CLEVELAND — Cleveland Indians right-handed pitcher Carlos Carrasco continued his path back to the major leagues following his leukemia diagnosis earlier this season when he took the mound in a rehabilitation appearance with the organization’s Triple-A affiliate, the Columbus Clippers, Sunday.
Carrasco allowed one hit and one run over his one-plus innings of work against the Toledo Mud Hens in Columbus. Carrasco was charged with the earned run allowed after Clippers reliever Josh D. Smith replaced him and surrendered a single to Christin Stewart in the top of the seventh inning.
Carrasco started the sixth inning and allowed one hit and struck out a batter before coming back out for the seventh frame and allowed a leadoff double to Daz Cameron on a 3-1 pitch.
Carrasco’s appearance was his third of the week after pitching twice for the Indians’ Double-A affiliate, the Akron RubberDucks.
During his second rehabilitation appearance, Carrasco pitched the fifth inning and made it through two-thirds of the top of the sixth in Akron’s 5-4 extra-innings victory over the Richmond Flying Squirrels at Canal Park in Akron last Thursday night.
Carrasco came into the game to start the fifth inning and promptly struck out infielder Zach Houchins and outfielder Bryce Johnson, needing just four pitches to finish off the first batter and working around a three-ball count for the second punchout.
Carrasco got Richmond catcher Jin-De Jhang to fly out to center field for the final out of the fifth inning.
In the sixth inning, lead-off hitter Ryan Howard reached on a fielding error charged to Akron shortstop Ernie Clement, but Carrasco settled in and struck out outfielder Johneshwy Fargas swinging on just three pitches.
Then, Carrasco set down outfielder Heliot Ramos swinging for the second out of the inning before being pulled from the game.
Over his 2.2 innings of work in two rehab appearances this week with the RubberDucks, Carrasco recorded five strikeouts with no hits or home runs and only one walk allowed.
