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Cleveland LHP Lewis makes MLB debut vs. Orioles

Sep 10, 2008 - 10:12 AM Cleveland (70-73) at Baltimore (64-79) 7:05 p.m. EDT

BALTIMORE (Ticker) -- This is not the way the Cleveland Indians envisioned September. Runners-up in the American League last year, the Indians certainly could have expected sending a southpaw to the mound in a mid-September game.

Rather than sending American League Cy Young winner CC Sabathia to the mound as etched in their blueprint for the season, they will call on rookie Scott Lewis, who will make his first career start against the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday.

Lewis, a former Ohio State pitcher who has been in the Indians' minor-league system for five years, was a combined 8-4 with a 2.40 ERA with Class AA Akron and Class AAA Buffalo.

Throughout the season, despite all the Indians' struggles, one of the team's few constants has been the impeccable control of its pitching staff. As a club, Cleveland has issued 390 walks - second-fewest in baseball. In that sense, Lewis will fit right in. The 6-0, 185-pound southpaw has walked 13 over 97 1/3 innings, compiling a stellar 0.97 WHIP.

He will be dueling fellow lefthander Chris Waters (2-2, 5.40 ERA), who made his major-league debut a month ago. In an August 5 win over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, he tossed eight innings of one-hit ball en route to a 3-0 victory, striking out three and walking three.

Since, things haven't come quite as easily for the former fifth-round pick. He has only gotten to the sixth inning on one occasion over his last six starts, losing two of three decisions.

The Orioles have lost nine out of 10 and 17 of 21.