Game 75: Indians 9, Reds 2

by Ryan on Jun 26, 2009 11:59 PM EDT Comment 39 comments

Victor Martinez lines a home run just over the right field fence.

Wins like tonight are rather frustrating. Frustrating not because the Indians won, but because it shows you the possibilities had this team had just a modicum of starting and relief pitching.

Jeremy Sowers pitched into the eighth, which was a rare accomplishment for him. On top of that, he struck out season-high six, indicative of how relatively lively his stuff was. Normally Jeremy will do all right for the first time or two through a lineup, but then hitters catch on to his strategy. Tonight he had the stuff to augment his normal location-and-speed attack plan. With a normal bullpen behind him, Eric Wedge would have pulled him after seven innings, but the Indians manager allowed Sowers to return to the mound for the eighth because, frankly, a tired Sowers was a better bet that a fresh reliever coming through the bullpen gate.

It turned out that Jeremy was completely out of gas (he gave up two doubles to open the inning), so Wedge reluctantly signaled for Jensen Lewis, who did defuse the inning. Jensen went back for the ninth, for the Indians still were up by seven. This time he did the inexcusable: he walked the first two batters of the inning. Wedge pulled him, and now he's on his way to Columbus (see the story below). Tony Sipp came in and finished the game, striking out the side.

The Cleveland hitters, after going down quietly in the first two innings, rattled Reds starter Aaron Harang for seven runs (five earned) in the next three. Victor Martinez went deep for the second game in a row, and Ryan Garko, still visibly favoring his wrist while batting, hit a two-run homer. Two unearned runs in the fifth sealed Harang's fate. Thanks to Sowers' solid start, the lead going into the late innings was such that even this bullpen couldn't muck it up.

Next Up: Bailey vs. Ohka, 7:05 PM

290626105_reds_indians_132531456_lbig_medium

via www.fangraphs.com

Highest WPA		Lowest WPA
Jeremy Sowers	.253	Shin-Soo Choo	-.038
Ryan Garko	.170	Luis Valbuena	-.030
Grady Sizemore	.128	Travis Hafner	-.029

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Comments

And so begins a historical 88 game win streak.

by Cleveland Indians on Jun 27, 2009 1:12 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Let’s do it!

Who needs affection when you can have blind hatred?

by ClemsonGirl on Jun 27, 2009 1:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’d rather draft high next year

by world dictator on Jun 27, 2009 1:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Um…

Though I look right at home, I still feel like an exile

by Manhattan Tribe Fan on Jun 27, 2009 8:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

AH, never mind I misread that. I would rather make the postseason, lol.

But as far as having a hot second half to win 80 games and get second in the AL central, I’d rather draft high.

by world dictator on Jun 27, 2009 11:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I wouldn’t.

Who needs affection when you can have blind hatred?

by ClemsonGirl on Jun 27, 2009 10:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

But that’s because you root for Grady first and the Indians second.

Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

by Jay on Jun 27, 2009 1:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

This is not true. An 88-game win streak would probably get us in the playoffs. I am really concerned that I have misrepresented myself on this site.

Who needs affection when you can have blind hatred?

by ClemsonGirl on Jun 27, 2009 9:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

This is where I stand up for a fellow LGTer, but I’m afraid of Jay.

Shin-Soo Choo, future U.S. Citizen.

by USSChoo on Jun 27, 2009 10:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Take the lumps and move on. It’s the internet

by Roger Dorn on Jun 28, 2009 3:17 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I have. I just read this comment at a bad time so I was a little overwhelmed with sentiments like this all at once. And I mean seriously who wouldn’t want an 88-game win streak?

Who needs affection when you can have blind hatred?

by ClemsonGirl on Jun 28, 2009 10:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It seems like 65% of Homer Bailey’s ML starts have been against us.

FE WEE

by westbrook on Jun 27, 2009 1:51 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I’m sorry I missed a good game.. but I gotta know if Julie is responsible for “Sweet Baboo” on the side of the main page.

Shin-Soo Choo, future U.S. Citizen.

by USSChoo on Jun 27, 2009 3:21 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Salome did that one, but Julie had a hand in inspiring it.

by Toxicadam on Jun 27, 2009 5:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I just noticed that yesterday – when did it appear?

by APV on Jun 27, 2009 6:41 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It appeared not long after I posted it, so right around the end of the game.

I believe in Carl Pavano.

by salome on Jun 27, 2009 11:13 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I laugh every time I look at it. :D

by Julie on Jun 27, 2009 1:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I cannot lay claim to the hilarious, compelling, and utterly creepy Baboo Blingee that salome concocted!

by Julie on Jun 27, 2009 1:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thought I’d throw this in here since we’d been talking about it as part of the Wedge/Shapiro discussions:

Some fans and media were frustrated with LaPorta playing sporadically and getting just 42 at-bats from the time he was promoted to the big leagues on May 2 to the time he was optioned out on May 26. Shapiro talked a little bit about the use of LaPorta. He said when LaPorta was added in the wake of Travis Hafner going on the disabled list, Wedge was told to put what he felt was the best lineup on the field each day. There are times, Shapiro said, when prospects are called up and the manager is instructed to play them regularly, but this wasn’t one of those times.

Castro.

I, for one, am ready to see him at either 1B or LF full-time up here.

Though I look right at home, I still feel like an exile

by Manhattan Tribe Fan on Jun 27, 2009 9:01 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Seconded.

by bewwolv on Jun 27, 2009 9:05 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

There are times, Shapiro said, when prospects are called up and the manager is instructed to play them regularly

There are? I’m glad to know that.

Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

by Jay on Jun 27, 2009 9:53 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That seems like an extreme cop-out by Shap. So we bring guys up to do what? Sit on the end of the bench and get Peralta some more Big League Chew? Or bring them up to lose their timing by sitting? What the heck is Shapiro thinking?

I’m all for not destroying a young guys confidence, but bringing me up and then not getting to play would hurt my confidence more than being brought up and struggling at the plate! If I come up from AAA, I wouldn’t expect to hit the cover off the ball right away…but I would expect to play. Shapiro…if you bring them up…let em play! We brought up Valbuena and we’ve played him every day and its start to pay dividends…why would we not do the same with a guy like LaPorta who has 4 times the talent that Valbee does?

by MooneysRebellion on Jun 27, 2009 11:29 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wedge was told to put what he felt was the best lineup on the field each day.

This is the purpose, in those situations. Nobody said anything about protecting their confidence.

Try reading what people say and write, rather than listening to the little voices in your head all the time.

Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

by Jay on Jun 27, 2009 1:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Big League Choo?

Shin-Soo Choo, future U.S. Citizen.

by USSChoo on Jun 27, 2009 2:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, I think this was the case with Marte last season after the Blake deal.

If it were up to Wedge, I think Carroll would have been out there every day.

by FallsTribeFan on Jun 27, 2009 11:39 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Anyone else look at this Chuck Crow picture accompanying the cleveland.com write-up and think Sowers looks like a hobbit?

by APV on Jun 27, 2009 9:18 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Always kind of thought that. Looks just like the young Keebler Elf from the commercials

by MooneysRebellion on Jun 27, 2009 11:31 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

With Lewis abruptly sent down after walking the first two batters in the 9th – even though he got Lee out of trouble in the 8th. I was wondering if Herges will suffer the same fate if he has another bad outing?

Has Chulk earned another chance? After four good outings against the Yankees, Boston and the Twins, he had two bad outings, and was sent down in early May, but given what our bullpen has done since, and given his success at Columbus, I think he might have been better than some who replaced him. I’d like to see him replace Herges if Matt has another bad outing.

If you believe it's just a game, you're also probably wondering why Santa keeps skipping your house every year.

by LeftyCatcher on Jun 27, 2009 11:41 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

With Lewis abruptly sent down after walking the first two batters in the 9th – even though he got Lee out of trouble in the 8th. I was wondering if Herges will suffer the same fate if he has another bad outing?

I question if the decision was made after they pulled him in the 9th. They knew they would be sending down a pitcher for Veras today. Wedge told the media in his press conference right after the game that it was Lewis. I’m quite confident that decision was made before the game. The Indians don’t typically make decisions like that.

by TribeJay on Jun 27, 2009 4:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs