When facing the Reds this season, the Tribe is invincible.
On Saturday afternoon, the Indians survived Fausto Carmona's embarrassing injury and improved to 5-0 against their in-state rivals.
A goofy 3rd inning would prove to be the difference. Lou Marson's single led-off the frame, and Fausto Carmona was instructed to drop a sacrifice bunt. Carmona bunted the ball too sharply, enabling Scott Rolen to throw to 2nd base. However, Marson was safe because Paul Janish did not have his foot on the bag when he received the throw. Meanwhile, Carmona stumbled and fell flat on his face as he crossed 1st base. Carmona's pride was probably hurt more than anything else, but he did exit the game due to what was termed a strained quad muscle. After Carmona was helped off the field, Michael Brantley deposited a 3-run homer into Cleveland's right field bullpen.
Carmona's brief outing forced the Tribe relief corps to bear a heavy burden. Frank Herrmann ( 3 innings pitched), Rafael Perez (1 IP), Joe Smith (1 IP), Tony Sipp (1/3 IP), Chad Durbin (2/3 IP), and Vinnie Pestano (1 IP) combined to protect the lead and seal the victory.
The Reds, though, were not without opportunities. Cincy stranded 7 base runners in the final 3 frames alone as the Cleveland 'pen worked around several jams. Joey Votto's solo shot off of Sipp in the 8th accounted for Cincinnati's only tally.
Despite allowing only 2 earned runs over 7 innings of work, Homer Bailey suffered the defeat.
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| Pestano struck out the side in the 9th to earn his 1st save |
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