SB Nation Cleveland - FINAL: Small-Ball Rally In Eighth, Base-Running Gaffe In Ninth Gives Indians The Sweep, 1-0; Guess Who's Tied For First?https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48841/cleveland-fave.png2011-04-07T14:15:23-05:00http://cleveland.sbnation.com/rss/stream/18561582011-04-07T14:15:23-05:002011-04-07T14:15:23-05:00An Ex-National League Manager Wins A National League-type Game As Tribe Moves To 4-2
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<p>For the longest time today it looked as if extra innings might be in the cards, and it might have been, had the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.letsgotribe.com/">Indians</a> not had a former National League manager who knows the benefits of being able to lay down a simple, fundamental bunt.</p>
<p>Without the benefit of a hit in the inning, Cleveland scored the only run of the game in the bottom of the eighth, <span>Fausto Carmona</span> was brilliant in a perfect comeback from his opening game, <span>Rafael Perez</span> was clutch when needed in a scoreless situation, and <span>Chris Perez</span> made things nervous but benefited from a base-running blunder in the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">Red Sox</a>’ ninth. It all translated into a 1-0 Indians’ win that moved the Tribe to 4-2 on the season and into a tie for first in the AL Central with Kansas City, and perhaps with Chicago as well, depending upon what the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.southsidesox.com/">White Sox</a> do this afternoon.</p>
<p>For seven tense innings, Carmona and <span>Jon Lester</span>, the Boston starter, both put up goose-egg after goose-egg, and both left with no decision, setting up the thrilling final two innings. Carmona’s performance dropped his <span class="caps">ERA</span> twenty-one points, all the way down to 9.00, and every one of those scoreless innings was needed.</p>
<p>In the Boston eighth, <span>Chad Durbin</span> came on and — after getting one out on a liner to center — gave up a single to <span>Marco Scutaro</span> and a walk to <span>Jacoby Ellsbury</span>, and suddenly the Sox had two on and a chance to finally break through for their first win of the season.</p>
<p>Enter Rafael Perez.</p>
<p>The next two Boston hitters, <span>Carl Crawford</span> and <span>Dustin Pedroia</span>, never got the ball out of the infield, being retired on grounders to keep the game at 0-0, and keeping Rafael Perez’s <span class="caps">ERA</span> at 0.00.</p>
<p>But there was still the matter of winning a ball game, and in the bottom of the eighth the Indians struck — if, indeed, a rally with no hits could be considered “striking”…perhaps it is more accurate to say the Indians “nibbled away” for a run.</p>
<p>Whatever works!</p>
<p><span>Daniel Bard</span> relieved Lester to begin the eighth, after a fine performance from the Sox starter, who went seven frames, K’ing nine and allowing only three hits.</p>
<p>Bard walked <span>Adam Everett</span>, and with <span>Orlando Cabrera</span> at the plate, Everett stole second. O. Cabrera then sacrifice-bunted Everett to third, bringing <span>Asdrubal Cabrera</span> to the plate.</p>
<p>A. Cabrera then laid down a perfect suicide-squeeze bunt to plate Everett, completing a beautiful small-ball rally. After Shin-Soo Choo made the third out of the inning — dropping his batting average to .083 — we were headed to the ninth.</p>
<p>Chris Perez came on for the Indians, and immediately retired <span>Adrian Gonzalez</span> and <span>Kevin Youkilis</span> on grounders, bringing <span>David Ortiz</span> to the plate. Ortiz, who is capable of hitting a homer each time he makes contact, walked, and was pinch-run for by Darnell McDonald. The next hitter, <span>J.D. Drew</span>, drove a pitch off of Chris Perez’s leg for an infield hit, which should have left two men on base — had McDonald not fallen down rounding second and been tagged out for the third and final out of the inning, after an alert Adam Everett, playing third, saw McDonald’s stumble and fired to second. On the replay it was hard to see if the tag beat McDonald — but the ump called it, and we will <span class="caps">TAKE</span> it.</p>
<p>Rafael Perez got the win for the second game in a row to move to 2-0 on the season, and Chris Perez got a thrilling second save. Daniel Bard took the loss for the Red Sox, who return to Boston for their home opener tomorrow against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">New York Yankees</a> with a record of 0-6.</p>
<p>Almost unthinkable.</p>
<p>The Indians head to Seattle and visit old friend Eric Wedge and his <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lookoutlanding.com/">Mariners</a> tomorrow night at 10:05 with <span>Carlos Carrasco</span> hoping to emulate Fausto Carmona’s bounce-back second start.</p>
https://cleveland.sbnation.com/cleveland-indians/2011/4/7/2097081/a-national-league-manager-wins-a-national-league-type-game-as-tribeAncientMariner2011-04-07T13:02:39-05:002011-04-07T13:02:39-05:00The Pitchers' Duel Continues On A Cold Day; Carmona And Lester Tied At 0-0 Going To The Seventh
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<p>In a game that began with the temperature sitting at 38 degrees, both sides have been cold at the plate, although, of course, the pitching might have something to do with that.</p>
<p>Through six innings at Progressive Field, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.letsgotribe.com/">Indians</a> and Boston are still scoreless, and both pitchers have settled in and been dominant, although with pitch-counts high for both <span>Fausto Carmona</span> and <span>Jon Lester</span>, it won’t be long until this game is in the hands of the bullpens.</p>
<p>Carmona allowed a harmless single in the middle three innings and — through six frames — has allowed just two hits, striking out four and walking two. Carmona, on 98 pitches, has cut his <span class="caps">ERA</span> by two-thirds, from 30.00 all the way down to 10.00, in a sterling vindication of his status as the Tribe’s ace.</p>
<p>Lester has been no less brilliant, striking out nine, allowing two hits and walking three. One of those walks, to <span>Carlos Santana</span> in the fourth, was immediately followed by a caught-stealing, and thus, both teams have left four men on base.</p>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">Red Sox</a> need a win today, but our “ace” has had something to say about that, and, as yours truly said about mountains and molehills when Fausto Carmona was shelled on Opening Day — one game does not a season make, and that is being borne out today.</p>
https://cleveland.sbnation.com/cleveland-indians/2011/4/7/2096920/the-pitchers-duel-continues-on-a-cold-day-carmona-and-lester-tied-atAncientMariner2011-04-07T12:13:13-05:002011-04-07T12:13:13-05:00Carmona Looking Better, But Lester Is As Well; No Score After Three In Matinee
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<p><span>Fausto Carmona</span> has pitched the same amount of innings as he did on Opening Day — and has given up ten fewer runs.</p>
<p>Although both teams threatened in the third, Carmona and Boston starter <span>Jon Lester</span> both were able to pitch out of the jams and the game between the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.letsgotribe.com/">Indians</a> and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">Red Sox</a> is scoreless going to the fourth.</p>
<p>Both pitchers breezed through the first. In the second, <span>Adrian Gonzalez</span> walked leading off, but Carmona was able to work around the free pass without allowing any damage, ending the inning with a loud out off the bat of <span>J.D. Drew</span>.</p>
<p>Lester once again retired the Tribe one-two-three in the second.</p>
<p>In the Boston third, with one out, <span>Marco Scutaro</span> walked and moved up to second on the Sox’ first hit of the game, from Jacoby Ellsbury. Scutaro made it as far as third but was stranded there on a long fly ball out off the bat of <span>Dustin Pedroia</span>, as Carmona worked out of the difficulty unscathed.</p>
<p>In the Indians’ half of the same inning, <span>Matt LaPorta</span> collected the Tribe’s first hit, and, with one out, <span>Adam Everett</span> collected his first hit AS an Indian, but both runners were stranded when <span>Orlando Cabrera</span> grounded out and <span>Asdrubal Cabrera</span> struck out.</p>
<p>The three scoreless innings by Carmona dropped his <span class="caps">ERA</span> from 30.00 to 15.00.</p>
<p>Ah, early-season baseball stats!</p>
https://cleveland.sbnation.com/cleveland-indians/2011/4/7/2096820/carmona-looking-better-but-lester-is-as-well-no-score-after-three-inAncientMariner2011-04-07T08:43:01-05:002011-04-07T08:43:01-05:00A Different Lineup For The Tribe Today
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.letsgotribe.com/">Indians</a> have some changes in their starting lineup today after last night’s game ended after 10:30.</p>
<p><span>Orlando Cabrera</span> will be leading off the for Tribe against <span>Jon Lester</span>, as <span>Michael Brantley</span> will be on the pines at the start of the contest. <span>Shelley Duncan</span> will get the start at DH and bat fifth, <span>Austin Kearns</span> will bat sixth, and <span>Adam Everett</span> will get the start at third base and will be hitting ninth.</p>
<p>Here is the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">Red Sox</a> batting order against <span>Fausto Carmona</span>:</p>
<p>1. <span>Jacoby Ellsbury</span> (L) CF<br> 2. <span>Carl Crawford</span> (L) LF<br> 3. <span>Dustin Pedroia</span>® 2B<br> 4. <span>Adrian Gonzalez</span> (L) 1B<br> 5. <span>Kevin Youkilis</span>® 3B<br> 6. <span>David Ortiz</span> (L) DH<br> 7. <span>J.D. Drew</span> (L) RF<br> 8. <span>Jarrod Saltalamacchia</span> (S) C<br> 9. <span>Marco Scutaro</span>® SS<br> <br> The Tribe will look like this against Lester, at least to begin the game:</p>
<p>1. Orlando Cabrera® 2B<br> 2. <span>Asdrubal Cabrera</span> (S) SS<br> 3. <span>Shin-Soo Choo</span> (L) RF<br> 4. <span>Carlos Santana</span> (S) C<br> 5. Shelley Duncan® DH<br> 6. Austin Kearns® LF<br> 7. <span>Matt LaPorta</span>® 1B<br> 8. <span>Travis Buck</span> (L) CF<br> 9. Adam Everett® 3B</p>
<p>Game time is 12:05. Look for updates during the game and a recap when it is over — when we can hopefully talk about a fourth straight Tribe win.</p>
https://cleveland.sbnation.com/cleveland-indians/2011/4/7/2096358/a-different-lineup-for-the-tribe-todayAncientMariner2011-04-07T06:59:00-05:002011-04-07T06:59:00-05:00Indians Go For Four-In-A-Row With Fausto Carmona Looking To Rebound
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.letsgotribe.com/">Cleveland Indians</a>, who were being written off by some people after only two games this season, find themselves above .500 for the first time since 2008, and will try to win their fourth straight game and sweep Boston when the season-opening homestand concludes this afternoon at 12:05 at Progressive Field.</p>
<p><span>Fausto Carmona</span> (0-1), who lasted only 3+ innings on Opening Day against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.southsidesox.com/">White Sox</a>, surrendering ten earned runs for an <span class="caps">ERA</span> of 30.00, will hopefully, in this start, be more relaxed, especially with the Indians playing well since the opener, and can extend the Tribe’s winning ways.</p>
<p>Boston, on the other hand, is desperate for a win before their home opener at Fenway tomorrow against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a>. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">Red Sox</a> find themselves 0-5 and in danger of panicking their fan base, who have lofty expectations for this team and have to be mortified over being swept in Texas and now being on the verge of being swept in Cleveland.</p>
<p><span>Jon Lester</span> will be Carmona’s mound opponent today. Lester — in his lone start, against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Rangers</a> — got a no-decision, giving up five earned runs in five and-a-third innings, and comes into today’s game with an <span class="caps">ERA</span> of 8.44.</p>
<p>But, just as Fausto cannot be judged on one bad outing, so too can it not be said that Lester is a cupcake because he was knocked around in hitter-friendly Arlington. Lester has a career mark of 61-25 and an <span class="caps">ERA</span> of 3.58.</p>
<p>Folks, both of those are quality numbers, and the <span class="caps">ERA</span> is exceptional for a pitcher in the American League.</p>
<p>Of course, when a team is winning, odd things happen and good pitchers can be beat. Case in point: last night, in the bottom of the sixth, with the Tribe clinging to a 3-2 lead (on their way to an 8-4 win), Cleveland loaded the bases with nobody out on two hit-batsmen and a walk. <span>Michael Brantley</span> then hit a liner to third which <span>Kevin Youkilis</span> got a glove on, then dropped. Thinking fast, Youkilis stepped on third for the force there, then fired home trying to double up Travis Buck. The throw beat Buck by plenty, but <span>Jason Varitek</span> forgot that — since the force at third had negated any force at the plate — he needed to tag Buck to record the put-out. When Varitek took the throw with his foot planted on the plate, the assumption was that Buck was out…but Buck scored on the mental lapse. The missed double play opportunity immediately haunted the Red Sox, when the next batter -- Asdrubal Cabrera -- blasted a three-run home run and basically put the game out of reach.</p>
<p>Anything can happen in baseball, and hopefully today, what can happen is that the Indians can finish off a sweep.</p>
https://cleveland.sbnation.com/cleveland-indians/2011/4/7/2096211/indians-go-for-four-in-a-row-with-fausto-carmona-looking-to-reboundAncientMariner2011-04-06T21:47:32-05:002011-04-06T21:47:32-05:00QUICK RECAP: Tribe Climbs Above .500 For First Time This Year, Defeats Boston 8-4
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.letsgotribe.com/">Indians</a>, on a night where the game-time temperature was 39 degrees, had the hot bats when it counted and outlasted the still-winless <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">Boston Red Sox</a> 8-4 tonight at Progressive Field, winning their third straight and climbing above the break-even point at 3-2 with the series’ finale set for tomorrow afternoon.</p>
<p><span>Shin-Soo Choo</span> belted a two-run blast in the first, <span>Asdrubal Cabrera</span> hit a three-run shot in the sixth, and <span>Matt LaPorta</span> homered in the eighth as the Indians withstood a desperate Red Sox team, which fell to 0-5 on the season.</p>
<p>All three had their first homers of the year.</p>
<p><span>Rafael Perez</span>, the third of six Indians’ pitchers, got the win with an inning-and-a-third of perfect relief, including two K’s. <span>Tony Sipp</span> once again pitched a one-two-three eighth, and — after LaPorta’s jack took away a save situation — <span>Vinnie Pestano</span> pitched a perfect ninth to end it.</p>
<p>The losing pitcher was Daisuke Matsuzaka, who gave up three runs in the first two innings and then settled down to last through the fifth without further damage. <span>Dennys Reyes</span> relieved in the sixth and lit the fuse with two hit batsmen and a walk that ended up in a four-run explosion for the Tribe, the exclamation point of which was Asdrubal Cabrera’s blast. Tim Wakefield relieved in the seventh and hurled two innings, surrendering LaPorta’s blast.</p>
<p>A crowd of 9.523 witnessed the contest that lasted nearly three-and-a-half hours, but the Tribe fans in attendance have to be warmed heading home, knowing that the Indians will be back at it at 12:05 tomorrow in the finale of the season-opening homestand with <span>Fausto Carmona</span> trying to bounce back from his Opening Day disaster. <span>Jon Lester</span> will go for Boston, trying to avoid the second straight three-game sweep against the Sox, who open at home on Friday against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a>.</p>
https://cleveland.sbnation.com/cleveland-indians/2011/4/6/2095817/quick-recap-tribe-climbs-above-500-for-first-time-this-year-defeatsAncientMariner2011-04-06T21:00:44-05:002011-04-06T21:00:44-05:00From A Tight Game To A Laugher? Indians Score Four In The 6th, Lead 7-2
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<p>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.</p>
<p><span>Asdrubal Cabrera</span> capped a four-run sixth inning for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.letsgotribe.com/">Indians</a> 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 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">Red Sox</a> with three innings to go, leading 7-2 after six.</p>
<p>Cleveland starter <span>Mitch Talbot</span> 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. <span>Chad Durbin</span> relieved and retired the only batter he faced, then <span>Rafael Perez</span> closed out the inning with no damage on the scoreboard.</p>
<p>It remained 3-2 Cleveland until the bottom of the sixth, when Dice-K Matsuzaka was lifted and <span>Dennys Reyes</span> immediately loaded the bases on consecutive hit-by-pitches to <span>Travis Buck</span> and <span>Matt LaPorta</span> and a walk to <span>Jack Hannahan</span>.</p>
<p><span>Dan Wheeler</span> relieved and was able to induce a run-scoring fielder’s choice to <span>Michael Brantley</span>, making it 4-2. Asdrubal Cabrera then unloaded to right and suddenly it was a five-run margin.</p>
<p><span>Frank Herrmann</span> is on in the seventh for the Indians, who will try to put this baby to bed and finish the third straight Cleveland win.</p>
https://cleveland.sbnation.com/cleveland-indians/2011/4/6/2095727/from-a-tight-game-to-a-laugher-indians-score-four-in-the-6th-lead-7-2AncientMariner2011-04-06T19:37:08-05:002011-04-06T19:37:08-05:00Slow-Motion Excitement; Lots Of Base Runners And Scoring As Indians Up On Boston Going To The Fourth
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<p>In a game which is on pace to last four hours, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.letsgotribe.com/">Indians</a> jumped out to a quick lead, Boston came right back to tie it, and the Tribe immediately took the lead again, <span>Mitch Talbot</span> pitched out of serious third-inning trouble, and it all translates to a 3-2 Cleveland lead going to the fourth.</p>
<p>After Talbot pitched around a single and struck out the side in the first, <span>Michael Brantley</span> led off the home half with a hit and, with one out, <span>Shin-Soo Choo</span> drilled a homer to right-center to give Cleveland an instant lead.</p>
<p>In the Boston second, after one was out, two singles and a walk loaded the bases for Marco Scutaro, who plated the first Sox’ run with an infield hit. The next batter, <span>Jacoby Ellsbury</span>, grounded to first and another run scored, tying the affair at 2-2.</p>
<p>Cleveland came right back in the bottom of the second. <span>Matt LaPorta</span> singled and with one out, Brantley walked. <span>Asdrubal Cabrera</span> then laced an <span class="caps">RBI</span> single to put the Tribe back on top. With two on and one out, though, Choo grounded into an inning-ending double play.</p>
<p>In the top of the third, <span>Dustin Pedroia</span> was hit by a pitch and Adrian Gonzalez doubled, but then Talbot got tough, striking out <span>Kevin Youkilis</span>, getting <span>David Ortiz</span> on a liner to short and fanning <span>J.D. Drew</span> to end the major threat.</p>
<p>Talbot has thrown 72 pitches through three innings, so it is obvious that the bullpen will be in this one early. Let’s hope Talbot can get through the fifth with a lead, and thus be in line for the win. That job in the third makes him worthy of a W, at this point.</p>
https://cleveland.sbnation.com/cleveland-indians/2011/4/6/2095573/slow-motion-excitement-lots-of-base-runners-and-scoring-as-indians-upAncientMariner