last accomplished as much in 2007.

The Indians put the first two hitters aboard in the second and fourth innings and scored just once. They had two on with one out in the seventh before Choo grounded back to the pitcher and Brignac stole a hit from Santana on a diving stop in the outfield grass.

Cleveland produced five hits over the final three innings but did not score, Santana flying to center after Choo doubled with two outs to end the game.

According to Acta, lack of discipline at the plate, which was on full display in the series finale, is one of the growing pains surrounding a young club such as the Indians.

“These guys are learning up here,” he said. “Sometimes it’s going to cost them. Bring the kids, bring the kids. Then you have to live with it.”

 

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.