Ohio State Football: Braxton Answers the Bell

9-24-11     vs. Colorado     W, 37-17     3-1

     During his Thursday afternoon press conference, Ohio State head coach Luke Fickell announced that Braxton Miller would be the starting quarterback when the Buckeyes squared off against the Colarado Buffaloes.

     Buckeye Nation, which had been pressuring Fickell to bench Joe Bauserman in favor of the athletic freshman, breathed a collective sigh of relief, believing this was the move that would right the sinking ship that was the OSU passing attack.

     On Saturday afternoon, in front of 105,096 optimistic fans, Miller proved Fickell and the passionate fan base correct.  The 18-year-old signal caller, despite completing only 5 passes, totaled 166 yards of offense and 2 touchdowns.  Most importantly, Miller led the Buckeyes to a win that helped erase the awful memories of that miserable night in Miami.

... Miller ... totaled 166 yards of offense and 2 touchdowns ...

     Mark Brundage's 20-yard punt at the 12:20 mark of the 1st quarter gave Ohio State possession deep in Colorado territory.  6 plays later, Jordan Hall dove into the end zone, beginning a trend of UC mistakes leading to points for the Buckeyes.

     Following Drew Basil's 28-yard field goal, Miller extended OSU's advantage to 17-0 with a perfect scoring strike to Devin Smith.

     Tyler Hansen's 11-yard TD toss to Toney Clemons pulled the Buffaloes to within 10, but a muffed punt in the final minute of the opening half nullified Colorado's momentum.  Basil converted an 18-yard field goal 2 plays after UC's special teams miscue, and Ohio State enjoyed a 20-7 halftime advantage.

     In the 3rd quarter, the Buckeyes sandwiched another Miller-to-Smith TD and a Carlos Hyde rumble to pay dirt around a Colorado field goal.  Hall's 90-yard kickoff return set the stage for Hyde's touchdown as Ohio State drilled the final nail into the Buffaloes' coffin.

     Colorado added a late, albeit meaningless, TD, and OSU earned a W it desperately needed.

... another Miller-to-Smith TD ...

     Several questions regarding the 2011 version of the Ohio State Buckeyes are yet to be answered, but it appears that OSU finally has a quarterback.

Player of the Game

Jordan Hall: 18 carries, 84 yards, 1 touchdown; 2 kick returns, 135 yards; 1 punt return, 12 yards

     Braxton Miller garnered the headlines, but Hall continued to show that he is Ohio State's best player.  In addition to accumulating 231 all-purpose yards, Hall proved that he can handle the rock upwards of 20 times a game.

Jordan Hall

Play of the Game

Braxton Miller's 32-yard TD pass to Devin Smith in the 2nd quarter

     Leading 10-0 midway through the 2nd period, Miller faked a sprint to the right and lofted a perfect pass to Smith, who had slipped behind the Colorado defense.  The beautiful scoring connection keyed the rout.

Cleveland Indians: Tribe Loses Season Finale

9-28-11     at Detroit     L, 5-4     80-82

     The Cleveland Indians' 2011 season, which can best be described as a step in the right direction, reached its conclusion on Wednesday night at Comerica Park.

     Despite failing to make the playoffs for the 4th consecutive year, the Tribe did improve its record from 69-93 to 80-82.

     Facing the Tigers, who finished 15 games ahead of the Indians in the American League Central Division, the Tribe built an early, 3-0 advantage.  Ezequiel Carrera's RBI triple, Jack Hannahan's RBI single, and Matt LaPorta's RBI fielder's choice provided the scoring.

     However, Detroit tallied once in the 4th, twice in the 6th, and once in the 7th to grab a 4-3 lead entering the 8th inning.

     Hannahan delivered a game-tying sacrifice fly in the top of the 8th, but Jhonny Peralta answered with a solo homer in the bottom half.

     Jose Valverde tossed a scoreless 9th record his 49th save in his 49th save opportunity.

The Indians hope to build off their 2011 campaign

Cleveland Indians: Tigers Halt Gomez's Streak

9-27-11     at Detroit     L, 9-6     80-81

     During this month of September, Jeanmar Gomez has pitched himself into consideration for a spot in the Tribe's 2011 starting rotation.

     The 23-year-old hurler from Venezuela entered his Tuesday night outing against Detroit having notched victories in 5 consecutive starts.

     However, the Tigers and their explosive offense ruined that impressive streak and saddled Gomez with his 1st loss since July 17th.

     Gomez allowed 3 runs in the 1st, 1 in the 2nd, 2 in the 4th, and 2 in the 5th as Detroit built an 8-2 lead through 5 innings of play.

     Delmon Young's 3 hits, including a 2-run homer, and 3 RBI keyed the bludgeoning of Gomez.

     Facing a seemingly insurmountable deficit, the Indians showed their resilience yet again.  The Tribe tallied twice in the 6th and twice more in the 7th before succumbing to the back end of the Tigers' bullpen.

Gomez could not tame the Tigers

Cleveland Indians: Tigers Batter Ubaldo, Tribe

9-26-11     at Detroit     L, 14-0     80-80

     Ubaldo Jimenez's 2011 season arrived at a fitting conclusion on Monday night in Detroit.

     The former 19-game winner suffered his 13th loss of the campaign as his earned run average ballooned to 4.68.  Facing a good Tigers offense, Jimenez allowed 6 runs in 5 innings.

     After Jimenez spotted Detroit a 6-0 cushion, the Cleveland bullpen imploded.  Corey Kluber and Josh Judy each surrendered 4 runs in the 8th inning, an inning in which the 1st 7 Detroit batters collected base-hits.

     2 touchdowns of support helped Doug Fister cruise to his 11th victory.  Fister tossed 8 scoreless innings while striking out 9.

     Offensively, the Indians were limited to 4 hits, and only once did they advance a runner to 2nd base.

Ubaldo lost to the Tigers for the 3rd time this year

Cleveland Indians: Tribe Suffers Extra Innings Setback

9-25-11     vs. Minnesota     L, 6-4 (10 innings)     80-79

     Progressive Field has been a magical venue this season, but that magic eluded the Indians in their final home game of 2011.

     In the top of the 10th inning, Rene Tosoni outed a solo homer, and Chris Parmelee added a RBI single as the Twins edged the Tribe on Sunday afternoon.

     Shelley Duncan's 2-run homer in the 3rd staked Fausto Carmona to a 4-2 lead.  Carmona, though, allowed single tallies in the 5th and 6th, enabling Minnesota to pull even with Indians.

     The contest remained deadlocked until Tosoni delivered his clutch blast off of Tony Sipp.

     The loss was disappointing, but the crowd of 22,539 did witness a special moment involving Jim Thome.  Thome, who was probably playing his final game in Cleveland, received a standing ovation when he appeared as a pinch-hitter in the 8th.  Thome worked a walk and then began the 9th at 3rd base, the position he manned early in his career.  After 1 pitch, Manny Acta inserted a defensive substitute so that the fans could acknowledge Thome 1 final time.

Thome takes the field prior to the 9th inning

Cleveland Browns: Week 3

9-25-11     vs. Miami     W, 17-16     2-1

Recap in a Sentence:

     Playing without the ill Peyton Hillis, Colt McCoy and the Browns produced a dramatic victory over the Dolphins.

Player of the Game:

Colt McCoy - 19-39 (completions-attempts), 210 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception

     Trailing, 16-10, with 3:23 remaining in the 4th quarter, McCoy began an offensive series at his 20-yard line.  13 plays later, the Browns had the lead and the city of Cleveland was singing the praises of the young quarterback from Texas.  The game-winning drive featured pass plays exclusively, and McCoy completed 8 for 75 yards and a touchdown.

Play of the Game:

Colt McCoy's 14-yard touchdown pass to Mohamed Massaquoi in the 4th quarter

     McCoy capped that aforementioned march to pay dirt with this perfect TD toss to Massaquoi, who leaped high in the air to grab it before falling to the ground in the back corner of the end zone.

McCoy was clutch, and the Browns escaped

Cleveland Indians: Tribe Sweeps Twinbill

9-24-11     vs. Minnesota     W, 8-2; W, 7-6     80-78

     Shelley Duncan produced 3 hits and 6 RBI, lifting the Indians to a doubleheader sweep of the Twins at Progressive Field.

     In the opener, Duncan cranked a 2-run double off the base of the left field wall in the 1st before delivering a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the 6th.  That sac fly sparked a 6-run outburst that turned a 2-2 game into a rout.

     In the nightcap, Duncan provided the bookends for an incredible comeback.  Trailing 6-0 in the bottom of the 6th, Duncan smashed a RBI single through the left side of the infield, igniting a 5-run rally.  Then, in the 7th, Duncan yanked a 2-run double inside the left field line.

     The Tribe bullpen protected that 7-6 lead, and Chris Perez tossed a scoreless 9th to record his 36th save.

     Zach Putnam and Nick Hagadone, a pair of rookie pitchers, notched their 1st career victories during the twinbill.

Duncan's 2-run double completed an improbable comeback

Cleveland Indians: Thome, Santana Highlight Memorable Night

9-23-11     vs. Minnesota     W, 6-5     78-78

     A storied past and a promising future collided on Friday night at Progressive Field.

     36,807 fans weathered cool temperatures and a light rain to witness a pregame ceremony that honored Jim Thome and his 600 home runs.

     Thome then rewarded those fans for their kindness and their generosity.

     The big slugger drilled a RBI double in the 1st and a 2-run homer in the 3rd.  That homer, Thome's 604th, disappeared over the center field wall, tying the game at 4.  The crowd roared as Thome added another remarkable chapter to his Hall of Fame career.

     Thome also had an infield single before falling a triple shy of the cycle.

     Following Thome's heroics, the Tribe's young players stole the show.

     Matt LaPorta produced 3 hits and 2 RBI, helping the Indians to a 5-4 lead through 6 innings.

     The Twins evened the score in the 7th, but Carlos Santana would send the fans home happy.  The 25-year-old catcher, pinch-hitting for Lou Marson in the bottom of the 9th, drilled Matt Capps' 1st pitch deep into the night.  The walk-off homer was a fitting conclusion to a perfect night.

Jim Thome tips his cap to the fans after his mammoth home run

Cleveland Indians: Tribe Routs the White Sox

9-22-11     vs. Chicago White Sox     W, 11-2     77-78

     A rare feat was accomplished, a record was established, and a milestone was reached as the Indians easily defeated the White Sox at Progressive Field.

     In the bottom of the 1st inning, Kosuke Fukudome and Jason Kipnis became the 4th pair of Tribe batters to begin a game with back-to-back jacks.

     Following Fukudome's 2-out, 2-run single in the 5th that gave the Indians a 4-2 lead, the assault on the history books continued. 

     Asdrubal Cabrera launched a 3-run homer to right-center in the 7th, setting the franchise mark for the most home runs hit by a shortstop in a single season.

     Travis Hafner joined the party 1 batter later when he doubled to reach the 1,000 hit plateau.

     Lost amidst the historical moments was the fact that Jeanmar Gomez won his 5th consecutive start.  The young right-hander tossed 6 frames and allowed only 2 runs.

Quietly, Gomez was impressive

Cleveland Indians: Ubaldo Collapses, Tribe Falls

9-21-11     vs. Chicago White Sox     L, 8-4     76-78

     Ubaldo Jimenez's command, which was exceptional through 6 innings, suddenly deserted the lanky right-hander.

     Buoyed by Travis Hafner's 2-run homer in the bottom of the 6th, Jimenez entered the 7th with a 2-1 advantage and a golden opportunity to win his 3rd consecutive start.  Following Adam Dunn's weak groundout to begin the frame, Jimenez walked Dayan Viciedo.  The next pitch from Jimenez was a 93 mile-per-hour fastball that split the strike zone in half.  Brent Morel drilled it off the left field wall, plating Viciedo and tying the game.  Tyler Flowers' routine fly ball to right momentarily suspended the rally before Jimenez issued yet another walk.  The Indians' starter then uncorked a wild pitch, advancing both runners into scoring position.  That would prove costly when Alejandro De Aza lined a 2-run single to center.  De Aza was tagged out between 1st and 2nd base, but Chicago had a 4-2 lead.

     Inheriting that 4-2 deficit, Chad Durbin proceeded to allow 3 home runs in the 8th.  Alexei Ramirez and Alex Rios each belted solo shots, and Morel a 2-run blast.

     Jimenez suffered the defeat, and his record slipped to 10-12.

Command, or the lack thereof, continues to plague Ubaldo

Cleveland Indians: Doubleheader Sweep Eludes Tribe

9-20-11     vs. Chicago White Sox     L, 5-4     76-77

     Having used his primary relief pitchers to secure a victory in the opener of a twinbill against the White Sox, Manny Acta was forced to utilize his less dependable bullpen arms, including 3 rookies, in an attempt to earn a sweep.

     Zach McAllister, making his 3rd major league start, pitched into the 6th inning before issuing walks to Alexei Ramirez and Adam Dunn.

     With 1 out and the Indians enjoying a 4-1 advantage, Acta summoned Rafael Perez.  Perez  promptly surrendered Alejandro De Aza's 2-run double.  In fairness to Perez, the hit was a blooper, and Shelley Duncan, the left fielder, should have held De Aza to a single while preventing a 2nd run from scoring.

     Despite Duncan's shaky defense, the Indians carried a 4-3 lead into the 7th.  At this point, Acta turned to Zach Putnam, a 1st-year player enduring a miserable start to his MLB career.  And Putnam did nothing to reverse his fortunes as he allowed the Sox to plate 2 quick runs.

     Even though 2 other rookies, Nick Hagadone and Josh Judy, combined to toss 2 2/3 frames of shutout baseball, Chicago had done enough damage to eke out a victory.

     In a losing effort, Jason Donald collected 4 hits, all of which were singles.

McAllister pitched well, but the bullpen wasted his solid effort

Cleveland Indians: Tribe Wins Twinbill Opener

9-20-11     vs. Chicago White Sox     W, 4-3     76-76

     Working in and out of trouble, Fausto Carmona pitched 6 innings before handing a 4-3 lead to the bullpen.

     And as it has done throughout this season, the 'pen worked its magic and preserved the victory.

     Joe Smith, Vinnie Pestano, and Chris Perez eached tossed a perfect frame to finish the opener of a day-night doubleheader.

     Despite walking 2 batters, hitting another, and allowing 7 base-hits, Carmona's outing was worthy of a quality start and a W.  However, if not for the Tribe defense turning a pair of line drives into double plays, Carmona would have probably suffered his 16th loss.

     Offensively, the Indians belted 3 home runs to back Carmona.  Travis Hafner ripped a 2-run homer into the right field seats, Asdrubal Cabrera lofted a solo bomb over the right-center wall, and Kosuke Fukudome cranked a solo blast to the back portion of the lower deck in right.

Carmona battled through 6 innings

Cleveland Indians: Tribe Loses Rainy Slugfest

9-19-11     vs. Seattle     L, 12-6 (7 innings)     75-76

     Heavy rain shortened Monday afternoon's game between the Indians and Mariners to 7 innings, but 3 innings would have been sufficient.

     Seattle tallied twice in the 2nd before scoring 9 times in the 3rd to turn a 3-0 Tribe lead into an 11-4 Mariners advantage.  Mike Carp's grand slam to the upper deck in right field capped the onslaught.

     David Huff allowed more runs (9) than he recorded outs (8).  4 of those runs were unearned, but that did not prevent Huff from suffering his 6th loss of the season.

     The Indians provided Huff with ample offensive support, including back-to-back jacks in the 1st.  Asdrubal Cabrera hit a 2-run homer to left, and the next batter, Carlos Santana, hit a solo shot to nearly the exact same spot.

     The game, which was originally scheduled for May 14th, was played in front of a sparse crowd that probably numbered less than 1,000.  Officially, the attendance was 15,354, but the majority of those fans were no-shows.

Huff lost his 4th consecutive start

Ohio State Football: Buckeyes Fail Road Test

9-17-11     at Miami (FL)     L, 24-6     2-1

     When Terrelle Pryor announced his decision to leave Ohio State amidst an NCAA investigation, the majority of Buckeye fans believed the time was right for the star quarterback to separate himself from the football program and the university.

     However, following OSU's 1st setback of the season, a discouraging loss to the Miami Hurricanes, the Buckeyes and their fans wish Pryor had never left Columbus.

     Facing an athletic Miami defense, Ohio State completed only 4 passes, totaling a dismal 35 yards.

... the Buckeyes and their fans wish Pryor had never left Columbus ...

     For the 3rd consecutive game, Luke Fickell started Joe Bauserman at quarterback.  Bauserman's 1st 2 drives resulted in 3-and-outs, prompting Fickell to insert Braxton Miller into the game.

     Meanwhile, Jacory Harris fired a pair of touchdown passes to Allen Hurns, and the 'Canes had an early, 14-0 lead.

     Miller threw an interception to conclude his 1st series, but, fortunately, Harris returned the favor and then some by tossing 2 picks during the middle portion of the 1st half.  Those miscues helped the incompetent Ohio State offense score 6 points as Drew Basil converted 2 field goals.

     Late in the 2nd quarter, Harris engineered what would prove to be the game's critical drive.  Miami traversed 64 yards of real estate, and Jake Wieclaw drilled a 25-yard field goal on the final play of the half.

     After a scoreless 3rd quarter, Miller, who split time with Bauserman throughout the game, used his legs to push the Buckeyes across midfield.  Miller, though, fumbled the football 2 plays later, and Mike Williams recovered.

     The Hurricanes' rushing attack, which featured Lamar Miller and his 184 yards, proceeded to milk the clock.  Mike James' 1-yard TD plunge capped a 14-play march that spanned 8:48 and sealed Ohio State's fate.

... Jacory Harris fired a pair of touchdown passes ...

     Similar to the Buckeyes, the Hurricanes are dealing with a storm of possible NCAA violations and sanctions.  But it appears that Miami is better equipped to weather that proverbial storm and emerge as a solid team.  Ohio State, on the other hand, is completely overwhelmed without Jim Tressel and Pryor, who were the unquestioned leaders of the Buckeyes.

Player of the Game

Jordan Hall: 14 carries, 87 yards

Because he accepted improper benefits, Hall was forced to miss the games against Akron and Toledo.  The speedy tailback returned to face Miami, and he was the only member of the Buckeyes' offense that showed promise.

Jordan Hall

Play of the Game

Braxton Miller's fumble in the 4th quarter

Miller was beginning to lead  a comeback that could have vaulted the freshman into legendary status before the pigskin was punched free from his right hand.  The turnover was essentially the final nail in OSU's coffin.

Cleveland Indians: Tribe Rallies to Sweep the Twins

9-19-11     at Minnesota     W, 6-5     75-75

     If not for a quirky 7th inning, the Indians' bid to sweep the Twins at Target Field would have fallen short.

     Fortunately, the Tribe plated 6 runs and emerged from a grueling, 11-day road trip with a 5-5 record.

     Having committed 4 errors defensively, the Indians limped into that fateful 7th frame, trailing 3-0.

     Facing Carl Pavano, Shelley Duncan launched a lead-off homer to left field, igniting the comeback.

     Chris Parmelee booted Lonnie Chisenhall's routine grounder, enabling the Indians' 3rd baseman to reach 1st base safely. 

     Pavano, though, regained his composure and induced a fly out and a ground out to move to within 1 out of ending the sputtering rally.

     Pavano would not record that last out.

     Lou Marson singled and Kosuke Fukudome walked to load the bases, prompting Ron Gardenhire, the Minnesota skipper, to turn to his bullpen.

     Jose Mijares was the 1st reliever summoned, and he walked Jason Kipnis, forcing home a run.

     Alex Burnett then replaced Mijares, but Burnett walked Carlos Santana to tie the game.

     Gardenhire finally found a pitcher who could throw strikes when he summoned Glen Perkins.  Perkins' 1st delivery shattered Jim Thome's bat, but the baseball was hit so poorly that no Twins' infielder could retire the slow-footed Thome.  The RBI infield single pushed the Indians into their 1st lead of the afternoon.

     Duncan's 2-run double capped the uprising and silenced a crowd of 37,012.

     Vinnie Pestano issued a pair of bases-loaded walks in the 8th before Trevor Plouffe popped out to preserve the Tribe's advantage.

     Chris Perez breezed through the 9th, notching his 34th save.

     Justin Masterson earned his 12th victory as the big right-hander allowed 3 runs, 1 earned, in 6 innings.

Thome broke his bat, but delivered the game-winning hit

Cleveland Browns: Week 2

9-18-11     at Indianapolis     W, 27-19     1-1

Recap in a Sentence:

     An opportunistic offense, an aggressive defense, and the big-play ability of Josh Cribbs helped the Browns recover from a dismal Week 1 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Player of the Game:

Josh Cribbs - 3 receptions, 41 yards; 2 kick returns, 80 yards; 2 punt returns, 52 yards

     Colt McCoy and Peyton Hillis both had solid performances, but Cribbs was the spark that ignited the Browns.  The former Kent State quarterback produced a 52-yard kickoff return in the 2nd quarter, setting the table for Cleveland's 1st score of the afternoon, a McCoy touchdown pass to Evan Moore.  Then, in the 4th quarter, Cribbs returned a punt 43 yards, leading to another Browns' TD.  Cribbs also played a pivotal role in an offensive attack that totaled 303 yards and 27 points.

Play of the Game:

Peyton Hillis's 24-yard touchdown run in the 4th quarter

     Prior to this dash to pay dirt, the Colts had limited Hillis to a mere 61 rushing yards.  But Hillis has a tendency to wear down opposing defenses before delivering the knockout blow.  This TD rumble sealed a Browns' victory as it increased their lead to 24-12.

Cribbs' 173 all-purpose yards fueled the Browns

Cleveland Indians: Tribe Routs the Twins

9-17-11     at Minnesota     W, 10-4     74-75

     Playing for the 1st time this season with the knowledge that they could not possibly reach the postseason, the Indians produced 10 runs and 14 hits as they battered the Twins.

     Travis Hafner's 2-out, 2-run single in the 1st pushed the Tribe into an early lead, but that was simply the beginning of the offensive barrage.

     In the 2nd, Trevor Crowe lined a RBI single to center field, Jason Kipnis drilled a 2-run triple to right-center, Carlos Santana blasted a 2-run homer to right-center, and Matt LaPorta ripped a RBI double to right.  When the dust finally settled, the Indians had an 8-0 cushion.

     That 6-run 2nd knocked Anthony Swarzak out of the game.  Swarzak only recorded 5 outs, and he allowed 7 runs.

     Jeanmar Gomez, the winning pitcher, tossed 6 2/3 innings of 2-run baseball before suffering a minor leg injury.

Santana belts his 25th homer of the season

Cleveland Indians: Thome, Tribe Edge the Twins

9-16-11     at Minnesota     W, 7-6     73-75

     Jim Thome belted the 603rd home run of his illustrious career, and the Indians halted a 3-game slide.

     Thome, who played for the Twins prior to his August 26th return to Cleveland, added what appeared to be unnecessary insurance in the top of the 9th with a solo homer that shot through the air and disappeared into the bleachers.  The blast increased the Tribe's lead to 7-4.

     Chris Perez, though, nearly allowed that lead to evaporate.  The Twins tallied twice in the bottom of the 9th, and, if not for Kosuke Fukudome's leaping catch against the right field wall to begin the inning, they probably would have tied the score.  However, Fukudome did make the catch, and Perez did manage to earn the save.

     A Carlos Santana solo jack in the 2nd fueled an early onslaught that saw the Indians claim a 5-0 advantage.  Lonnie Chisenhall's 3 hits, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored also aided the cause.

     Ubaldo Jimenez pitched 6 1/3 solid frames to notch the victory.  Jimenez allowed 3 runs, but only 1 was earned.

     A little more than an hour after Perez sealed the Indians' triumph, the Tigers defeated the Athletics, officially ending the Tribe's postseason contention.

Thome cranks the home run that proved to be the game-winner

Cleveland Indians: Rangers Sweep the Tribe

9-15-11     at Texas     L, 7-4     72-75

     The only good news for the Indians from Thursday's series finale was that it meant they could finally leave the state of Texas.

     During the 3-game series in Arlington, which the Rangers swept, the Tribe was outscored 26-9.

     To complete the sweep, Texas used Fausto Carmona as its punching bag.  Carmona allowed 6 runs, 5 earned, in 6 innings of work.  The Rangers were probably sad to see Manny Acta turn to his bullpen prior to the bottom of the 7th.

     A 5-run 5th, highlighted by Michael Young's 3-run double and Adrian Beltre's 2-run homer, keyed the rout.

     After working around a bases-loaded, 1-out situation in the 2nd, Alexi Ogando settled down and earned the victory.  The lanky right-hander tossed 6 scoreless frames while striking out 4 and walking 2.

     The Indians mounted a feeble rally in the late innings, but a run in the 7th, another in the 8th, and 2 more in the 9th failed to change the dismal outcome.

     However, the most dismal aspect of the game was not the outcome.  Shin-Soo Choo returned from the disabled list and reinjured his side muscle in his 1st at-bat.  Choo will miss the remainder of the season.

Carmona suffered his 15th loss

Cleveland Indians: Tribe Routed Despite Duncan

9-14-11     at Texas     L, 9-1     72-74

     With Shelley Duncan catching every baseball that did not sail over the left field wall, David Huff cruised through the 1st 3 innings.

     Duncan, who is not regarded as a defensive specialist, made 3 leaping catches while slamming against the fence to preserve Huff's shutout.

     However, in the bottom of the 4th, not even Duncan could save Huff.  The Tribe's left-handed starter allowed 8 runs, 3 of which were earned, primarily because of home runs.  Mike Napoli jacked a 2-run homer to left center, and Josh Hamilton hit a grand slam to left.  Lonnie Chisenhall's errror extended the rally and cost Huff and the Indians those 5 unearned runs.

     Chisenhall did launch a solo shot to right in the 5th, but the Indians failed to mount a serious comeback.

     Derek Holland pitched 6 solid frames to net the victory.

Huff watches Hamilton's 4th inning slam

Cleveland Indians: Rangers Thump Masterson, Tribe

9-13-11     at Texas     L, 10-4     72-73

     Justin Masterson, the ace of the Indians' pitching staff, is clearly fatigued.

     The big right-hander has logged more than 200 innings with an earned run average of 3.20, but, during the month of September, his outings have been short, his control has been erratic, and his results have been poor.

     Masterson's Tuesday night start against the Rangers was a good illustration of his recent struggles.  Masterson allowed 6 runs in 5 innings, and he issued 3 walks, compared to only 2 strikeouts.

     The gopher ball was the key to the Texas attack as David Murphy, Josh Hamilton, and Adrian Beltre visited the bleachers beyond the outfield walls.  Murphy actually hit a pair of bombs, both of which were solo shots.

     In a losing effort, Carlos Santana swatted 2 solo homers, increasing his season total to 23.

It was a long night for Masterson (right)

Cleveland Indians: Ubaldo Solid, Tribe Rolls

9-11-11     at Chicago White Sox     W, 7-3     72-72

     Ubaldo Jimenez has suddenly become a reliable starting pitcher.

     The lanky right-hander resembled a train wreck in 3 of his 1st 4 outings following the blockbuster trade that shipped him from Colorado to Cleveland.  Since then, though, Jimenez has produced 4 consecutive quality starts, including 1 against the White Sox on Sunday afternoon.

     Despite issuing 5 walks, Jimenez tossed 6 innings of 2-run baseball to earn the victory.  That performance improved his record with the Tribe to 3-2.

     Offensively, the Indians supported their hurler admirably.  Luis Valbuena and Trevor Crowe each collected 3 hits, 2 runs, and a RBI as the Tribe routed the Sox.  1 of Valbuena's hits was his 1st home run of the season, a solo homer to right-center field.

     The Indians tallied 3 times in the 2nd and 3 times in the 8th to salvage a split of the 4-game series in the Windy City.

Jimenez watches Carlos Santana dive to record an out

Ohio State Football: Buckeyes Survive

9-10-11     vs. Toledo     W, 27-22     2-0

     An Ohio Stadium crowd of 105,016 held its collective breath as the Toledo Rockets marched toward a monumental upset.

     Rod Smith's fumble at the 3:08 mark of 4th quarter opened the door for the Rockets, who trailed the Buckeyes, 27-22.  Terrance Owens, 1 of 2 signal callers Toledo used against the Ohio State defense, swiftly marched his charges into OSU territory.  Owens and the Rockets converted a 4th-and-14 en route to the Buckeyes' 21-yard line.  From there, Owens misfired twice before Adonis Thomas gained 4 yards on the ground.  Then, with the Horseshoe rocking nervously, John Simon forced his way through Toledo's undersized offensive line and rushed Owens' delivery.  The throw wobbled incomplete, and Buckeye Nation could finally exhale.

Owens'... throw wobbled incomplete ...

     To begin the game, Joe Bauserman engineered a 7-play, 67-yard drive that Jake Stoneburner capped with a 26-yard, 1-handed touchdown catch.  That opening series apparently cemented Bauserman as the unquestioned starting quarterback because his backup, Braxton Miller, never saw the field.

     Midway through the 1st quarter, the special teams demons that plagued the Buckeyes last season reared their ugly head.  Kishon Wilcher blocked Ben Buchanan's punt, and T.J. Fatinikun returned the loose pigskin to the Ohio State 1.  Following a false start, Austin Dantin rifled a TD pass to Eric Page.  Toledo attempted a stunning 2-point conversion, which was successful courtesy of Page's pass to Hank Keighley.

     The Rockets increased their lead moments later when Page turned a simple wide receiver screen into a 66-yard score.

     The Buckeyes produced 2 big plays in the 2nd stanza to shift the momentum.

     The 1st was Carlos Hyde's 36-yard touchdown scamper that pulled the home team to within a single point of Toledo.

     Chris Fields provided the 2nd, a 69-yard punt return for a TD, that gave Ohio State a slim halftime lead of 21-15.

     Both teams crossed the goal line in the 3rd period, setting the stage for the dramatic finish.  Hyde's 2-yard dash to pay dirt would prove to be the winning score.

... Hyde's 2-yard dash to pay dirt ...

     A win is a win, but if the Buckeyes want to become a good football team, they must improve drastically.  Remember, the Miami Hurricanes await next Saturday in Coral Gables.

... the Buckeyes ... must improve drastically ...

Player of the Game

Carlos Hyde: 20 carries, 76 yards, 2 touchdowns; 4 receptions, 28 yards

Despite a pedestrian yards-per-attempt average of 3.8, Hyde did tally a pair of 6-pointers while running behind blockers that failed to create many holes.

Carlos Hyde

Play of the Game

Chris Fields' 69-yard punt return for a touchdown in the 2nd quarter

With his team desperately needing a boost late in the 1st half, Fields shot past the Toledo punt coverage and into the end zone.  The play invigorated the Buckeyes, and it helped Ohio State escape victorious.

... Fields shot past the Toledo punt coverage and into the end zone ...

Cleveland Browns: Week 1

9-11-11     vs. Cincinnati     L, 27-17     0-1

Recap in a Sentence:

     Colt McCoy and the Browns' offense were unspeakably bad, especially in the 2nd half, and the Bengals scored 14 4th quarter points to spoil Pat Shurmur's head coaching debut.

Player of the Game:

Cedric Benson - 25 carries, 125 yards, 1 touchdown

     Recently released from jail, Benson gashed Cleveland's defense repeatedly for big gains.  Benson also sealed the Browns' fate with a 39-yard TD scamper in the final minutes of the game.

Play of the Game:

Bruce Gradkowski's 41-yard TD pass to A.J. Green in the 4th quarter

     Gradkowski, who replaced the injured Andy Dalton, reached into his bag of tricks and produced the deciding touchdown midway through the final stanza.  Gradkowski and the Bengals executed a quick snap, which caught the Browns napping.  The result was an easy TD connection between Gradkowski and Green to give Cincy a lead it would not relinquish.

McCoy completed only 19 of his 40 passes

Cleveland Indians: Walk-Off Slam Sinks Tribe

9-10-11     at Chicago White Sox     L, 7-3 (10 innings)     71-72

     Chris Perez nearly worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the 10th, but Alex Rios drilled a walk-off grand slam to lift the White Sox over the Indians.

     Prior to Rios's heroics, Fausto Carmona and the Tribe bullpen combined to strand 14 Chicago base runners.  However, flirting with disaster eventually burned the Indians.

     Matt LaPorta's 2-run double and Shelley Duncan's solo homer accounted for Cleveland's lackluster offensive showing against the White Sox.

     Jaun Pierre produced the game's key play in the 5th when he unleashed a perfect, 1-hop strike to A.J. Pierzynski to retire LaPorta, who was attempting to score on Kosuke Fukudome's fly ball.  If not for that clutch throw, there probably would not have been a 10th inning.

The critical play at the plate

Cleveland Indians: Chisenhall, Tribe Pummel the ChiSox

9-9-11     at Chicago White Sox     W, 8-4     71-71

     Lonnie Chisenhall belted a pair of 2-run homers into the right field bleachers at U.S. Cellular Field, and the Indians halted a frustrating, 4-game losing streak.

     Facing Mark Buehrle, a good, left-handed pitcher, Chisenhall, who is also a lefty, had a performance he will never forget.  In the top of the 2nd, Chisenhall drilled a 1st pitch fastball from Buehrle over the fence, giving the Tribe a 2-0 advantage.  Then, in the 6th, Chisenhall made Buehrle pay for a hanging curveball.

     Chisenhall's 2nd bomb was merely the beginning of a 2-out rally.  Lou Marson followed with a single and a stolen base before Trevor Crowe worked a walk.  Marson crossed home plate via Ezequiel Carrera's RBI single, and both Crowe and Carrera scored courtesy of Kosuke Fukudome's single.

     Carrera lated added a RBI double as the Tribe steamrolled the White Sox.

     The overabundance of offensive support helped Jeanmar Gomez notch his 3rd victory.  Gomez held the Chicago attack to 2 runs in 6 innings while striking out 3.

     Buehrle's tough night, in which he allowed 7 tallies, ended with a "L" next to his name in the box score.

Chisenhall enjoyed 2 of these trips around the bases

    

Cleveland Indians: Tribe Crumbles Late

9-8-11     at Chicago White Sox     L, 8-1     70-71

     With the game tied at 1 and the White Sox threatening in the bottom of the 7th inning, Manny Acta turned to his bullpen.

     However, this pitching change was drastically different than the countless others Acta has made this season.  After watching his team suffer a devastating sweep at hands of the Tigers earlier this week, the Tribe skipper decided the time was right to give his young arms a chance to prove themselves.

     To say the least, that decision was disastrous.

     Frank Herrmann, the 1st reliever Acta summoned, inherited a 2 on, 1 out situation.  Herrmann's 1st pitch to Brent Morel disappeared over the left field wall.

     The Harvard graduate then walked Gordon Beckham and yielded a single to Juan Pierre, prompting Acta to call upon Josh Judy, a rookie who had 7 innings of major league experience prior to this outing.  Judy drilled Brent Lillibredge to load the bases before surrendering a grand slam to Paul Konerko.

     When the dust finally settled, 7 consecutive Chicago batters had reached base, and 7 consecutive Chicago batters had crossed home plate.

     The collapse of the bullpen saddled David Huff with his 4th loss.

The Indians fell 10 games behind the Tigers

Cleveland Indians: Tigers Complete the Sweep

9-7-11     vs. Detroit     L, 8-6     70-70

     This 3-game series between the Indians and Tigers was clearly the Tribe's last stand.

     Needing a sweep, or, at the very least, 2 victories, the Indians suffered 3 consecutive defeats as the Tigers inched closer to a postseason berth.

     Shelley Duncan launched a pair of 2-run homers off Justin Verlander to provide Justin Masterson with a 4-2 advantage through 6 innings of play.

     Masterson, though, quickly found himself in a bases-loaded jam in the top of the 7th after Austin Jackson singled, Will Rhymes reached base via Duncan's fielding error, and Andy Dirks bunted for an infield single.  Manny Acta then yanked Masterson, but Joe Smith promptly yielded a RBI single to Miguel Cabrera.  Acta again made a pitching change, and this time he summoned Tony Sipp from the bullpen.  Sipp's 1st pitch, a fastball to Victor Martinez, was belted over the left field wall.

     That grand slam would prove to be the knockout punch.

     Despite Lonnie Chisenhall's 2-run laser shot in the bottom of the 7th, the Tigers broke out the brooms and swept away the Indians' playoff dreams.

     The winning hurler was Verlander, who notched his league-leading 22nd W.

Duncan's 2 home runs were not enough

Cleveland Indians: Horrific Start Buries Tribe

9-6-11     vs. Detroit     L, 10-1     70-69

     The game was less than 10 minutes old, but the outcome was painfully obvious.

     After recording 2 quick outs in the top of the 1st, Fausto Carmona hit a proverbial concrete wall as the Tigers, who are turning the American League Central race into a laugher, plated 5 runs before Carmona could end the inning.  Delmon Young walked, Miguel Cabrera singled, Victor Martinez, following a Carmona balk, singled home both Young and Cabrera, Alex Avila singled, Jhonny Peralta singled home Martinez, Don Kelly singled home Avila, and Ramon Santiago singled home Peralta.  Austin Jackson's ground out finally concluded that incredible carousel around the bases.

     Carmona only retired 1 batter in the 2nd, and his final numbers, 1 1/3 IP, 8 H, 7 ER, earned him a chorus of boos from the fans at Progressive Field.  The sinkerballer also suffered the defeat, his 14th of the season.

     Prior to throwing a single pitch, Rick Porcello was given a 5-0 lead.

     To state it plainly, the Indians never had a chance.

     Porcello allowed a harmless solo homer off the bat of Kosuke Fukudome, and he hurled 6 1/3 frames to net the victory.

Jason Kipnis's return from inury failed to spark the Tribe

Ohio State Football: Fickell Wins Debut

9-3-11     vs. Akron     W, 42-0     1-0

     An offseason that witnessed the untimely departures of Jim Tressel and Terrelle Pryor, not to mention the ongoing NCAA investigation into the football program, is finally over.

     The Ohio State Buckeyes opened the 2011 season with a whitewashing of Akron as the Luke Fickell era was officially launched.

     Fickell, who played defensive end for OSU from 1993-'96, was named the interim head coach following Tressel's forced resignation.

     The spirited quarterback battle between Joe Bauserman and Braxton Miller dominated the headlines during training camp, but Saturday afternoon marked the 1st time since April that the fans could see the 2 signal callers in action.

     Fickell decided to start Bauserman, and the 5th-year senior proved that decision correct.  Bauserman completed 12 of his 16 passes for 163 yards and 3 touchdowns.  The former baseball player also produced a 15-yard TD run to cap the Bucks' initial drive of the game.

     The words "dazed" and "confused" best describe Miller's behavior before halftime.  The freshman QB engineered only 1 drive, a 3-and-out early in the 2nd quarter.  Miller then returned to the sideline with a "deer in the headlights" look on his face.

     Miller, though, would redeem himself after the intermission.

     The dual-threat quarterback amassed 130 passing yards, 30 rushing yards, and 1 touchdown, a perfect strike to Devin Smith.  Miller's 2nd half performance sparked the debate of which QB will start when the Buckeyes battle Toledo next week.

     While Bauserman and Miller were stealing the spotlight, the OSU defense was stifling the Akron attack.  The Silver Bullets blanked the Zips as Akron managed a mere 90 yards of offense.

     The Buckeyes did make a few mistakes, including Rod Smith's fumble and Drew Basil's missed field goal, but the Scarlet and Gray's overall performance was impressive.  Most importantly, Ohio State is back to playing football.

Player of the Game

Jake Stoneburner: 4 receptions, 50 yards, 3 touchdowns

Bauserman and Miller both played well, but no Buckeye had a better day than Stoneburner.  The big tight end found the end zone 3 times, in large part because his size and speed overwhelmed the Akron secondary.

Play of the Game

Braxton Miller's 33-yard pass to Evan Spencer in the 4th quarter

With Ohio State cruising toward an easy victory, Miller and Spencer rewarded the small portion of the crowd that weathered the oppressive heat.  Miller lofted a pass near the left boundary, and Spencer made an incredible, 1-handed catch that almost defies explanation.

Cleveland Indians: Fister Outduels Jimenez

9-5-11     vs. Detroit     L, 4-2     70-68

     1 pitch, a 94 mile-per-hour fastball from Ubaldo Jimenez, was the difference between a victory for the Indians and a loss they simply could not afford.

     The Tribe and Tigers were scoreless in the top of the 4th, when Delmon Young singled and Miguel Cabrera walked to create a legitimate threat.  Jimenez then grooved his ill-fated heater to Victor Martinez, and the former Indian drilled it deep into the right field bleachers.

     That 3-0 deficit would prove insurmountable due to the brilliance of Doug Fister.  Utilizing an excellent fastball and a wicked curveball, Fister held the Tribe to 2 runs in 8 innings, during which time he whiffed 13 bewildered batters.

     A Grady Sizemore RBI groundout and a Kosuke Fukudome solo homer constituted Cleveland's feeble offensive effort against Fister.  Sizemore was playing his 1st game since July 17th because of a knee injury and a sports hernia.

     Jimenez's final numbers were solid, but he suffered his 2nd loss as a member of the Indians.  Jimenez struck out 8, and he only allowed 2 base-hits.  Unfortunately, 1 of those hits dropped the Tribe 7.5 games behind the Tigers.

Fister was slightly better than Jimenez

Cleveland Indians: Duncan and the Tribe Prevail

9-4-11     at Kansas City     W, 9-6     70-67

     Shelley Duncan's patience has been tested this season, but the right-handed slugger has persevered.

     Duncan began the year with the Indians before he was demoted to AAA Columbus in early-June.  That was the start of a frustrating trend for Duncan, who spent much of his summer traveling from Cleveland to Columbus and back again.

     However, because injuries have decimated the Tribe lineup, Manny Acta has turned to Duncan to provide leadership and a productive bat.

     On Sunday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium, Duncan had his best game of 2011.  The veteran outfielder belted 2 home runs and collected 5 RBI as the Indians defeated the Royals to conclude a weekend series.

     The Indians led, 4-1, in the 6th inning, when Duncan stepped to the plate and delivered his 1st bomb of the afternoon, a 2-out, 3-run shot that sailed over the left field wall and into the bullpen.

     Duncan then wrapped a 2-run homer inside the left field foul pole in the 8th, increasing the Tribe's advantage to 9-3.

     The Royals plated 3 runs in the last of the 9th, but Chris Perez recorded the final 2 outs to notch his 32nd save.

     Jeanmar Gomez pitched 5 1/3 frames of 1-run baseball, and the young righty earned his 2nd victory in less than a week.

     Jason Donald (RBI single), Jerad Head (RBI double), and Asdrubal Cabrera (2-run double) provided the early offense.

Duncan watches the flight of his 1st home run

Cleveland Browns: Preseason Week 4

9-1-11     at Chicago     L, 24-14     1-3

Recap in a Sentence:

     With Colt McCoy and Peyton Hillis riding the pine, the Browns lost their final exhibition game, a game that was even less meaningful than the 1st 3.

Player of the Game:

Jarrett Brown - 10-15 (completions-attempts), 92 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception

     Brown, a rookie from West Virginia, might not make the team, but he definitely helped his cause at Soldier Field.  Despite throwing a pick, Brown was efficient, and he led an impressive 3rd quarter scoring drive.

Play of the Game:

Jarrett Brown's 38-yard TD pass to Rod Windsor in the 3rd quarter

     A pair of rookies hoping to impress the coaches connected for a touchdown as Brown lofted a perfect spiral to Windsor, who caught the ball in stride at the goal line.

Scott Paxson (left) and the Browns open the regular season Sunday

Cleveland Indians: Royals Rout Short-Handed Tribe

9-3-11     at Kansas City     L, 5-1     69-67

     When Manny Acta filled out his lineup card before Saturday's tilt between the Indians and Royals, the Tribe's skipper probably knew his team had very little chance of winning.  And even though Acta, who is a stubborn optimist, would never admit defeat, he could not ignore the fact that his club, due to a plethora of injuries, is beginning to resemble the Columbus Clippers.

     After Carlos Santana delivered a sacrifice fly in the 1st, Kansas City scored 5 unanswered runs off of David Huff.  Huff managed to last 6 innings, but he suffered his 3rd loss.

     The Indians' offense, which featured only 3 players with more than 2 years of major league experience, sputtered against Luke Hochevar.  Hochevar held the Tribe to 3 hits in 8 frames, and Greg Holland then pitched a 1-2-3 9th.

     The Indians now trail the Tigers by 6.5 games in the American League Central as Detroit is nearing a playoff berth.

Huff labored through 6 difficult innings