Last week after Mat Latos and Derek Lowe faced off in Cincinnati, Lowe went off to the media about Reds manager Dusty Baker. Monday night the two were on the mound again, and this time it was Latos who had some pointed words for the other dugout.
While Latos didn't exactly come out and say the Indians were stealing signs in Monday's 10-9 victory at Progressive Field, he said everything but.
"I was a little up in the zone. I thought I made some good pitches that they spit on with a runner on second base," said Latos (via MLB.com), after giving up seven runs on eight hits in just four innings on Monday. "I suppose it was kind of ironic. We changed up the signs, for the last hitter unfortunately. The outcomes changed when we changed up the signs today."
When asked if the Indians were stealing signs, he responded: "That's kind of the idea," he said (via the Cincinnati Enquirer). "When you go back and look at video, a couple runners on second base, they put better swings on the ball than they did most of the time without a runner on second base."
Two of the Indians' three home runs off of Latos came with a man on second -- with catcher Carlos Santana on second base for Lonnie Chisenhall's home run in the second inning and with outfielder Michael Brantley on second for Casey Kotchman's homer in the fourth inning. Even if that is the case -- five of the Indians' hits against Latos came without a runner on second base, and all of those went for extra bases.
Latos ended up with a no-decision, but saw his ERA rise from 4.64 to 5.20. The Reds had won in his five previous starts.
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