CLEVELAND: If facing major-league hitters wasn’t tough enough, Carlos Carrasco went to battle with a swarm of midges to lead the Indians to a 6-5 win over the Houston Astros on Wednesday night at Progressive Field.
Early on, the bugs began annoying the Indians infield, similar — but not to the same extent — to the time they swarmed the field during the American League Division Series in 2007 against the New York Yankees.
This time it was Carrasco, and not then-Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain, who had to fight them off. Carrasco, first baseman Mike Napoli, third baseman Jose Ramirez and others repeatedly swatted bugs away from their faces, neck and arms.