Ubaldo Jimenez superb as Cleveland Indians defeat Texas Rangers, 6-0

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Wednesday marks the two-year anniversary of the trade that brought right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez to Cleveland. The Indians sent former first-round picks Drew Pomeranz and Alex White and two others to the Colorado Rockies for Jimenez.

The Indians did not receive an ace but a pitcher in transition. No longer able to dominate with high-90s heat and a wicked?splitter, Jimenez relies more on changing speeds and locating.

Jimenez struggled with the new U in the final two months of 2011, going 4-4 with a 5.10 ERA in 11 starts. He was much worse for much longer last year, going 9-17 with a 5.40 ERA in 31 starts.

This season, however, Jimenez has managed to keep his team in the game most of the time. His effective outings rarely are pretty, but they still count.

On Sunday afternoon at Progressive Field, Jimenez was more than serviceable. He periodically dazzled.

Jimenez gave up two hits in eight?innings as the Indians defeated the Texas Rangers, 6-0, in front of 19,673 paid. The Indians?posted their?MLB-best 14th shutout,?11 of which have come?at Progressive Field. They haven't had 11 home shutouts since the 1968 team?notched?that number?for the?entire the?season.

The Indians swept the dangerous Rangers. On Friday, they won, 11-8, in 11 innings. On Saturday, behind 7 2/3 strong?from All-Star Justin Masterson, they won, 1-0. Masterson handed the baton to Jimenez.

"I don't think I've seen a series like that,'' said Mike Aviles, who hit a two-run homer Sunday.?"The Rangers have a lot of firepower, and they scored eight in the first game. It's almost like, 'Hey, guys, we better pack a lunch for the next couple of days because it's going to be a long game, regardless of who's on the mound. So you don't expect to shut them out the next two days. It just shows how well Masty and Ubaldo pitched.''

The Indians?had?not crafted back-to-back shutouts since May 13-14, 2008, against Oakland. They?had not swept Texas in a series of at least three games since Aug. 22-24, 2008 (three); they?had not?done so in Cleveland since Aug. 12-14, 1980 (three).

The Rangers entered this season at 26-8 against the Indians since the beginning of 2009. But the Tribe?won the 2013?season series,?5-1, including five straight victories.

The Tribe (56-48) remains three back of Detroit in the AL Central. Texas, second in the West at 56-49,?has dropped 12 of 15.

"Sometimes, you catch teams at a good time,'' Indians manager Terry Francona said. "There are so many ups and downs in a season. Fortunately, we won a couple of close ones.''

Francona did not need to chew as much gum as usual because Jimenez was relatively efficient.?Jimenez?walked three and struck out six. He threw 64 of 110 pitches for strikes.

"Ubaldo threw his fastball for strikes,'' Francona said. 'He was more aggressive with his fastball, which opened up the plate for his backdoor breaking ball.''

Jimenez?and catcher Yan Gomes?talked before the game about?establishing the fastball and not trying to be too fine.

"Using the fastball like we did?helped the?off-speed stuff,'' Jimenez said. "I had a good feel for the other pitches. Yan called a great game. We kept them off-balance.''

Jimenez is 8-5 with a 4.17 ERA. He has allowed?three or fewer earned runs in 16 of 21 starts.

Tribe starters are 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA?in the past 16 games.

"For the most part, the guys are attacking the zone better,'' Francona said.

The Indians took a 1-0 lead with two outs in the fifth. Jason Kipnis singled off right-hander Alexi Ogando to drive in Michael Bourn from third. Bourn had walked with two outs and moved to third on Nick Swisher's single.

Ogando allowed the one run on six hits in 4 2/3 innings,?walked two and struck out one. He threw 92 pitches. Ogando entered the game at 3-0 with a 0.84 ERA in eight appearances (two starts) against Cleveland covering 21 1/3 innings.

"We made Ogando work and got his pitch count up,''?Francona said. "Sometimes, that's how you beat good pitchers, because his stuff is filthy.''

The Indians scored three off lefty Robbie Ross in the sixth. Yan Gomes delivered?an RBI single and Bourn a two-run double, both?with two outs.

Aviles's homer?came in?the eighth.

The Rangers threatened in the first.

With one out, Elvis Andrus doubled to left-center. Andrus has hit safely in all 37 of his career games against Cleveland -- third-longest streak by a player against one team, career-opening or otherwise, since 1900.

Nelson Cruz walked. Adrian Beltre, swinging at the first pitch, grounded into a 5-4-3 double play. Beltre entered the day ranked seventh in the American League with a .310 average.

In the Tribe half,?Swisher had a one-out single and moved to second on Kipnis' single. The Kipnis at-bat lasted 12 pitches and included six consecutive fouls in a full count. Cabrera grounded into a fielder's choice and Michael Brantley flied to left. Brantley expressed disappointment in having missed squaring up a pitch he thought he could drive.

The Indians applied pressure again in the third. Gomes led off with a single and was erased by Bourn's grounder. Bourn moved to second on Swisher's single to left and to third on Kipnis' fly to right. Cabrera flied to center.

After walking Cruz in the first, Jimenez recorded 11 straight outs before A.J. Pierzynski led off the fifth with a bloop single to center. David Murphy walked. Jurickson Profar executed a sacrifice bunt.

Mitch Moreland, swinging at the first pitch, popped to shortstop Cabrera beyond second base. Moreland entered the day in an 0-for-17 slide. Leonys Martin grounded a full-count pitch toward first, where Swisher adeptly picked it.

Notable: Jimenez made a terrific play to retire?Martin on a bunt for the second out of the third. Jimenez got off the mound quickly and grabbed the ball with his bare?hand on the third-base side.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: dmanoloff@plaind.com, 216-999-4664

On Twitter: dmansworld474

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2013/07/cleveland_indians_face_texas_r.html

Jerry Buss Chris Bosh wife josh duhamel presidents day mindy mccready mindy mccready downton abbey