Cleveland Indians: Bad Defense Leads To Bad Loss

6 - 15 - 10     vs. New York Mets     L, 7 - 6     25 - 38

     Like any rebuilding team, the Indians have had their share of frustrating losses, but the interleague series opener against the Mets may have been the worst.  The Tribe was leading 4 - 1 in the 5th inning when they all of a sudden forgot how to play defense and the result was a deficit that the bats could not overcome.
     Following a RBI infield single from David Wright in the 1st that gave the New Yorkers a short - lived lead, Cleveland came roaring back in the 2nd.  Travis Hafner got things rolling with a solo homer to right and the game was tied.  A Russell Branyan walk and singles by Jhonny Peralta and Luis Valbuena set the table for Trevor Crowe, and he delivered with a two - out, two - run single through the left side of the infield.
     The Indians increased their advantage to the aforementioned 4 - 1 when Jason Donald bounced a two - out RBI single back up the middle that scored Peralta, who had walked.  Then the roof caved in.
     In the 5th, the Mets recorded two bunt singles, took advantage of a costly error by pitcher Justin Masterson, scored twice on one infield hit, got a big two - run bomb from Ike Davis, and when the dust had settled, the Amazins had tallied five times and were up 6 - 4.  If the Tribe's defense had been better, it is very possible that New York would not have scored at all.
     The Mets were on top 7 - 4 when Cleveland came agonizingly close in the bottom of the 9th.  Branyan led off with a single, and two batters later, Valbuena was called out on strikes even though the final pitch should have been ball four.  That loomed large when Shelley Duncan stroked a two - run homer that would have tied the game if not for the bad call by home plate umpire Kerwin Danley.  Crowe could not make amends as he flew out to end the ballgame.
     Hampered by poor defense behind him - the Indians made three errors in the contest - Masterson allowed seven runs (six earned) in seven frames of pitching.  The loss dropped Justin to 2 - 6 for the year.  Johan Santana was the winner and Francisco Rodriguez earned the save, both for New York.