Indians Wind Up Behind in Count

Even though Cleveland has three career National Leaguers in the lineup, hitting has not been a problem for the Indians, not with 13 runs in the first two games.

But Thursday’s 5-4 loss at Oakland was a result of too many walks, assisted by a bizarre baserunning blunder.

First, the blunder.

Cleveland’s Julio Franco, thinking teammate Kevin Mitchell had just taken ball four, strolled into second base on an attempted steal in the sixth. But Mitchell had just taken ball three, and a stunned Franco was tagged out as he walked to second base.

More damaging than the errant trot were all the walks.

Cleveland pitchers walked 11 and repeatedly had to work out of trouble. The A’s stranded 15, leaving the bases loaded in the first and sixth innings.

Trailing, 4-1, the A’s scored two in the fifth on Mark McGwire’s leadoff homer and an RBI single by George Williams. Oakland tied the game in the sixth on an RBI single by Jason Giambi.

Cleveland starter Orel Hershiser walked seven and gave up three runs and five hits in 4 2/3 innings. Hershiser, who gave up only 58 walks in 206 innings last season, also threw a wild pitch and hit a batter.

“I was pretty much a time bomb waiting to go off, and I tried to battle the best I could,” Hershiser said. “It was a hard day to feel the ball.”