Cleveland Indians: O-Cab's Walk-off Single Extends Home Winning Streak

4-30-11     vs. Detroit     W, 3-2 (13 innings)     18-8

     It's official: the Tribe is invincible when playing at Progressive Field.  Saturday's thrilling extra-innings victory was the Indians' 12th consecutive home victory, and the last 2 have been concluded in walk-off style.

     The pre-game buzz surrounded the major league debut of Alex White, Cleveland's 1st round draft pick in 2009.  On this night, White was as good as advertised.  The hard-throwing righty allowed only 2 runs during his 6 frames of work, and he struck out 4.

     Miguel Cabrera and Ryan Raburn each hit solo homers in the top of the 4th to give Detroit a 2-0 lead.  The Tigers, though, would not score for the rest of the evening.

     Carlos Santana's 4th inning homer pulled the Tribe to within 1, and Michael Brantley's solo shot in the 6th evened the score.

     White exited the contest following the 6th, and, from that point on, the bullpen was brilliant.  Joe Smith, Vinnie Pestano, Chris Perez, Rafael Perez, and Tony Sipp combined to toss 7 shutout innings of relief.  The Tigers' best scoring opportunity occurred in the 13th after a Cabrera lead-off double.  However, a foul out and 2 fly outs rendered Cabrera's 2-bagger utterly worthless.

     The Indians finally sealed the W in the bottom of the 13th. Brantley's single started the rally, and the Tribe center fielder advanced to 2nd on Brayan Villarreal's errant pick-off attempt.  Asdrubal Cabrera's sacrifice bunt moved Brantley to 3rd base, prompting the Tigers to intentionally walk both Shin-Soo Choo and Santana.  The bases were now loaded with only 1 out as Orlando Cabrera stepped into the batter's box.  Cabrera, who is a notorious 1st ball hitter, lived up to his reputation by blasting Villarreal's 1st pitch over the head of Austin Jackson in center.  O-Cab settled for a RBI single, and the veteran was mobbed by his overjoyed teammates moments later.

A hero's reception in Cleveland

Cleveland Indians: Santana's Slam Caps Incredible Victory

4-29-11     vs. Detroit     W, 9-5     17-8

     Carlos Santana smashed a walk-off grand slam, and the Indians completed an improbable comeback to defeat the rival Tigers, 9-5.

     A Miguel Cabrera 2-run homer helped Detroit grab an early 3-0 advantage.  However, Jeanmar Gomez, despite not having his best stuff, prevented the Tigers from pulling away.  Gomez pitched 5 2/3 innings, and he stranded 6 runners on base.  Gomez's ability to minimize damage would loom large as the game progressed toward its thrilling climax.

     Detroit's Max Scherzer was nearly unhittable through the 1st 5 frames, but he began to waver in the 6th.  After quickly recording 2 outs, Scherzer allowed an Asdrubal Cabrera single, and he also issued a pair of walks.  Scherzer's sudden lack of command resulted in Shelley Duncan's 2-run single that pulled the Tribe to within 1.

     Detroit, though, reclaimed the momentum in the 7th.  Jhonny Peralta hit a RBI single, and Alex Avila contributed a sacrifice fly.  Both runs were charged to the struggling Chad Durbin, a pitcher the Indians believed they could depend on prior to the season.

     Given a 3-run cushion once more, Scherzer went back to work in the bottom of the 7th.  Following a routine groundout, Matt LaPorta cranked a solo homer to the Home Run Porch.  Scherzer walked Grady Sizemore with 2 outs, and Detroit manager Jim Leyland walked to the mound.  It appeared as if Leyland would replace his starting pitcher, but the long-time skipper eventually decided otherwise.  Scherzer's next pitch was belted into the right field bleachers by Asdrubal Cabrera, and the game was deadlocked.

     The 5-5 score held until the bottom of the 9th.  The Tigers turned to their hard-throwing righty, Joaquin Benoit, in hopes of extending the contest.  The 1st batter Benoit faced, Jack Hannahan, singled to center, and the winning run was on base.  Adam Everett pinch-ran for Hannahan, and Everett sprinted to 3rd base on Grady Sizemore's single.  Benoit then intentionally walked Asdrubal Cabrera to set up a potential force at the plate.  Shin-Soo Choo was given the 1st chance to capitalize on the golden opportunity, but the native of South Korea struck out.  The strikeout proved meaningless because the very next hitter, Carlos Santana, launched a game-winning grand slam deep to right.  A wild celebration ensued as the 15,568 fans in attendance roared their approval.

Carlos Santana's grand slam capped the Tribe's dramatic rally

Cleveland Indians: 1st Place Indians Sweep Kansas City

4-28-11     vs. Kansas City     W, 8-2     16-8

     The 2011 season is now 4 weeks old, and the American League Central Division standings are shocking to even the most optimistic of Tribe fans.  Following Thursday's triumph over Kansas City, Cleveland is alone atop the division, leading both the Royals and the Tigers by 4.5 games.

     In their series finale against the Royals, the Indians blasted 4 home runs, and the club's home winning streak reached 10.

Choo's homer sparked the rout of K.C.

     Shin-Soo Choo and Carlos Santana hit back-to back solo jacks in the bottom of the 1st as the Tribe quickly raced out to a 2-0 advantage.

     The long ball parade continued in the 3rd when Grady Sizemore lofted a solo shot over the center field wall.

     Leading off the 4th, Shelley Duncan hit the Indians' 4th solo home run.  Royals starter Kyle Davies then began to unravel.  Davies allowed a Jack Hannahan 2-run double, a Sizemore RBI double, and an Asdrubal Cabrera RBI double.  Davies failed to make it through the 4th, and the 8 runs he yielded in 3 1/3 innings saddled him with the loss.

      Fausto Carmona, who was rocked in Minnesota last weekend, limited the Royals to a pair of tallies in his 7 frames of work.  The impressive outing earned the sinker-baller his 2nd win of the campaign.

Cleveland Indians: Early Offensive Barrage Fuels Rout of K.C.

4-27-11     vs. Kansas City     W, 7-2     15-8

     During the early stages of this 2011 season, the Indians have developed a habit of removing all doubt very quickly in games played at Progressive Field.  On Wednesday night, the Tribe scored 5 times in the 1st inning en route to its 9th consecutive home victory.

     The 5-run 1st began quietly as Grady Sizemore grounded out to 1st base.  After that, though, it was all Indians.  Asdrubal Cabrera, Shin-Soo Choo, and Shelley Duncan hit 3 consecutive singles to load the bases for the dangerous Travis Hafner.  Hafner fisted a RBI base-hit into shallow left field, and Royals starter Jeff Francis was in a heap of trouble.  Francis's situation worsened when the next batter, Orlando Cabrera, lined a 3-run double up the left-center alley.  Jack Hannahan's RBI single concluded the uprising.

     Kansas City never truly threatened the Indians following the 1st inning, but Jeff Francoeur and Mike Aviles did hit solo home runs in the 2nd.  However, Josh Tomlin settled down and pitched 6 strong frames to earn his 4th W.

Sizemore's diving catch was 1 of many highlights in a 7-2 triumph

     Lou Marson's sacrifice fly and a passed ball provided Cleveland with a pair of meaningless insurance runs in the 3rd and 6th, respectively.

     Due to the fact that the Indians were the only American League Central team to win on this night, the Tribe's division lead increased to 3.5 games over both the Royals and Tigers.  Meanwhile, the Twins and White Sox continued to fall further and further behind.

Cleveland Indians: Progressive Field Proves Friendly in Lopsided Victory

4-26-11     vs. Kansas City     W, 9-4     14-8

     A fierce wind howling through Progressive Field on Tuesday night helped 6 home runs sail into the outfield bleachers.  Fortunately, 5 of those were hit by the Indians who snapped a 3-game losing streak and widened their division lead to 2.5 games.

     8 of the 9 runs scored by the Tribe were a result of the long ball, but the 1st was actually manufactured.  In the top of the 1st, Grady Sizemore doubled and Asdrubal Cabrera singled before Shin-Soo Choo's fielder's choice plated Sizemore.

     Jack Hannahan's 3rd inning solo homer gave the Tribe a seemingly comfortable 2-0 advantage.  The reason for that comfort was the pitching of Justin Masterson.  Masterson did not allow a base runner until the 4th when Alex Gordon and Billy Butler hit consecutive RBI doubles.

     Cleveland claimed the lead for good in the 5th as Matt LaPorta and Hannahan hit back-to-back solo jimmy jacks.

     Despite yielding a solo bomb to Melky Cabrera in the 6th, Masterson's 6 2/3 frames of work earned him his 5th victory.

     The evening's turning point occurred in the 7th.  Luke Hochevar, the eventual losing pitcher, was yanked with 2 on and 1 out.  Choo then belted Louis Coleman's 1st offering over the right-center wall.  The 3-run blast gave the Indians a 7-3 cushion and the momentum.

Asdrubal Cabrera congratulates Choo following the Korean's critical homer

     In the 8th, Tony Sipp worked himself into a bases loaded mess, prompting Manny Acta to turn to the bullpen once more.  And Vinnie Pestano pulled a Houdini act by retiring the next 3 batters to preserve the 4-run lead.

     Sizemore's 2-run dinger provided some extra insurance, and Chris Perez, after yielding a run in the 9th, secured the victory.

    

Cleveland Indians: Tribe Stumbles to 3rd Consecutive Loss

4-24-11     at Minnesota     L, 4-3     13-8

     A 162-game regular season schedule features numerous peaks and valleys.  And the Indians, following a 3-2 loss to the Twins on Sunday afternoon, are currently mired in a valley.

     Facing Carlos Carrasco, Minnesota raced out to 2-0 lead in the bottom of the 3rd courtesy of Justin Morneau and his 2-run double.  However, the Twins shot themselves in the foot with poor base running.  Shin-Soo Choo twice gunned down runners at the plate as the Twins squandered what could have been a much better offensive inning.

     Choo's strong arm seemed to ignite the Tribe, which scored 3 times in the top of the 4th.  Orlando Cabrera hit a RBI double and Michael Brantley settled for a 2-run double after his 3-run homer was overturned by replay.

     Due to elbow tightness, the 3rd frame was Carrasco's last.  Jeanmar Gomez, who was skipped in the rotation as a result of Friday's rainout, was forced to pitch in long relief.  Gomez tossed 3 scoreless innings, but he allowed a single to begin the 7th.  Rafael Perez was summoned, and the 1st batter he faced reached on Orlando Cabrera's critical error.  Moments later, Jason Kubel crushed a 2-run double high off the right field wall.

An elbow injury shortened Carrasco's outing

     Kubel's heroics enabled Carl Pavano to earn the victory.  Pavano yielded only 3 runs in 7 solid innings of work.

     Cleveland was unable to rally off the Twins' stout bullpen in the contest's final 2 frames.  Denard Span's diving catch in center allowed Matt Capps to work around a Grady Sizemore double in the 9th and earn the save.

Cleveland Indians: Fausto Roughed Up By the Twins

4-23-11     at Minnesota     L, 10-3     13-7

     In the 3 starts since his Opening Day debacle, Fausto Carmona has settled into a very comfortable rhythm.  On Saturday afternoon, though, it was the Minnesota Twins who were in rhythm, and they scored 6 runs off of Carmona in his 5 innings of work.  As a result, Carmona suffered his 3rd loss of the campaign.

     The Twins tallied 3 times in both the 3rd and 5th frames.  Jason Kubel's 2-run double and Justin Morneau's 2-run single were the crushing blows that combined to send Carmona to the showers.

     Following Carmona's exit, Chad Durbin continued his habit of throwing glorified batting practice to opposing hitters.  Durbin yielded 4 runs, including Danny Valencia's mammoth 2-run blast, in 2 innings, and his earned run average ballooned to 7.56.

     The Indians managed to pick up a single run in the 4th on Carlos Santana's RBI fielder's choice, but the potential tying runs were stranded on base.

     Grady Sizemore cranked out a 2-run shot in the 8th as the star center fielder completed his 1st week back from the disabled list.

Sizemore's round-tripper was the Tribe's lone bright spot

     Brian Duensing pitched 7 innings of 1-run ball to improve his career record against Cleveland to 3-0.

     This offensive outburst marked the 1st time the Twins have scored more than 5 times in a game all season long.

Cleveland Indians: Bullpen Collapse Leads to Frustrating Defeat

4-21-11     at Kansas City     L, 3-2     13-6

     1 of the many keys to the Tribe's fast start has been its bullpen.  Through the 1st 3 weeks of the season, the pen has been nearly unhittable, but that was simply not the case on Thursday night.  Tony Sipp, Vinnie Pestano, and Chris Perez combined to blow a 2-0 lead, and the Royals were able to trim the Indians' division lead to 1 game.

     Cleveland claimed that aforementioned 2-0 advantage in the top of the 5th inning.  Grady Sizemore blooped a RBI single into center field, and Shin-Soo Choo plated a run with a fielder's choice.  However, Choo's fielder's choice actually should have been a base-hit.  Left fielder Alex Gordon made a diving trap of the line drive, and Grady Sizemore, the runner at 2nd base, was unable to determine whether Gordon had caught the ball or not.  As a result, Sizemore was forced out at 3rd.

     Josh Tomlin tossed 7 innings of shutout baseball, but, after issuing a 1-out walk in the 8th, he was replaced by Tony Sipp.  Sipp then proceeded to retire Melky Cabrera before walking Gordon.  Vinnie Pestano was summoned by Manny Acta in hopes that the young righty could end the threat.  However, Pestano walked Billy Butler and surrendered a RBI single off the bat of Jeff Francoeur.  Fortunately, Asdrubal Cabrera was able to knock down Francoeur's grounder, thus saving a run.  Pestano did record the 3rd out, and the Indians were now clinging to a 2-1 lead.

     Chris Perez quickly encountered trouble in the bottom of the 9th when he allowed a lead-off double.  Kansas City eventually loaded the bases, and Cabrera lashed a walk-off 2-run single through the left side of infield.

The Royals celebrate their come-from-behind victory

    

Cleveland Indians: Tribe Rallies to Defeat Hochevar and the Royals

4-20-11     at Kansas City     W, 7-5     13-5

     After 5 innings of play Wednesday night in Kansas City, the Indians were on the wrong end of what was quickly becoming a historic evening.  Luke Hochevar had a perfect game intact, and a Tribe victory was the furthest thing from anyone's mind.

     Then the proverbial light bulb flickered on, and the Indians began pounding Hochevar into submission.  The Royals starting pitcher failed to record even a single out in the 7th.  By the end of the contest, Hochevar's perfect game bid was all but forgotten.

     Michael Brantley broke up Hochevar's perfecto as the Tribe center fielder singled through the middle of the infield.  Hochevar appeared rattled because the next hitter, Matt LaPorta, shot a RBI double down the left field line.  Hochevar's 2nd balk of the frame scored LaPorta, and Shin-Soo Choo later added a RBI double to the left-center alley.

Asdrubal Cabrera scores one of the Tribe's 7 runs

     Cleveland continued to rock in the 7th.  Brantley and LaPorta both walked and scored on Jack Hannahan's line drive double that reached the wall in right.

     Carlos Santana's flair RBI single to center in the top of the 9th completed the Indians' late-game uprising.

     Meanwhile, Justin Masterson quietly recorded his 4th victory of the young season.  Masterson allowed a pair of tallies in the 1st, but he pitched 5 scoreless frames following that hiccup.

     Tony Sipp, who has been spectacular in 2011, stumbled in the bottom of the 9th as the lefty yielded 3 runs, including a Jeff Francoeur 2-run homer.  Chris Perez, though, retired Mike Aviles on 3 pitches to earn his 6th save. 

Cleveland Indians: Bats Unable to Overcome Gomez's Poor Start

4-19-11     at Kansas City     L, 5-4     12-5

     Mitch Talbot's elbow injury forced the Indians to replace their 5th starter with Jeanmar Gomez.  Prior to Tuesday night, Gomez did have some major league experience, but he struggled mightily in his 2011 debut, and the Royals took full advantage.

     Gomez began to falter in the 3rd inning.  Alcides Escobar hit an infield single and advanced to 2nd base when 1st baseman Carlos Santana botched a rundown in which Escobar was trapped.  Escobar then scored on Chris Getz's triple.  Melky Cabrera's groundout plated Getz, and the floodgates were opening.

     Kansas City added a tally in the 4th and 2 more in the 5th, prompting Tribe skipper Manny Acta to yank his young starting pitcher.  Gomez lasted only 4 1/3 frames, and he surrendered 5 runs.  It was the 1st time since April 5th that a Cleveland pitcher did not record a quality start.

Gomez's rough outing put the Tribe in a deep hole

     The 5-run deficit appeared daunting, but the Indians refused to admit defeat.  In the 7th, Lou Marson cranked a 2-RBI double to the right-center field gap.  Marson, though, was later thrown out at the plate to end the threat.

     Carlos Santana produced a RBI single in 8th, and, as the game entered its final inning, the Indians were only trailing by 2 runs.  The Royals closer, Joakim Soria, nearly blew the save in the 9th due to his uncharacteristic lack of command.  An error, a single, a hit batsman, and a bases-loaded walk brought the Tribe to within 1.  However, Soria struck out Santana looking, and the Indians' heroic effort proved to be in vain.

Cleveland Indians: Indians Topple K.C. in Extras

4-18-11     at Kansas City     W, 7-3 (10 innings)     12-4

     When the 2011 regular season schedule was released this past winter, very few people expected the mid-April Indians-Royals series to have any meaningful implications.  However, entering play on Monday night, Cleveland and Kansas City were in 1st and 2nd place, respectively, in the American League Central.  And although it required 10 innings, the Tribe managed to maintain the division's top spot by winning a thriller at Kauffman Stadium.

     The Indians used a little 2-out lightning in the top of the 1st to score an early run.  Shin-Soo Choo hit a 60-foot single and scored on Carlos Santana's double.

     The 2 clubs then traded sacrifice flies, and the Tribe held a slim 2-1 advantage after 5 1/2 innings.

     In the bottom of the 6th, the Royals strung together 4 consecutive base-hits, and Alex Gordon's RBI single gave the home team a 3-2 lead.

     Cleveland, though, was not behind for very long because Jeremy Jeffress struggled mightily in the 7th.  Jeffress issued a lead-off walk to Michael Brantley before uncorking an errant pickoff throw that enabled Brantley to scamper to 3rd base.  The next batter, Matt LaPorta, bounced a game-tying single through the left side of the infield.  The Indians should have plated more than 1 tally, but they wasted a bases loaded, 1 out opportunity.

     Following Carlos Carrasco's exit in the bottom of the 7th, the contest was placed in the dependable hands of the Tribe bullpen.  The bullpen was able to pitch 3 2/3 scoreless frames, but it was far from smooth.  In the 8th, Kansas City had men on 1st and 2nd with only 1 out but failed to score due to a very weird play.  Kila Ka'aihue rolled a potential double play grounder to LaPorta at 1st base.  LaPorta fired the ball to 2nd, and it appeared as if the base runner, Billy Butler, was out.  The throw back to 1st was late, and Butler began to walk toward his dugout.  Asdrubal Cabrera, realizing Butler had actually been ruled safe, gestured for the baseball, and, upon making the catch, he tagged out the bewildered Butler.  That play loomed large after the Royals botched a bases loaded scoring chance later in the inning.

     The Indians finally broke the deadlock in the top of the 10th.  Shelley Duncan smashed a RBI double into the left field corner, LaPorta drove in a run courtesy of a fielder's choice, Jack Hannahan crushed a RBI double to left-center, and Grady Sizemore bounced a run-scoring single off the 2nd base bag.

Duncan's clutch double helped lift the Indians to yet another victory

     The Tribe has now won 12 of its last 14 games and shares baseball's best record with Colorado.

Cleveland Indians: Tribe Sweeps Up Baltimore

4-17-11     vs. Baltimore     W, 4-2     11-4

     Baseball in Cleveland is not supposed to be this much fun.  Heck, Clevelanders are accustomed to watching their team fade out of contention before the end of April.  But, as the Tribe clearly illustrated on Sunday, these are not the typical Indians.

     The afternoon's top story was the return of Grady Sizemore.  Despite having not played in a game since last May, Grady showed no signs of rust in his 2011 debut.  Sizemore popped a solo homer to the right field bleachers in the 3rd inning, and he doubled in the 5th.

A Welcome Sight: Sizemore returned to the lineup on Sunday

     Carlos Santana and Travis Hafner also hit solo homers to right, and Travis Buck's RBI single accounted for the other Tribe tally.

     The icing on the cake was the fact that Fausto Carmona finally earned his 1st victory of the season.  Carmona held the Orioles to 2 runs, 1 earned, in 7 strong innings, and he used his nasty sinker to induce a pair of key double play ground balls.

     Cleveland's bullpen once again slammed the door shut in the final 2 frames.  Tony Sipp tossed a 1-2-3 8th, and Chris Perez did the same in the 9th to record his 5th save.

Cleveland Indians: Cabrera's Big Day Sparks Rout

4-16-11     vs. Baltimore     W, 8-3     10-4

     Through the 1st 2 weeks of the 2011 season, Asdrubal Cabrera has compiled an American League-best 14 runs batted in.  As a result, Asdrubal's middle infield mate, Orlando Cabrera, has simply become "that other Cabrera."  However, all that changed on Saturday afternoon when O-Cab drove in 4 runs to lead the Indians to a relatively easy victory.

     The Tribe's 2nd baseman began his big day in the 2nd inning with a RBI fielder's choice, and he produced the eventual game-winning hit, a RBI single to center, in the 3rd.  And, for good measure, Cabrera blasted a 2-run homer in the 7th to put the exclamation point on the triumph.

Orlando's 4 RBI fueled the Indians

     Even though Orlando was able to garner the headlines, Cleveland received offensive contributions from a wide range of sources.  Matt LaPorta picked up 2 RBI, Shin-Soo Choo lofted a solo homer over the left field wall, and Travis Hafner and Travis Buck each banged out 3 base-hits.

     Josh Tomlin complemented the Indians bats quite nicely by giving the Tribe its 9th consecutive quality start.  Tomlin tossed 6 frames and only allowed a pair of harmless solo homers.

Cleveland Indians: Tribe Steamrolls Baltimore

4-15-11     vs. Baltimore     W, 8-2     9-4

     It did not take the Indians very long to snap a brief, 2-game losing streak.  Friday night saw the Tribe make a return to Progressive Field, and 16,346 fans enjoyed the evening immensely by gorging on $1 hot dogs and watching the home team smoke the Orioles.

     In the bottom of the 3rd inning, Matt LaPorta (triple), Lou Marson (RBI single), Adam Everett (single), Michael Brantley (bunt single), Asdrubal Cabrera (2-run single), and Shin-Soo Choo (single) combined to produce 6 consecutive base-hits before a single out was recorded.  Travis Hafner later added a sacrifice fly, and Cleveland was off to a great, 4-0 start.

     Pronk widened the Indians' advantage in the 6th when he blasted his 3rd home run of the campaign, a solo shot to the seats in right-center field.

     Trailing 5-1, Baltimore skipper Buck Showalter decided to yank his starting pitcher, Zach Britton.  Britton suffered the loss after allowing 5 earned runs, 4 more than he had yielded in his 1st 2 big league starts put together.

     The Tribe removed any lingering doubt with a 3-spot in the 7th.  Cabrera hit yet another 2-RBI single, and Choo smacked a run-scoring double off the wall in left.  A-Cab now has a league-leading 14 runs batted in.

Cabrera picked up 4 more RBI as the Tribe routed the Birds

     The benificiary of the offensive outburst was Justin Masterson who won his 3rd game of the young season.  Masterson tossed 7 dominant frames while surrendering only 1 tally.

Cleveland Indians: Tribe Falls in Extra Innings

4-13-11     at Los Angeles Angels     L, 4-3 (12 innings)     8-4

     The Indians on display Wednesday afternoon in Anaheim were not the same Indians who recently reeled off 8 consecutive victories.  Those Indians played good, fundamental baseball, but that was not the case in this extra-innings heartbreaker.  The Tribe committed a costly defensive miscue, stranded numerous base runners, and, ultimately, lost because of it.

     The game's conclusion was definitely a major disappointment, but its beginning was very encouraging.  Shin-Soo Choo's 1st inning sacrifice fly scored Asdrubal Cabrera after the Cleveland shortstop blasted a triple to the gap in left-center field.

     The Indians began to reveal some chinks in the armor in the bottom of the 4th.  Howie Kendrick hit a lead-off double and scored when the cut-off man, Cabrera, made an errant throw to 2nd base that wound up in the Tribe dugout.  2 batters later, Torii Hunter launched a 2-run homer over the wall in left.

    Single tallies in the 5th (Michael Brantley RBI double) and 8th (Choo RBI groundout) enabled Cleveland to even the score at 3.  However, the damage would have been worse had the Indians not failed to drive in a runner from from 3rd with less than 2 outs on 3 separate occasions.

     Following the 8th, the contest settled into a nail-biting pitcher's duel.  Neither club yielded a run until Chad Durbin continued his poor season in the 12th.  Durbin allowed a base-hit, issued a pair of walks, uncorked a wild pitch, and surrendered a walk-off sac fly to Jeff Mathis.

Vernon Wells scores the winning run in the last of the 12th

Cleveland Indians: Haren Halts the Tribe's Streak

4-12-11     at Los Angeles Angels     L, 2-0     8-3

     Dan Haren twirled a gem, and the Angels put an end to Cleveland's 8-game winning streak.

     On this night, Haren was almost perfect.  The Halos right-hander tossed a 1-hitter, did not allow an Indian to reach 2nd base, and also struck out 8.  If not for Shin-Soo Choo's soft single in the top of the 4th, Haren would have thrown the 270th no-no in major league history.

     Fausto Carmona only surrendered 2 runs in 7 2/3 innings of work, but he suffered the tough-luck loss.  Even though Carmona has pitched very well in his last 2 outings, he is yet to earn a victory in 2011.

Carmona vents his frustration after being taken out of the game by Manny Acta

     Los Angeles recorded its 2 tallies by virtue of the gopher ball.  Peter Bourjos and Mark Trumbo hit solo homers in the 3rd and 7th, respectively.  Trumbo's blast was the 1st of his career.

     Despite the disappointing defeat, the Tribe remains atop the American League Central Division standings, and the 8-3 record is tied for 2nd best in all of baseball.

   

Cleveland Indians: Streaking Tribe Takes Care of the Angels

4-11-11     at Los Angeles Angels     W, 4-0     8-2

     On Monday night in Anaheim, Tyler Chatwood, a young hurler making his major league debut, proved to be nothing more than cannon fodder for the surging Indians.  Chatwood surrendered 4 runs in the 1st 2 innings, and Cleveland cruised to its 8th consecutive victory.

     Asdrubal Cabrera's solo home run to center field in the top of the 1st gave the visitors the only offense they would need.  The long ball was Cabrera's 4th of the season.

     Chatwood continued to struggle in the 2nd.  Orlando Cabrera laced a 1-out single to center, and Austin Kearns doubled off the glove of Peter Bourjos in right-center.  The next hitter, Matt LaPorta, capitalized on the golden opportunity by lofting a 3-run blast over the right field wall.

LaPorta celebrates his 3-run shot

     Even though the Tribe bats fell silent following the 2nd inning, the Halos were unable to stage a comeback because of Mitch Talbot's tremendous outing.  Talbot tossed 8 scoreless frames and only allowed 1 Angel to reach 2nd base before Bobby Abreu smacked a 2-bagger in the 9th.  However, Vinnie Pestano was summoned from the bullpen, and he recorded the game's final 3 outs.

Cleveland Indians: Tribe Sweeps Seattle and Extends Streak to 7

4-10-11     vs. Seattle     W, 6-4     7-2

     2 teams moving in opposite directions clashed this weekend in Seattle, and, by the end of the 3-day series, it was clear which team was which.  Courtesy of their 6-4 victory on Sunday afternoon, the Indians have now won 7 consecutive games.  The Mariners, on the other hand, are in the midst of a week-long slide.

     The Tribe scored at least 1 run in each of the 1st 4 innings to claim an insurmountable advantage.  Asdrubal Cabrera led the way with a solo home run and a RBI single.  Shelley Duncan (RBI double), Michael Brantley (RBI double), and Jack Hannahan (solo homer) also contributed as Cleveland quickly knocked Erik Bedard out of the contest.

     Meanwhile, Josh Tomlin quietly put together another solid outing.  The yong right-hander earned a quality start by pitching 6 2/3 frames of 3-run ball.

Tomlin sparkled as the Tribe continued to roll

     Ryan Langerhans's 2-run bomb in the 7th marked the end of Tomlin's afternoon, but the bullpen, despite allowing a Michael Saunders round-tripper, held on to the lead, giving Tomlin his 2nd win of the season.

     Chris Perez, the Indians dynamite stopper, earned his 4th save in as many opportunities.

Cleveland Indians: Masterson and the Bullpen Hold Off Seattle

4-9-11     at Seattle     W, 2-1     6-2

     Manny Acta's decision to use Justin Masterson as a starting pitcher was harshly criticized by Indians fans who believed Masterson was better suited in a relief role.  However, following a pair of dominant starts, Masterson appears to be the right man for the job.

     In his most recent outing, Masterson limited the Mariners to 1 run over 6 1/3 innings of work while striking out 9.

Masterson led the Indians to their 6th straight win

     Despite Masterson's valiant effort, the M's nearly overtook the Tribe in the closing stages of the contest.  Masterson did surrender 1 tally in the 7th, but Rafael Perez escaped a 2 on, 1 out jam when Ichiro Suzuki bunted back to the mound.  In the 8th, Tony Sipp allowed a leadoff double before retiring the next 3 hitters in succession.  Chris Perez then hurled a 1-2-3 9th to nail down his 3rd save of the season.

     Cleveland scored its 2 runs in the top of the 4th.  Asdrubal Cabrera and Shin-Soo Choo hit back-to-back singles to start the rally.  Carlos Santana's weak bouncer to 1st base moved the 2 runners up 90 feet, and Travis Hafner was walked intentionally.  By loading the bases, the Mariners were hoping to set up a double play, but Orlando Cabrera took advantage of the strategy by lofting a fly ball to left field.  Asdrubal Cabrera scored easily as Milton Bradley inexplicably fired the ball to 3rd where no defenders were located.  The errant throw skipped into the Indians dugout, allowing Choo to score as well.

Cleveland Indians: 10-run 4th Keys Blowout Victory

4-8-11     at Seattle     W, 12-3     5-2

     A trip west failed to cool off the red-hot Indians as the Tribe won its 5th consecutive game, 12-3 over the Mariners.

     Asdrubal Cabrera set the tone in the top of the 1st by hitting a lined shot that barely cleared the left field wall.

     Cleveland then proceeded to score 10 runs in 4th.  Following is a batter-by-batter account of the offensive outburst.

• Shin-Soo Choo single
• Carlos Santana single
• Travis Hafner RBI single
• Orlando Cabrera RBI single
• Austin Kearns RBI double
• Matt LaPorta sacrifice fly
• Jack Hannahan RBI single
• Michael Brantley single
• Asdrubal Cabrera strike out
• Choo base on balls
• Santana RBI single
• Hafner 3-run homer off the glass windows of the upper level suites in right field
• Orlando Cabrera single
• Austin Kearns strike out



Pronk crushes his mammoth home run



     After Hannahan's base-hit, Mariners' starter Jason Vargas was replaced by Tom Wilhelmsen.  Vargas, who surrendered 7 runs in 3 1/3 innings pitched, suffered the loss.

     The relentless Indians added a tally in the 5th when LaPorta scored on catcher Miguel Olivo's throwing error.

     Aided significantly by his offense's incredible performance, Carlos Carrasco pitched 6 frames of 1-run ball to earn the win.

     The fact that Seattle is managed by former Tribe skipper Eric Wedge made the triumph even sweeter. 

Cleveland Indians: Tribe Prevails in Pitcher's Duel

4-7-11     vs. Boston     W, 1-0     4-2

     During his postgame press conference, Manny Acta used the term "Dracula-like" to describe the weather conditions on Thursday afternoon.  And the Tribe skipper hit the nail on the head.  The Indians and the Red Sox were forced to play their series finale on a day that featured cold temperatures, dense fog, and high winds.

     In addition to the brutal weather, each team pitched its ace, and the result was a game virtually devoid of offense.

     Jon Lester and Fausto Carmona both tossed 7 shutout innings as the 2 hurlers successfully recovered from poor Opening Day outings.

     Entering the bottom of the 8th, the contest was scoreless, but the Indians were about to break through.  Adam Everett, playing in his 1st game as an Indian, led off the frame with a walk.  Acta then decided to become aggressive.  Everett promptly stole 2nd base, and Acta instructed Orlando Cabrera to drop down a sacrifice bunt.  The bunt moved Everett to 3rd, setting the stage for the game's defining moment.  Asdrubal Cabrera and Everett stunned the Sox by perfectly executing a suicide squeeze which gave the Tribe a slim lead of 1-0.

     Although Chris Perez earned the save in the 9th, it was anything but routine.  Perez walked David Ortiz with 2 outs, and Big Papi was replaced by Darnell McDonald.  The next batter, J.D. Drew, hit a bullet off of Perez's leg that ricocheted to 3rd.  Everett fielded the ball but realized he had no chance to throw out Drew at 1st.  However, McDonald slipped and fell as he rounded 2nd.  Everett instantly saw McDonald's mishap and threw to Orlando Cabrera.  Cabrera snagged the throw and slapped the tag on McDonald to complete the wild, game-ending play.

Cabrera tagged out McDonald, and the Indians swept the BoSox

     Rafael Perez, who worked out of a 2 on, 1 out jam in the 8th, picked up his 2nd win in as many days.

Cleveland Indians: Tribe Rolls to 3rd Consecutive Victory

4-6-11     vs. Boston     W, 8-4     3-2

     Boston is, to put it mildly, a complete mess.  And the Indians are loving it.

     On a chilly Wednesday night at Progressive Field, the Tribe won its 3rd straight game at the expense of the Red Sox who are now 0-5.

     Cleveland raced out to an early lead when Shin-Soo Choo launched a 2-run homer to right-center in the bottom of the 1st inning.

     A blooper and a pair of well-placed squibbers enabled the Sox to tie the score in the 2nd, but Mitch Talbot, the Indians starting pitcher, succeeded in minimizing the damage.

     The Tribe reclaimed the lead in the home half of the 3rd off of Boston hurler Daisuke Matsuzaka, the eventual losing pitcher.  Matt LaPorta singled, Michael Brantley walked, and Asdrubal Cabrera floated a RBI single over the infield and into left-center.

     Due to control problems, Talbot only worked 4 1/3 frames, but the bullpen cleaned up Talbot's 5th inning mess and never allowed Boston to mount a serious comeback in the late stages of the contest.

     In the 6th, the Red Sox came apart at the seams.  Dennys Reyes hit 2 batters and walked another to load the bases with nobody out, and Boston was in a jam.  Dan Wheeler replaced Reyes and got Brantley to hit a soft liner to 3rd base.  However, Kevin Youkilis dropped the ball, setting in motion the craziest play of the season.  Youkilis stepped on 3rd for 1 out and then threw home to complete what should have been a routine double play.  But because Youkilis had stepped on the bag, there was no longer a force out at the plate.  Therefore, Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek needed to tag Travis Buck, but Varitek suffered a mental breakdown, allowing Buck to score standing.  The next batter, Asdrubal Cabrera, lofted a 3-run homer to the seats in right, and the Sox were a beaten team.

     The 2 clubs traded long balls in the fnal innings as Adrian Gonzales blasted a 2-run shot and LaPorta, a solo bomb.

The Indians celebrate their 3rd consecutive W

Cleveland Indians: Tomlin Shines as the Tribe Tops Boston

4-5-11     vs. Boston     W, 3-1     2-2

     Standing in the dugout shortly after the Tribe's victory over the slumping Red Sox, Josh Tomlin described his responsibility as a starting pitcher.

     "If you can give them (the bullpen) the lead heading into the 8th or 9th (inning), you're feeling pretty good aobut yourself."

     And, in his 1st outing of the season, Tomlin did exactly that.  The 26-year-old Texan tossed 7 strong innings in which he allowed only 1 run, and he handed the bullpen a 3-1 advantage.  Tony Sipp and Chris Perez took care of the rest by recording the final 6 outs.



Tomlin's brilliance extended the Tribe's winning streak to 2

     Boston drew 1st blood in the top of the 2nd when David Ortiz worked a 2-out walk, J.D. Drew doubled, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia bounced a RBI single through the right side of the infield.  However, Shin-Soo Choo fired a 1-hop strike to home plate, and Carlos Santana tagged out Drew for the 3rd out.

     The Indians fought back in the 4th as Sox starter Josh Beckett began to crumble.  Travis Hafner crushed a double off the right field wall and scored on Orlando Cabrera's flair single that barely eluded the glove of shortstop Marco Scutaro.  Jack Hannahan then drove in Cabrera with a ground ball base-hit to center.

     Cleveland added a tally in the 5th courtesy of good situational hitting.  Asdrubal Cabrera lined a 2-bagger up the alley in left-center, and Choo's groundout moved Cabrera to 3rd base.  Carlos Santana's sacrifice fly plated Cabrera and completed the night's scoring.

     The 5th frame was Beckett's last as the former ace failed to give Boston its 1st win of 2011.



Cleveland Indians: Triple Play Highlights the 1st Win of the Season

4-3-11     vs. Chicago White Sox     W, 7-1     1-2

     The Indians infield turned a triple play, and the Tribe earned its 1st victory of 2011 by defeating the White Sox, 7-1.

     Leading 1-0 in the top of the 4th inning, Chicago had a pair of runners on base when Alexi Ramirez popped up his sacrifice bunt attempt.  Carlos Santana, playing in his 1st major league game as a 1st baseman, charged the ball and made a superb diving catch.  Santana quickly threw to 1st for the 2nd out, and, after a moment's hesitation, Orlando Cabrera flipped the ball to 2nd, thus completing the 31st triple play in franchise history.



Santana's diving catch started the Tribe's improbable triple play



     Buoyed by the triple play, Justin Masterson pitched 7 strong innings to merit his 1st win of the campaign.  A year ago, Masterson only won 6 games.

     As good as Masterson was, John Danks was even better during the opening 5 frames.  Danks whiffed 8 Cleveland hitters, but the tide turned in the bottom of the 6th.  With 2 outs, Travis Hafner singled and Orlando Cabrera lofted a 2-run homer onto the home run porch in left field.

     Exhibiting situational hitting at its finest, the Indians tacked on 2 key insurance runs in the 7th and 3 more in the 8th.  Lou Marson (RBI double), Asdrubal Cabrera (sac fly), Shelley Duncan (pinch-hit 2-run single), and Michael Brantley (sac fly) combined to drive in the 5 late-inning runs.

Cleveland Indians: White Sox Thrash the Indians Again

4-2-11     vs. Chicago White Sox     L, 8-3     0-2

     If the Indians hope to compete in 2011, the starting rotation will have to improve drastically. 

     Less than 24 hours after Fausto Carmona was shellacked in the season opener, Carlos Carrasco experienced a similar fate, and the White Sox cruised to a 2nd consecutive blowout victory.

     Chicago scored all the runs it needed in the game's 1st 2 innings.  The Sox tallied 1 in the 1st and 4 in the 2nd as Carrasco spotted the visitors an early 5-0 cushion.

     The Tribe fought back with a 3-spot in the bottom of the 2nd.  Travis Hafner launched a solo home run, the White Sox committed a pair of errors, and Jack Hannahan lined a 2-run single to left field.

     The contest then settled into a pitcher's duel before the Pale Hose added a trio of insurance runs in the late innings.  Carlos Quentin's 2-run double in the 7th removed all doubt, and the Sox bullpen easily closed the door on Cleveland's comeback attempt.

     Carrasco allowed 7 runs, but he did save the relief corps by working into the 7th frame.

     Meanwhile, Edwin Jackson pitched 6 solid innings to earn the win.

Cleveland Indians: White Sox Top Tribe in Opening Day Slugfest

4-1-11     vs. Chicago White Sox     L, 15-10     0-1

     On Opening Day in Cleveland, the Indians and the White Sox combined to score 25 runs on 35 hits, but the Sox, who raced out to an early 14-0 lead, emerged victorious despite a gritty comeback orchestrated by the Tribe.

     Fausto Carmona, the ace of Cleveland's starting rotation, was beaten like a drum by Chicago to the tune of 10 runs in only 3 innings.  An 8-run 4th knocked Carmona out of the game, and he eventually suffered the defeat.

Carmona struggled mightily in his 1st start of 2011

     Carmona's counterpart, Mark Buehrle, did not pitch exceptionally well- 6 IP, 4 ER - but the effort was enough to earn the win on this day. 

     Adam Dunn's 4 RBI highlighted the White Sox offensive outburst.  Dunn crushed a 2-run homer in the 3rd and smashed a 2-run double in the 4th. 

     The Indians entered the bottom of the 6th trailing, 14-0, but the Tribe refused to quit.  Cleveland mustered 10 tallies during the contest's final 4 frames, but the incredible rally fell short.

     Carlos Santana, playing in his 1st official game since suffering a knee injury last August, had 3 hits, including a 2-run homer, and drove in 3.

     Even though the Indians lost the season opener, they did show some fight by battling back from a 14-0 hole.