Game 16: Indians 5, Royals 2
by afh4 on Apr 23, 2009 4:59 PM EDT
in Game Recaps
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PrintAnd the Cleveland Indians have won their first series of the 2009 season. A day after bringing Trevor Crowe to the plate as the potential winning run against the Royals' All-World closer Joakim Soria, the Indians again faced a critical late inning situation with Crowe scheduled to bat. This time, however, Wedge made a move that extended the inning and allowed the lineup to turn back over to the best player in baseball.
Coming into the 8th, the Indians hadn't produced a baserunner since the second inning and were trailing 2-1. Ryan Garko gave wings to hope by leading off with a double before being lifted for pinch runner Tony Graffanino, which seemed logical if you watched Garko slide into second on what would've been a stand-up double for Sal Fasano. Ben Francisco followed with a bunt single that was thrown away by Gil Meche as he attempted to field it; Little Giraffe seized the opportunity to act on letsgotribe.com's collective impulse and ran through Joel Skinner's stop sign. Unfortunately, he was cut down at the plate by Alberto Callaspo as Kenny Lofton weeped. To give an idea of Graffanino's decision in this instance, Callaspo was backing up the play effectively enough that Francisco didn't attempt to advance.
Despite all these shenanigans, Crowe was still about to step in with the tying run at first base. Wedge opted for Travis Hafner instead, and Hafner singled, pushing Francisco to third. Asdrubal Cabrera then reached on a fielding error by Callaspo, with BenFran reaching home and tying the game. The best player in baseball then strolled in against Ron Mahay. Mahay was supposed to smite Sizemore by virtue of the lefty on left matchup but, well, Grady Sizemore scoffed at that notion and planted the ball in the seats for a three-run homer. 5-2 Indians.
Kerry Wood then devoured Kansas City (the entire thing, although reports are that Posnaski survived), striking out two en route to a 1-2-3 save. Wood now has 11 strikeouts in 5.1 innings this season.
The other major storylines of the day were Anthony Reyes turning in a quality start (6.0 IP, 2 ER), Jensen Lewis going two relatively strong innings in relief, and Meche's 7.1 IP, 7 strikeout performance. The Indians are home against Minnesota tomorrow night, Carmona v. Blackburn. Cleveland comes into the series just one game back of the Twins.
| Highest WPA | Lowest WPA | ||
| Grady Sizemore | .227 | Ben Francisco | -.170 |
| Travis Hafner | .176 | Victor Martinez | -.086 |
| Ryan Garko | .121 | Jhonny Peralta | -.082 |
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Definitely. I just don’t trust his elbow. Every time he leaves the mound at the end of his afternoon without being escorted off by a member of the Tribe training staff, I consider it a minor victory.
Il faut d'abord durer.
i’ve been meaning to look it up, but i’ve been wondering if this is the same anthony reyes that won a world series game for the cardinals many years ago.
by Brick. on Apr 23, 2009 5:20 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Nah, we’d have heard about that.
Though I look right at home, I still feel like an exile
by Manhattan Tribe Fan on Apr 23, 2009 6:51 PM EDT up reply actions
i think about this in the sort of way i thought about how byrd didn’t have much separation between his fastball and breaking pitches. of course, it’s scary, but as long as he’s getting away with it, i’m cool.
It’s stunning how often he seems to hold onto the ball too long or let it go too early; by that I mean the pitches that miss the target by like three feet. His stuff certainly appears to my untrained eye to be marginal, so he needs to be fine, and right now he is not fine enough.
This is, obviously, pretty darn unscientific.
I’m with you.
I like him. He’s been a teeny tiny bit better each time out. He obviously has some command/control issues to work out, but he’s been battling hard. Even with the contol issues, he’s kept the Indians in the game. A little better fielding behind him would be helpful too.
My like will turn to love if he fixes the walk problem. Maybe he’s as healthy as he claims to be; maybe he stays that way.
She isn't crazy, she's just not impressed.
I’m with you.
Though I look right at home, I still feel like an exile
by Manhattan Tribe Fan on Apr 23, 2009 6:52 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m confused by the ambiguousness of the phrase “Look, ho!”
I'm *always* in the driver's seat, cugino -- Chuck
think christopher columbus, not christopher wallace
by Brick. on Apr 23, 2009 5:21 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Today’s game was nice, but I’m going to have a hard time feeling good till we’ve won 3 games in a row.
I’m going to have a hard time feeling good until we’ve hit .500.
by woodsmeister on Apr 23, 2009 5:46 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Wow, you must have a lousy girlfriend.
Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
by Jay on Apr 23, 2009 8:11 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I freakin hate Nick Blackburn.
2008 against us: 27.2 innings pitched, 1.30 ERA, Twins go 4-0
2008 against everyone else: 165.2 innings pitched, 4.50 ERA, Twins go 11-18
Day game, wha? I was just about to sit down to watch the first pitch… damn.
Glad to see the result, although I’m getting progressively more worried about my impact on the team… Indians record when I watch/listen: 2-9. When I don’t, or at least don’t see the end: 4-1. I’m a veritable anti-Jay, so far.
Sounds like the best plan, to be honest.
by Logodaedalus on Apr 23, 2009 8:17 PM EDT up reply actions
Just got home, watching the 8th inning.
Do you think they refuse to let Garko practice sliding, just for the comedic value of watching him do it in games? I mean, that was ABSURD.
Il faut d'abord durer.
My other observation of the game, made 3 hours late. I love, love, love Kerry Wood. Clearly, watching a game you already know the result of makes things a little different, but watching Wood in the 9th, there was never a point when those guys had any chance at all. It’s fantastic.
Il faut d'abord durer.
I went to the game, and I was irrationally happy to see him coming out of the bullpen.
"Mixed emotions. Rather see him hit PEDroia [with that pitch]. I don’t care if he is in the dugout"
by Gradysmanldy on Apr 23, 2009 10:53 PM EDT up reply actions
I think it’s an outlier, and we should pretend it never happened.
Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
Good luck with that, and let me know if it works, I may try it myself.
Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
Jay = Adam Miller
It all makes sense now.
Though I look right at home, I still feel like an exile
by Manhattan Tribe Fan on Apr 23, 2009 11:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Ironically, I type with only my middle fingers.
Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
by Jay on Apr 23, 2009 11:52 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
No, I actually learned to touch-type when I was 11, on a manual typewriter. I type rather blindingly fast, which shouldn’t surprise anyone, given my willingness to rattle off a 10-paragraph comment.
Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
For a second there, I had a flash of you being so devoted to the Indians you took the time to peck out 10 paragraphs. It was a touching vignette.
by NickFantana on Apr 24, 2009 10:41 AM EDT up reply actions
You want to cross me out but end up emphasizing me instead. What would Freud call that?
Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
Is this one of those crappy recaps I keep hearing about?
Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
thats what……she said?
"Mixed emotions. Rather see him hit PEDroia [with that pitch]. I don’t care if he is in the dugout"
by Gradysmanldy on Apr 23, 2009 11:35 PM EDT up reply actions
I actually would like to take credit for this one – I was driving my grandfather to the hospital for an appointment this morning and put the top of the first on his satellite radio and then didn’t listen to any more of the game. I found a computer and put the gamecast on right on time for, you guessed it, the bottom of the 8th. The first batter I “saw” was Pronk.
You’re welcome.
My first game back at work, where I listen instead of watch. There are few things better than a Hammy HR call.
I never learned to read.
Equally and oppositely opposed by a Hammy HR psyche out
by Pronktastic on Apr 24, 2009 10:53 AM EDT up reply actions
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