Cleveland Indians: Talbot, Tribe Double Up the Jays

5-31-11     at Toronto     W, 6-3     32-20

     Mired in what had been a dreadful road trip, the Indians desperately needed someone to halt the team's slide.

     On Tuesday night at the Rogers Centre, Mitch Talbot did exactly that.

     Talbot, who was roughed up by Boston last Wednesday, reversed his fortunes by limiting the Blue Jays to only 1 run in 6 2/3 innings.  The right-hander struck out 3, and several sterling defensive plays made behind him greatly aided his cause.  The victory Talbot earned was his 2nd of the season.

Talbot's solid outing was key as the Tribe topped Toronto

     Meanwhile, the Tribe's offense, which had scored only 15 runs in its previous 7 games, finally broke out of its slump. 

     Grady Sizemore and Carlos Santana, a pair of struggling batters, played the starring roles.

     Sizemore hit 2 RBI doubles, and Santana had 3 hits, including a RBI double, and a sacrifice fly.  All told, the 2 sluggers combined to produce 5 hits, 4 RBI, and 3 runs.

     After plating a single tally in the 2nd and 2 more in the 3rd, Cleveland broke the game wide open in the 5th.  With 2 outs and the bases empty, Travis Buck worked a seemingly harmless walk.  However, Sizemore and Santana proceeded to stroke back-to-back RBI 2-baggers, and Orlando Cabrera lined a run-scoring single into left field. 

     The 2-out rally sent Brandon Morrow to the showers.  Morrow allowed all 6 runs in the 5 frames he pitched, and he suffered the defeat.

     The Jays managed to cut the Indians' lead in half, but Vinnie Pestano, Tony Sipp, and Chris Perez eventually shut the door on the home squad's comeback bid.

Cleveland Indians: Reeling Tribe Routed by the Jays

5-30-11     at Toronto     L, 11-1     31-20

     The Indians have suddenly forgotten how to play good baseball. 

     The Tribe, which currently resides atop the American League's Central Division, suffered its 5th defeat in 6 games on Monday night due to a fatal combination of poor pitching, poor hitting, and poor defense.

     The pitching was especially woeful as Fausto Carmona, the Indians' supposed ace, allowed 9 runs, 7 earned, in only 4 innings of work.  Working from behind in the count against nearly every batter, Carmona was drubbed by a Toronto lineup that has quietly become one of the best in the A.L.  This outing marked the 3rd time Carmona has given up 7 earned runs on more in 2011.

     Jayson Nix's 2-run homer, Rajai Davis's 2-run double, Orlando Cabrera's 2-run error, and Jose Bautista's 2-run double were the big blows that led to Carmona's early exit.

     To make matters worse, Jo-Jo Reyes, a pitcher who had not merited a victory in a record-tying 28 consecutive starts prior to Monday evening, hurled a complete game to end his dubious streak.  Shelley Duncan's solo blast into the upper deck in left field accounted for the Tribe's only tally.

This facial expression exhibited by Carmona sums up the Indians' recent slump

Ohio State Football: Tressel Resigns

     It all began on December 23rd when 5 Ohio State football players, Terrelle Pryor, Dan Herron, Devier Posey, Mike Adams, and Solomon Thomas, were suspended for the 1st 5 games of the 2011 season because they exchanged memorabilia for discounted tattoos and money.  However, those 5 Buckeyes were permitted to play in the Sugar Bowl.  Following OSU's 31-26 victory over Arkansas, it seemed as if the proverbial ship had been righted, and Ohio State moved past "Tatgate".

     Then, on March 8th, the very ground beneath Buckeye Nation started to shake.  Yahoo! Sports released a story that told of how Tressel had been made aware of his players' wrongdoing back in April of 2010.  Ohio State had already launched an investigation into the matter, and, mere hours after Yahoo! Sports released its report, OSU held a press conference announcing Tressel's 2-game suspension, which was later increased to 5.

     Over the next 2 months, the situation continued to evolve, and it became apparent that Tressel had done far more than withold information from the NCAA.  Tressel had also lied about the incident on numerous occasions, and he had passed along those now-infamous e-mails to Pryor's "mentor" but not to the NCAA.

     As the storm clouds intensified, The Ohio State University accepted Tressel's resignation this morning, marking the conclusion of one of the darkest hours in Buckeye football history.

     But it may not be the end.  The NCAA is yet to issue its final ruling (that will come in August), and Sports Illustrated is set to publish a story that could bring to light even more evidence against Tressel and Ohio State.

Cleveland Indians: Tribe Shellacked in Rubbermatch

5-29-11     at Tampa Bay     L, 7-0     31-19

     It's a long season.

     Throughout baseball, that phrase is used countless times by players, managers, and front office executives.  The meaning is clear - a team should always remain even-keeled, regardless of whether that team is in the midst of a long winning streak or a tough losing skid.

     At the present time, the Indians fit perfectly into the latter category.  Following Sunday's 7-0 defeat at the hands of the Rays, the Tribe has now lost 4 of its last 5 games.

     Justin Masterson's 2011 campaign has been a pleasant surprise, but Tampa Bay is the 1 club that seems to love facing Masterson.  On this day, Masterson surrendered 7 runs, 6 earned, in 5 innings.  The right-hander also walked 5 batters as his command problems of a year ago resurfaced.  The Rays have scored 13 times off Masterson in his 2 starts against them.

     Masterson clearly struggled but so did his defense.  Lou Marson's passed ball allowed a run to cross the plate, and Asdrubal Cabrera's throwing error plated another tally.

     Tampa broke out the bats early and often to support Jeremy Hellickson, a young phenon who possesses the potential to be a true superstar.  John Jaso (2 hits, 2 RBI) and Evan Longoria (2 hits, 2 base on balls, 2 runs scored) helped Hellickson (7 shutout innings) earn his 6th victory.

     The Indians failed to make a late comeback, and the top team in the American League dropped its 2nd consecutive series.
     But, remember, It's a long season.

The Indians fell flat on Sunday afternoon

   

Cleveland Indians: Tribe a Winner in Strange Game

5-28-11     at Tampa Bay     W, 7-3     31-18

     The Indians will probably not play another game this season quite as goofy as the one Saturday afternoon at Tropicana Field.  Despite committing numerous baserunning blunders, the Tribe managed to emerge victorious, mainly because the Rays were even worse.

     The contest featured 2 errors, 4 outs recorded on the basepaths, and numerous funny bounces.  However, when the dust finally settled, the Indians snapped a frustrating 3-game losing streak.

     It was immediately obvious that this would not be a typical day at the ballpark.  In the top of the 1st, Michael Brantley singled, Asdrubal Cabrera hit a RBI triple to the left-center gap, Shin-Soo Choo singled, Travis Buck singled, and Carlos Santana added a sacrifice fly.  That should have been the beginning of a huge offensive outburst, but Cabrera was picked off at 3rd base and Travis Buck was doubled off of 1st.  Therefore, even though the 1st 5 batters contributed productive at-bats, Cleveland only tallied twice.

     The Tribe extended its lead in the 2nd courtesy of Matt LaPorta and his solo home run into the right field bleachers.

     Given a 3-0 cushion, Carlos Carrasco made it stand up.  Carrasco allowed only a pair of runs, and he pitched six solid innings to earn the win.  The key for Carrasco was that he whiffed 4 and did not walk a batter.

     James Shields, 1 of the best pitchers in the American League, hurled 7 strong frames, but the 3 runs he surrendered made him the losing pitcher.

     Following Shields's departure, the Indians rocked the Tampa Bay bullpen in the 8th.  A single, an error, and a hit batter loaded the bases with no outs.  Shelley Duncan then capitalized on the golden opportunity by driving a 3-2 pitch high off the left field wall, plating 2 key insurance runs.  Due to a gaffe by Choo, the runner at 1st, Duncan only received credit for a long, 2-run single.  Orlando Cabrera's 2-run single through the middle of the infield moments later removed all doubt.

     LaPorta's error in the bottom of the 9th allowed Tampa Bay to pull to within 4, but 2 Rays found themselves standing on 3rd at the back end of the play, enabling the Indians to convert the ensuing rundown into the game's final out.

A Fitting Conclusion: Sean Rodriguez runs his team out of the game

Cleveland Indians: Slumping Tribe Handcuffed by Price

5-27-11     at Tampa Bay     L, 5-0     30-18

     Following a 3-game series against Boston in which the Indians struggled mightily to score runs, manager Manny Acta made wholesale changes to his linuep prior to Friday night's game in St. Petersburg.  Carlos Santana was moved out of the cleanup spot, Orlando Cabrera slid up to the 2-hole, Asdrubal Cabrera dropped a notch below O-Cab, and Grady Sizemore made his 1st start since injuring his right knee on May 10th.

     To state it plainly, those changes did not work.

     David Price tossed 7 shutout innings, striking out a career-high 12, as the Rays blanked the Indians, 5-0.  Price has now beaten the Indians twice in the past 3 weeks, allowing a grand total of 2 earned runs.

     Price's mound opponent, Josh Tomlin, finally experienced a rough outing.  Tomlin allowed 4 runs in 6 frames, and the young right-hander suffered his 2nd defeat of the season.  The fact that this was Tomlin's worst start of the campaign speaks volumes about his pitching prowess at the major league level.

     The Rays did their damage off Tomlin in the bottom of the 2nd when Casey Kotchman and Sam Fuld each hit 2-run homers into the right field bleachers.

Tomlin pitched well after the 2nd inning, but he did not receive any support

     Tampa Bay added an insurance run in the 8th on Matt Joyce's RBI single.

     The Tribe bats managed a mere 4 base-hits, and the Indians failed to advance a single runner to 3rd base.

     In his return from the disabled list, Sizemore was held hitless in 4 at-bats while serving as Cleveland's designated hitter.

Cleveland Indians: Ugly 1st Inning Dooms the Tribe

5-25-11     vs. Boston     L, 14-2     30-17

     Supposedly, there was a Major League Baseball game scheduled for Thursday afternoon at Progressive Field.  The 1st place Cleveland Indians, though, decided to treat the series finale against the Red Sox like a spring training tilt, resulting in a lopsided defeat.

     Boston did not waste any time as the visitors scored 7 times in the top of the 1st inning off of Mitch Talbot.  Jacoby Ellsbury singled, Dustin Pedroia blasted a 2-run homer over the left field wall, Adrian Gonzalez bounced a single through an infield shift, David Ortiz chopped a single off the glove of Talbot, Matt LaPorta nonchalantly turned a routine double play grounder into a fielder's choice, Carl Crawford lashed a RBI single to left, Shin-Soo Choo committed an error on Jarrod Saltalamacchia's single, allowing a run to score, Mike Cameron lofted a sacrifice fly to left, and Drew Sutton added a bloop RBI single.  And, less than 30 minutes after the game began, a Red Sox victory was virtually assured.

     At the expense of the Tribe's pitching staff, Boston proceeded to tack on another touchdown.  Carl Crawford and David Ortiz each hit solo homers, and Saltalamacchia belted a 3-run shot.  Crawford finished the day with 4 hits while Sutton and Ellsbury collected 3 base-knocks apiece.

     Talbot's final numbers were not easy on the eyes: 3 IP, 12 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO.  This was Talbot's 1st start since injuring his right elbow on April 11th.

     Given ample offensive support, Jon Lester cruised to his 7th win of the season, pitching 6 scoreless frames.

     Cleveland was able to avoid the shutout because Shelley Duncan flaired a 2-out, 2-run single near the left field line in the bottom of the 8th.

Frank Herrmann, who allowed 6 runs in relief of Talbot, is yanked by Manny Acta

Cleveland Indians: Tribe Unable to Overcome Beckett and Varitek

5-24-11     vs. Boston     L, 4-2     30-16

     To this day, Josh Beckett haunts the Cleveland Indians franchise. 

     It all began on a cool October night in 2007 when Beckett twirled a gem to hand the Indians a crushing defeat in the American League Championship Series.  The Tribe never recovered as the Sox, buoyed by Beckett's brilliance, erased a 3-1 deficit and advanced to the Fall Classic. 

     Nearly 4 years later, Beckett was frustrating the Indians again.  On Tuesday night, the veteran right-hander tossed 6 2/3 innings of 1-run baseball to lead Boston to victory.

     Beckett's batterymate, Jason Varitek, also had a huge game.  The long-time Red Sox captain threw out a pair of would-be base stealers, and he cranked a critical 2-run homer off the right field foul pole in the 8th.  The blast gave Boston a 4-1 advantage which proved to be the difference.

     Fausto Carmona, despite allowing 4 runs, managed to work into the 9th, but his gritty effort failed to merit him a much-needed win.  Carmona is now 3-5 on the season, and, in seemingly every start, he yields 1 big hit too many.

     Offensively, the Tribe was off-balance the entire evening, and bad baserunning did not help matters.  The Indians ran themselves into 4 outs on the basepaths because of poor judgment and over aggression. 

     Ezequiel Carrera's RBI single to center in the 2nd and Travis Buck's solo homer to right in the 9th accounted for the only 2 Cleveland tallies.

Buck's 2-run shot was too little, too late

Cleveland Indians: Dramatic Rally Stuns the Red Sox

5-23-11     vs. Boston     W, 3-2     30-15

     The Cleveland Indians, baseball's hottest and most surprising team, has made thrilling, improbable victories the norm at Progressive Field during this magical season.  On Monday night, the Indians did it again as they scored twice in the bottom of the 8th to rally past the Red Sox.

     Trailing 2-1, the momentum began to shift toward the Indians in the top of the 8th.  Following a blatantly missed call at 1st base, Tribe manager Manny Acta vehemently argued his case and was promptly ejected.  However, Acta's dismissal seemed to ignite the Indians because Justin Masterson (7 2/3 IP, 2 ER) and the bullpen worked around the bad call.

     Boston's 2nd baseman, Dustin Pedroia, was also injured running the bases in that half-inning, and that would loom large in the latter portion of the frame.  Pedroia's replacement, Drew Sutton, failed to flag down Jack Hannahan's grounder, a grounder that the sure-handed Pedroia might have reached.  Instead, Hannahan collected the lead-off single, and Adam Everett entered the game as a pinch-runner.  Austin Kearns' slow groundout advanced Everett into scoring position, but Carlos Santana popped out.  Sox reliever Dan Bard was now on the verge of escaping the sticky situation.  The Indians, though, were not about to concede defeat that quickly.  Michael Brantley shot a RBI single into right field, and the red-hot Asdrubal Cabrera, who launched a solo homer in the 4th, banged out his 8th hit in his last 9 at-bats, a RBI double off the left field wall.

     In the 9th, Chris Perez almost allowed the Red Sox to make a comeback of their own.  A pair of singles put runners on the corners with only 1 out, but the speedy Carl Crawford bounced into a game-ending 4-6-3 double play.

Perez reacts after the twin killer sealed Boston's fate

Cleveland Indians: Asdrubal and the Tribe Sweep the Reds

5-22-11     vs. Cincinnati     W, 12-4     29-15

      Defensively, Asdrubal Cabrera had a day not worth remembering.  Offensively, though, Asdrubal had the day of his life.  The Tribe shortstop committed 2 errors but also collected 5 hits and 5 RBI as the Indians completed a 3-game sweep of their rival Reds.

     Cabrera broke out the heavy lumber in the bottom of the 1st inning by hitting a 2-run homer over the right-center field wall.  The jimmy jack gave the Indians a 2-1 advantage, and they never relinquished that lead.  A-Cab later added 3 singles, 2 of which plated runs, and a solo home run to right.  Cabrera now leads the club in homers (9) and RBI (32).

     Following Cabrera's 1st big fly, the Tribe increased its cushion to 4-1 when the Reds decided to play like little leaguers.  Shin-Soo Choo was at 3rd base, Travis Buck at 1st, and Orlando Cabrera at the plate.  Cabrera watched a ball sail outside, and Buck broke for 2nd.  Ramon Hernandez's throw was perfect, forcing Buck, who was only the 1st wave of a planned double steal, to sprint back to 1st.  Brandon Phillips quickly realized the Tribe's strategy, and he threw home.  Hernandez, attempting to gun down Choo at 3rd, fired an awful throw into left field, allowing both runners to score.

     Joey Votto, arguably the best hitter in the National League, swatted a solo homer and a RBI double to help the Redlegs pull within 3 at 1 point, but the Indians promptly scored 5 unanswered runs to blow the game wide open.

     Carlos Carrasco earned the win despite a subpar outing.  The young hurler allowed 4 runs in 6 innings and was never able to find a consistent rhythm.  Nevertheless, Carrasco did pick up his 3rd victory on the campaign.

     It is safe to say that Edinson Volquez never wants to make a return visit to Progressive Field.  The Indians tallied 7 times off Volquez in only 2 2/3 frames.

Ezequiel Carrera's superb diving catch was 1 of many Sunday afternoon highlights

Cleveland Indians: Buck's Blast Backs Tomlin's Gem

5-21-11     vs. Cincinnati     W, 2-1     28-15

     Travis Buck turned on a fastball and drove it over the right field wall, giving the Tribe a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the 7th inning.  That 2-run homer was all the Indians were able to muster on Saturday afternoon, but the brilliance of Josh Tomlin overshadowed Cleveland's offensive struggles.

     Tomlin completely stifled the Reds as the young right-hander improved to 6-1.  Scott Rolen's RBI groundout in the 7th accounted for the only Cincinnati run off Tomlin, who hurled 7 dominant frames.

     Homer Bailey was actually outdueling Tomlin until that fateful 7th inning.  Bailey yielded a lead-off single to Asdrubal Cabrera, and, after recording 2 outs, he grooved a 1st pitch heater that Buck drilled into the right field seats.

Buck's clutch 2-out homer propelled the Indians to a 2-zip lead in the Battle of Ohio

     Tomlin appeared capable of throwing a complete game, but Manny Acta decided to play it safe by turning to his reliable bullpen.  Acta's decision was proven correct when Vinnie Pestano and Chris Perez combined to hold the Reds scoreless over the contest's final 2 innings.  Pestano struck out the side in the 8th, and Perez used a double play and a strikeout to work around a pair of walks in the 9th.

Cleveland Indians: Sensational Comeback Sustains Home Success

5-20-11     vs. Cincinnati     W, 5-4     27-15

     Any Tribe fan over the age of 30 fondly remembers the numerous dramatic victories staged at Jacob's Field during the 1990s.  The Indians' home venue is now known as Progressive Field, but that same magic continues to course through the ballpark.  On Friday night, Cleveland erased a 4-0 deficit and stunned the Reds in front of a large, energetic crowd.

     Matt LaPorta's throwing error and Orlando Cabrera's fielding miscue helped Cincinnati claim that early lead.  As a result of the poor defense, only 2 of the 4 runs were earned.

     Travis Wood took a no-hitter into the bottom of the 6th, but Austin Kearns' single to center field broke up the no-no.  Kearns' base-hit ignited the Tribe, and it was the 1st of 6 consecutive at-bats without an out being recorded.  When the dust finally settled, Cleveland had scored 4 times on a Michael Brantley single, a Shin-Soo Choo hit-by-pitch, a Carlos Santana walk, and a Shelley Duncan sacrifice fly, respectively.  Wood allowed all 4 runs, and he failed to retire a single hitter after his no-no was snapped.

     In the bottom of the 8th, Choo's 2-out double and an intentional walk placed runners on the corners for Ezequiel Carrera, a pinch-hitter making his major league debut.  Carrera surprised the Reds by bunting the 1st pitch he saw up the 1st base line.  Joey Votto fielded the ball, but he could not tag out the speedy Carrera. 

     The RBI bunt single gave the home team its 1st lead of the evening, and Chris Perez was summoned from the bullpen to seal the victory.  Perez worked around a lead-off walk because of Fred Lewis's bad baserunning.  Lewis did not tag up on a fly ball hit to the wall in right-center, and he was doubled off of 1st on a soft, broken-bat liner that was snared by Perez.

Carrera (right) drove home the eventual game-winning run in the 8th

     The Indians have won 6 of their last 8 home games, and all 6 of those victories have been of the last at-bat variety.

     The Tribe's thrilling triumph made this a great day, but all was not well in regards to injuries.  Prior to the contest, Travis Hafner was placed on the disabled list due to a strained oblique muscle, and Alex White's start was cut short by an injury to his middle finger.  It is unclear how serious White's condition is.

Cleveland Indians: Carmona Dealt a 2nd Defeat by the Sox

5-19-11     at Chicago White Sox     L, 8-2     26-15

     Fausto Carmona's Opening Day start against the White Sox was historically awful.  On Thursday night, Carmona was given a chance to redeem himself, but he experienced a discouraging case of deja vu.

     Much like they did on April 1st, the Sox pummelled Carmona early and often en route to a blowout victory.  When the final damage was tallied, the result was not positive for the Indians or their ace.  Carmona suffered his 4th loss, allowing 8 earned runs on 7 base-hits in 5 innings of work.

Carmona was once again frustrated by the ChiSox offense

     Chicago scored its runs in bunches, and it was 4 big hits that quickly turned this game into a laugher.  Paul Konerko launched a 2-run double off the left field wall, Alexi Ramirez laced a 2-run double past the 3rd base bag, Adam Dunn lined a 2-run single to center, and Carlos Quentin's 2-run homer in the 5th capped the scoring off Carmona.

     The Tribe's RBI were picked up by Carlos Santana (sacrifice fly in the 1st) and Matt LaPorta (solo home run in the 9th).

     Despite the lopsided defeat, the Indians actually produced one of the finest defensive plays of the year.  Asdrubal Cabrera, while on his knees, made a behind-the-back flip to 2nd to begin a scintillating twin killer after the ball deflected off the glove of pitcher Joe Smith.  It is a web gem you truly need to watch for yourself.

Cleveland Indians: Masterson Unable to Outduel Peavy

5-18-11     at Chicago White Sox     L, 1-0     26-14

     Baseball is, and always will be, a difficult game to predict.  Proof of that was in ample supply on Wednesday evening as the Indians, who scored 26 runs in a brief 2-game series against the Royals, were held scoreless by Jake Peavy and the White Sox.

     To say that Peavy was good would be a severe understatement.  The Chicago starter limited the Tribe to only 3 base-hits, struck out 8, and did not walk a single batter.  At the end of the night, the Indians were no closer to solving Peavy than they were at the beginning.

     Justin Masterson was almost as brilliant as Peavy, but Masterson allowed 1 run too many.  In the bottom of the 1st, back-to back hits led to an Adam Dunn sacrifice fly, and that was all the Sox needed. 

     Following Dunn's RBI, Masterson matched Peavy pitch for pitch.  He shut out the Pale Hose over the next 7 innings, and, despite suffering the tough-luck loss, he hurled the Tribe's 1st complete game of the season.

This diving catch by Travis Buck supported Masterson in a losing effort

    

Cleveland Indians: Tribe Completes Short Series Sweep

5-17-11     at Kansas City     W, 7-3     26-13

     It is nearly impossible to be hotter than the Cleveland Indians are right now.  Following Tuesday night's triumph over the Royals, the Tribe, which possesses the MLB's best record, has outscored its opponents 31-8 in the past 3 games.

     Fresh off a 19-1 thumping of Kansas City on Monday, the Indians quickly demoralized the already downtrodden Royals.  The 1st inning began with a bang as Michael Brantley doubled, Asdrubal Cabrera laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt, Shin-Soo Choo was hit by a pitch, and Carlos Santana walked.  Travis Hafner then stepped to the plate and promptly lined his 2nd 3-run double of the series down the right field line.

     K.C. inched closer in the 2nd on Matt Treanor's 2-out RBI single to center.  Trailing 3-1, the Royals had some hope, but this proved to be their high-water mark of the evening.

     The Tribe slowly expanded the lead by tacking on single tallies at a time.  Brantley's sac fly in the 4th gave the visitors a 4-1 advantage, but the Cleveland offense was yet to fully kick into gear.

     Two more runners crossed home plate in the 5th courtesy of Carlos Santana's solo homer and Travis Buck's RBI single.

     After the Royals scored once in the bottom of the 6th, the Indians answered in the top of the 7th when Asdrubal Cabrera launched a solo blast to the left-center bleachers.

     Kansas City plated 1 more in the 9th, but it was far too little and far too late.

     Neither starter was very sharp, but, in the end, Carlos Carrasco (5 1/3 IP, 2 ER) earned the win while Sean O'Sullivan (5 IP, 6 ER) took the loss.



The 2nd coming of Grady Sizemore: Brantley makes another great catch

Cleveland Indians: Minus Sizemore, the Tribe Annihilates the Royals

5-16-11     at Kansas City     W, 19-1     25-13

     When healthy, Grady Sizemore is definitely the Cleveland Indians' best player.  However, that fact was not so clear on Monday night as the Tribe scored 19 runs a few hours after placing Sizemore on the 15-day disabled list due to a sore knee.

     The Indians tallied at least once in 5 of the 1st 6 innings, but it was a 10-run 4th that turned this game into a complete joke.  In that 4th frame, Asdrubal Cabrera blooped a RBI single into short left field, Travis Hafner hit a 3-run double past a stumbling Melky Cabrera in center, Orlando Cabrera lashed a RBI single to right, Matt LaPorta laced a 2-run double down the left field line, and Michael Brantley blasted a 3-run homer into the Kansas City bullpen.

     By the end of the game, the Cleveland offense had combined to produce some staggering statistics.  As a team, the Indians banged out 20 hits and drew 8 walks for an incredible average of more than 3 base runners per inning.

     The Tribe's top offensive contributors were LaPorta (4 hits, 4 RBI), Orlando Cabrera (3 hits, 3 RBI), and Sizemore's Triple-A replacement, Travis Buck (3 hits, 3 runs, 1 RBI).

A familiar sight on Monday evening

     While the Cleveland hitters were enjoying glorified batting practice, Josh Tomlin was quietly putting together another solid outing.  Tomlin tossed 6 frames of 1-run ball, and he improved his season record to 5-1.

     The Royals' pitching, on the other hand, was not nearly as good.  Kyle Davies started the contest, but he departed in the 1st because of a sore shoulder.  6 relief pitchers were used to hurl the remaining 8 2/3 innings, including Vin Mazzaro who made the wrong kind of history.  Mazzaro yielded 14 runs, which was the most surrendered by a reliever since 1944, and it also represented the most runs allowed by a pitcher in less than 3 innings during the live-ball era (1900-present).

Cleveland Indians: Pronk and the Tribe Stun Seattle in Walk-off Fashion

5-13-11     vs. Seattle     W, 5-4     24-13

     All it took was 1 mighty swing of the bat to end more than 48 hours of frustration.  Travis Hafner belted a walk-off 2-run homer in the bottom of the 9th, and the Indians snapped a 2-game losing streak.

     The 1st 8 innings of this game only added to the frustration.  Shin-Soo Choo and Michael Brantley each hit solo homers as the Tribe built up an early 2-0 advantage.  However, the Mariners quickly battled back.  Carlos Peguero's 1st major league homer pulled the M's to within 1, and Seattle then proceeded to score 3 times in the 7th.  Justin Smoak hit a 2-run homer, and Brendan Ryan's infield RBI single gave the visitors a 2-run cushion.

     Seattle's rally came at the expense of Fausto Carmona.  The Tribe's ace carried a no-hitter into the 5th before Peguero's gopher ball shifted the momentum toward the Mariners.  Fausto pitched 7 2/3 frames, and he allowed all 4 runs.

     Attempting to secure the victory, Brandon League entered the contest in the last of the 9th and received a rude welcome as Brantley and Asdrubal Cabrera hit back-to back doubles to left field.  Arguably, the 2 doubles could have been 2 outs because Peguero failed to run proper routes to either of the 2 line drives.  As a result, the Indians were suddenly trailing by only 1 run.  Choo advanced Cabrera to 3rd base on a groundout, but Carlos Santana's groundout into the teeth of a drawn-in infield did not score Cabrera.  Hafner, though, saved the day by lofting his aforementioned game-winning blast over the wall in center, and the Progressive Field crowd of 33,774 roared its approval.

Hafner's game-winner capped an improbable comeback

Cleveland Indians: Masterson Suffers 1st Defeat

5-12-11     vs. Tampa  Bay     L, 7-4     23-13

     As the Indians and Rays began their Thursday matinee, Justin Masterson was one of baseball’s biggest early-season surprises. The tall right-hander boasted a 5-0 record, and his 5 victories nearly equaled the 6 he earned a year ago. However, Masterson struggled mightily on this day, resulting in a tough loss for both he and the Tribe.

     Tampa’s 4-run 2nd inning proved to be the difference in the ballgame. Reid Brignac hit a 2-run double, and Sam Fuld, a 2-run single.

     Masterson and the Indians never recovered from that early onslaught.

     An Elliot Johnson RBI bunt single in the top of the 6th pushed another Rays’ tally across the plate, and it signaled the end of Masterson’s poor start. Justin was yanked after 5 2/3 innings, having allowed 5 earned runs on 8 base-knocks.

The Indians failed to overcome Masterson's rough outing

     The Rays did not experience any problems in regards to their starting pitcher. James Shields limited the Indians to 2 runs in 7 frames, and the changeup specialist picked up the W.

     Facing a 5-0 deficit, Cleveland began to battle back in the last of the 6th. Asdrubal Cabrera blasted a solo home run, and Orlando Cabrera swatted a RBI double. O-Cab, though, was picked off at 2nd base to end the rally. It was Shields’ 2nd pick-off of the afternoon.

     Asdrubal’s solid day continued in the 8th as the Indians’ shortstop tripled and scored the Tribe’s 3rd run.

     Evan Longoria’s 2-run double in the 9th sealed Cleveland’s fate. The 2-bagger extended the Rays’ advantage to 4, and, despite Shelley Duncan’s RBI single in the bottom of the 9th, Tampa triumphed.

Cleveland Indians: Price's Gem Halts the Tribe's Streak

5-11-11     vs. Tampa Bay     L, 8-2     23-12

     David Price, the unquestioned ace of the Tampa Bay pitching staff, completely stifled the Tribe's bats as the Indians' 14-game home winning streak came to an abrupt end on Wednesday night.

     The flame-throwing Price pitched into the 5th inning with a perfect game intact, but Carlos Santana's double off the right field wall ended Price's bid for perfection.  However, Price's final statistics - 8 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 7 K - easily earned the righty his 5th win of the season.

Santana's 2-bagger snapped Price's perfecto

     Price's mound opponent, Carlos Carrasco, was clearly overmatched.  In his 1st start since returning from the disabled list, Carrasco surrendered 4 runs in only 5 innings of work.

      There was no shortage of offensive support for Price on this night.  Sam Fuld pounded out 3 hits, Ben Zobrist homered and knocked in 2, and Matt Joyce crushed a solo home run.  As a team, the Rays collected 11 base-hits, and they twice tallied 3 times in a single frame.

     Cleveland finally broke up the shutout in the bottom of the 8th.  Orlando Cabrera and Matt LaPorta hit back-to-back doubles, and Michael Brantley floated a RBI single into shallow left field.

Cleveland Indians: Tribe Breaks Through Late to Top Tampa Bay

5-10-11     vs. Tampa Bay     W, 5-4     23-11

     On Tuesday night at Progressive Field, an Indians victory was ultimately inevitable.  The Tampa Bay pitching staff combined to issue 11 walks, and the Tribe, after squandering numerous scoring opportunities, finally walked off in the bottom of the 9th.

     Had the game been stopped following the 1st 4 innings, the headline would have been "Cleveland Prevails in Home Run Parade."  Grady Sizemore and Michael Brantley hit solo homers in the 1st and 4th, respectively, and Matt Joyce's solo blast accounted for the lone Tampa run during those 1st 4 frames.

     The Rays evened the score at 2 in the 6th, and they did it in a more conventional manner.  Joyce doubled up the left-center field alley, plating Ben Zobrist who had previously walked.

     The Indians seemingly grabbed control of the contest as they tallied twice in the last of the 6th.  A single and 2 walks loaded the bases with 1 out.  Sizemore then grounded sharply into a force out at the dish, and it looked like Tampa Bay would escape the jam unscathed.  However, Asdrubal Cabrera bounced an infield single between the shortstop and 2nd baseman that scored 1 and reloaded the bases.  A passed ball enabled the 2nd run of the inning to cross home plate.

     A Kelly Shoppach RBI single and an Evan Longoria solo bomb deadlocked the 2 1st place clubs at 4 runs apiece.  The Rays' rally cost Cleveland starter Josh Tomlin (6 IP, 3 ER) his 5th win of the season.

     Entering the home half of the 9th, the Tribe had stranded 10 runners on base, including 3 who were at 3rd with less than 2 outs.  The Rays, though, gave the Indians 1 too many chances.  Shin-Soo Choo's walk, Carlos Santana's single, and an intentional walk put all the ducks on the pond before a single out was recorded.  Orlando Cabrera, reminiscent of Sizemore's 6th inning at-bat, grounded into a force out at the plate.  The Rays' closer, Kyle Farnsworth, now needed only a double play to work out of the jam, but he simply could not throw strikes.  His complete lack of command turned an 0-2 count into a full count, and his payoff pitch to Brantley was in the dirt.  Brantley gladly accepted the game-winning free pass that wrapped up the Tribe's 14th consecutive home triumph.

Despite batting .071 with men in scoring position, the Indians walked off

Cleveland Indians: Tribe Comes Up Short

5-8-11     at Los Angeles Angels     L, 6-5     22-11

     Sunday afternoon's series finale between the Indians and Angels featured more twists and turns than a rollercoaster.  Unfortunately, the game's final twist favored the Halos, and the Tribe failed to close out the road trip with a victory.

     Cleveland looked to be in command early as Austin Kearns hit a RBI single in the 2nd inning, and Grady Sizemore smashed a solo homer to dead center field in the 5th.  Meanwhile, Fausto Carmona cruised through the 1st 5 frames.

     The momentum suddenly shifted toward Los Angeles in the last of the 6th.  Adam Everett's 2-out error at 3rd base proved costly when the Angels struck for 3 runs, all of which were unearned.  Alberto Callaspo's double evened the score, and Hank Conger's single gave the home team the lead.

     However, that lead did not last very long.  In the top of the 8th, Asdrubal Cabrera and Carlos Santana hit singles to put 2 runners on base.  Travis Hafner bounced a single into shallow center to score Cabrera, and Orlando Cabrera's fielder's choice plated Santana.

     The Angels, though, came right back.  Shin-Soo Choo's misplay turned a single into a double, a pair of soft infield singles sustained the rally, and Erick Aybar's 2-run double pushed the Halos out in front.

     In the 9th, back-to-back doubles off the bats of Sizemore and Asdrubal Cabrera reduced the deficit to 1, but Choo and Santana struck out to end the ballgame.

     Despite allowing the 2 8th inning runs, Fernando Rodney earned the victory. 

     Joe Smith, who was victimized by the infield singles, suffered the defeat.

     Carmona eventually garnered a no-decision, but he definitely deserved a better fate.  The sinker-baller did not yield a single earned run in his 7 innings of work, and he whiffed 7 batters.

The Indians came close, but they couldn't quite record the victory

Cleveland Indians: Scrappy Indians Edge Weaver and the Angels

5-7-11     at Los Angeles Angels     W, 4-3     22-10

     Facing Jered Weaver, a 2-0 deficit is a daunting obstacle to say the least.  On Saturday night, the Indians found themselves in that exact situation after 3 innings of play.  But, instead of folding the proverbial tent, they battled back.

     The rally began in the top of the 4th as Carlos Santana doubled, Travis Hafner singled, and Orlando Cabrera flied to right, scoring Santana.

     The Tribe grabbed the lead in the 5th thanks to a pair of tenacious plate appearances turned in by Grady Sizemore and Asdrubal Cabrera.  With 2 outs, Sizemore and Cabrera each drew walks, and Weaver was forced to throw a combined 16 pitches to the 2 hitters.  Shin-Soo Choo only saw 2 pitches, but he lined the 2nd 1 into the right field corner for a 2-run double.  Santana also worked the count full before hitting a RBI single to center.

     Weaver, who entered the game in search of his 7th victory, suffered the loss.  The 4 earned runs he allowed represented his season-high, and the reigning American League strikeout king failed to record even a single K.

     Alex White, making his 2nd major league start, was the benificiary of Weaver's struggles.  The 22-year-old right-hander tossed 6 frames of 3-run baseball to earn his 1st career win.

1 down, 299 to go: White picked up his 1st big league W

     Tony Sipp and Vinnie Pestano bridged the gap between White and closer Chris Perez, and Perez nailed down his 10th save.

     Offensively, the Halos were sparked by Vernon Wells.  Wells hit a 2-run homer and a sacrifice fly in a losing effort.

Cleveland Indians: Tribe Falls in Extra Innings

5-6-11     at Los Angeles Angels     L, 2-1 (11 innings)     21-10

     Friday night's game in Anaheim is one the Indians would like to forget.  Off to the best start in franchise history since 1948, the Tribe mustered only 3 hits, and the Angels walked off in the bottom of the 11th.

     Cleveland's only run came in the 4th.  Asdrubal Cabrera was hit by a pitch, and the Tribe shortstop advanced to 3rd base on Carlos Santana's single to center field.  Travis Hafner's high chopper to 1st scored Cabrera, but the Indians were unable to do any more damage.

     The Halos knotted the score in the 6th when Maicer Izturiz smacked a RBI double to the right-center gap.  Izturis,though, was thrown out by Shin-Soo Choo attempting to advance to 3rd on a fly out to right.  Thanks to Choo's cannon of an arm, the Angels failed to take the lead.

     In search of win number 6, Justin Masterson allowed 1 run in 7 innings.  However, that dominant outing did not earn Masterson a win, and the big right-hander settled for a no-decision.

     The Angels' young hurler, Tyler Chatwood, was even better than Masterson.  Chatwood limited the Indians to that 1 tally in 8 frames of work, but he also merited a no-decision.

     The game soon became a battle of the bullpens, and the Tribe pen, which worked extensively on Thursday afternoon, finally ran out of gas.  Justin Germano allowed 4 consecutive singles to begin the 11th, including Torii Hunter's walk-off single that actually hopped into the left field seats.

The Angels celebrate their thrilling victory

Cleveland Indians: Tribe Slips by the Athletics

4-5-11     at Oakland     W, 4-3 (12 innings)     21-9

     At the major league level the difference between victory and defeat is often very slim.  On Thursday afternoon, it was only a matter of inches.

     Jack Hannahan blooped a RBI single over the outstretched glove of shortstop Cliff Pennington to give the Indians a 3-2 lead in the top of the 12th inning.  Hannahan later scored a key insurance run on Lou Marson's RBI single, and Chris Perez worked around some trouble in the bottom of the frame, sealing the Tribe's 8th win in the past 9 games.

     Asdrubal Cabrera's 2-run single through the middle of the infield in the 6th erased a 1-0 deficit.  And it appeared as if Cabrera's base-hit would be the deciding factor until Vinnie Pestano yielded a game-tying double to Ryan Sweeney in the 8th.

     Due to the brevity of Jeanmar Gomez's start (5 1/3 IP, 1 ER), the Cleveland bullpen was forced to toss 7 2/3 innings of relief.  And, with the exception of Pestano's hiccup, the 'pen was brilliant.

     Orlando Cabrera's single and Austin Kearns' walk set the stage for Hannahan's timely blooper.

     Sweeney's RBI single in the bottom of the 12th trimmed the Tribe's advantage to 1, but Hideki Matsui popped out, ending the contest.

Michael Brantley makes a tremendous catch in center field

Cleveland Indians: Oakland's Pitching Stifles the Tribe

5-4-11     at Oakland     L, 3-1     20-9

     The Oakland Athletics possess 1 of the best pitching staffs in Major League Baseball.  If you're not convinced, simply ask the Cleveland Indians, a red-hot team that was stopped cold on Wednesday evening by the A's electric hurlers.

     Trevor Cahill limited the Tribe to a mere 1 run in his 7 innings of work.  Travis Hafner's RBI single was the only dent in Cahill's otherwise superb outing.

     Following Cahill's exit, David Purcey, Brad Ziegler, and Grant Balfour combined to record the game's final 6 outs.  The Indians failed to seriously threaten any of the 3 relievers.

     Offensively, David DeJesus was the hero for the Athletics.  DeJesus, a light-hitting right fielder, smashed a pair of solo homers to right and right-center field, respectivley.  The home runs were DeJesus's 1st of the season.

     The term "tough-luck loser" applied perfectly to Josh Tomlin on this night.  Tomlin allowed only 3 hits, but, unfortunately, he also allowed 3 runs in 7 2/3 innings.  Through 7 frames, the 2 DeJesus long balls were the only thing separating Tomlin from a perfect game.

Tomlin's tremendous effort failed to garner him a victory

Cleveland Indians: Focused Indians Rally Past Oakland

5-3-11     at Oakland     W, 4-1     20-8

     A 2500 mile trip to Oakland and Shin-Soo Choo's Monday morning DUI threatened to distract the surging Cleveland Indians.  However, as the Athletics discovered on Tuesday night, it takes more than a cross-country flight and an off-field incident to rattle these Indians.

     Speaking of adversity, the Tribe was dealt a little more in the 4th inning when Kurt Suzuki's RBI groundout gave the home team a 1-0 lead.  But Fausto Carmona did not yield another run, and Cleveland's ace tossed 8 dominant frames.

     The Indians finally supported their starting pitcher in the 7th.  Carlos Santana and Michael Brantley each hit singles, and Matt LaPorta lashed a run-scoring, game-tying single to center field.

     The Tribe broke the deadlock in the top of the 9th after LaPorta and Jack Hannahan hit back-to-back one-out singles.  Orlando Cabrera, who had entered the game as a pinch-runner in the 7th, singled home LaPorta, and Asdrubal Cabrera's base-hit plated both Hannahan and Orlando.

O-Cab's game-winning hit

     Chris Perez tossed a 1-2-3 9th, sealing Cleveland's 7th consecutive victory and Carmona's 3rd of the season. 
     Fittingly, Choo recorded the final out on a weak fly to right.

Cleveland Indians: 8th Inning Rally Completes Sweep of Detroit

5-1-11     vs. Detroit     W, 5-4     19-8

     The Tribe's series finale against the Tigers appeared to be slipping away.  Detroit had scored the go-ahead run in the top of the 8th, and the Indians were suddenly on the verge of losing their 1st home game since April 2nd.

     However, the magic that coursed through Progressive Field on Friday and Saturday nights returned in the bottom of the 8th.  Joaquin Benoit, the victim of Carlos Santana's dramatic walk-off grand slam, returned to the mound and promptly yielded a base-hit to Shin-Soo Choo.  Benoit was able to exorcise one of his demons by retiring Santana, but he hit Shelley Duncan to put runners on 1st and 2nd base with only 1 out.  Benoit's wildness would come back to haunt him.  Orlando Cabrera shot a grounder off the glove of 3rd baseman Brandon Inge.  The baseball kicked into shallow left field, and Choo never broke stride, enabling him to beat the throw to the plate.  At this point, Benoit was severely shaken.  Michael Brantley lined a RBI single to left, and Matt LaPorta's sacrifice fly provided some added breathing room.

Choo scores the tying run

     Miguel Cabrera's RBI single in the 9th did pull the Tigers to within 1, but Chris Perez recorded the final out to seal the win.

     When the day began, Justin Masterson was in search of his 6th win.  Yet Masterson, despite allowing only 2 earned runs in 7 innings, merited nothing more than a no-decision.

     LaPorta's 2-out, 2-run double in the 2nd set the stage for the late rally and the Tribe's 13th consecutive home victory.