CLEVELAND — There’s not much more right-hander Josh Tomlin can do to impress manager Manny Acta, but he gave it another try in his latest start Monday.
Starting pitcher Josh Tomlin pitches in the third inning Monday. (AP photo.)
Thanks to a seven-inning effort in a 6-3 victory over the Yankees, the 26-year-old Tomlin became the first pitcher since 1919 to pitch at least five innings in each of his first 29 career outings. He surpassed Boston’s Daisuke Matsuzaka, who accomplished the feat in his first 28 starts.
“It’s very impressive,” Acta said. “If you go way back when, that means there were a lot of guys before him that couldn’t do that. He just passed Matsuzaka. You heard all about the stuff that he had, and here comes this little cowboy from Texas and it’s money in the bank for five innings.”
Tomlin (10-4, 3.78 ERA) has been the picture of consistency, with the same approach — throwing strikes with all four of his pitches. He’s walked only 13 batters in 1092⁄3 innings, issuing his first free pass in four starts Monday.
“If he walks one, it surprises me,” Acta said. “If he walks more, I want to blame the umpire. He’s remarkable. He knows what his game is.
“I’m not saying he’s straight to Cooperstown, but I just don’t see a guy that can throw four pitches and locate them not having a career up here.”
Many of Tomlin’s starts have been carbon copies. He has allowed three runs or fewer in 13 of his 17 starts.
“It’s a piece of cake when he pitches,” Acta said. “I don’t have to worry about controlling the running game because he does that. You just let him go out there through the sixth and seventh innings and go to the bullpen when you need to.”
Wounded Wahoos
- Right-hander Alex White was at Progressive Field on Tuesday to have his surgically repaired right middle finger examined. White, Cleveland’s first-round draft pick in 2010, made three starts for the Indians before sustaining the injury. He has begun throwing but not from the mound. Acta said White would pitch again this season, provided he does not have a setback.
- An MRI performed on Fausto Carmona’s injured right quad revealed nothing serious, but the right-hander is on the 15-day disabled list. Triple-A Columbus’ Zach McAllister (8-3, 2.97 ERA) will be promoted for Carmona’s start Thursday against Toronto.
- Acta said he is leaning toward activating first baseman Matt LaPorta (right ankle sprain) from the disabled list, rather than send him on a minor league rehab assignment. LaPorta has been on the shelf since June 18.
- Right fielder Shin-Soo Choo (broken left thumb) is still on track to return in late August, according to Acta.
- Outfielder Travis Buck (hamstring) is expected to be available today. He hasn’t played since Friday.
Minor detail
- Former first-round draft pick (fifth overall) left-hander Drew Pomeranz, is 2-2 with a 2.06 ERA in 14 starts for High-A Kinston, striking out 88 batters in 70 innings.
Roundin’ third
- Tomlin is 12-2 in 15 career starts at Progressive Field. According to Elias Sports Bureau, Tomlin is just the second MLB pitcher that debuted in the expansion era to win 12 of his first 15 starts at home. He joined Lamar Hoyt, who accomplished the same for the White Sox at Comiskey Park from 1980-82.
- The last time the Indians entered the All-Star break in first place was 1999.
Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com. Like him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.
