• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Indians look to rebound behind Carmona

Apr 12, 2008 - 1:40 PM Oakland (7-4) at Cleveland (4-6) 7:05 pm EDT

CLEVELAND (Ticker) - With the uncertainty surrounding C.C. Sabathia's future after this season, the Cleveland Indians made sure this week that they at least locked up one of their aces - Fausto Carmona.

The righthander will take the mound on Saturday as the Indians host the Oakland Athletics, who took the series opener by a 9-7 score Friday.

Sabathia - a free agent after this season and the American League's reigning Cy Young award winner - is expected to test the market this winter and has likely priced himself out of Cleveland based on past performance.

Carmona (1-0, 0.69 ERA), however, is now in just his second full season in the majors and signed a contract worth a reported $15 million over the next four seasons with club options that could push the deal to $48 million over seven seasons.

Cleveland lost with Sabathia on the mound Friday, as the hefty lefthander continued his early season struggles, yielding nine runs and 12 hits in just 3 1/3 innings to boost his ERA to 11.57.

Mark Ellis, Mike Sweeney and Donnie Murphy each drove in two runs for the A's.

Carmona will be looking to match his first two starts of 2008 in which he allowed a total of two runs - one earned - and eight hits in 13 innings.

Oakland will counter with lefthander Lenny DiNardo (0-0, 54.00), who has made two appearances out of the bullpen this season, allowing two runs and four hits while retiring just one batter.

The 28-year-old DiNardo spent last season bouncing back and forth between the bullpen and the rotation, posting a 7-8 record with a 4.93 ERA in 20 starts.