The game is still moving at a snail’s pace, but the results so far make it all worthwhile for the fans sitting in Progressive Field, where it was 39 degrees at game-time…almost three hours ago.
Asdrubal Cabrera capped a four-run sixth inning for the Indians with a three-run homer to right after the inning was set up by wildness from the Boston bullpen, and the Tribe is five runs clear of the Red Sox with three innings to go, leading 7-2 after six.
Cleveland starter Mitch Talbot was unable to make it through the fifth and thus the Indians’ bullpen will get a decision tonight. Talbot breezed through the fourth, but put two on in the fifth before he was lifted. Chad Durbin relieved and retired the only batter he faced, then Rafael Perez closed out the inning with no damage on the scoreboard.
It remained 3-2 Cleveland until the bottom of the sixth, when Dice-K Matsuzaka was lifted and Dennys Reyes immediately loaded the bases on consecutive hit-by-pitches to Travis Buck and Matt LaPorta and a walk to Jack Hannahan.
Dan Wheeler relieved and was able to induce a run-scoring fielder’s choice to Michael Brantley, making it 4-2. Asdrubal Cabrera then unloaded to right and suddenly it was a five-run margin.
Frank Herrmann is on in the seventh for the Indians, who will try to put this baby to bed and finish the third straight Cleveland win.