MINNEAPOLIS-- After Indians setup man Bryan Shaw blew a save a little more than one month ago, marking a third straight rough outing for the pitcher, manager Terry Francona was adamant in his defense of the reliever. Francona said he did not even want to consider looking for an alternative for the eighth inning.
Francona's support, which could have been viewed as stubbornness by fans fed up with Shaw's sporadic struggles, has been backed up by the right-hander's recent showing. An impressive two-inning performance on Saturday night extended Shaw's shutout streak to 13 consecutive appearances, dating back to a June 14 meltdown in Kansas City.