Game 113: Indians 3, Tigers 2 (14 Innings)
by Ryan on Aug 10, 2011 1:58 AM EDT
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If anyone is still up, HUGE effing win tonight. That is all
That pretty much sums it up. This was a critical game for both the Indians and Tigers, but especially for the Indians. Justin Masterson was going for the Tribe, and with Justin Verlander going on Thursday, falling 5 games back (and into a second place tie with Chicago) with Verlander looming later in the series would be a huge blow to Cleveland's playoff hopes.The rain delay, and the subsequent use of the entire bullpen added more urgency to the mix. It was as close to an "all-in" game as you can get in August.
And with those stakes laid out, what the bullpen did last tonight/today was incredible. They HAD to throw 12 shutout innings, not only to win that particular game, but to keep the Indians in the division race. All seven members of the bullpen pitched, with Chad Durbin(!) and Frank Herrmann throwing five shutout innings between them. There were a couple jams (with the sixth inning being the toughest), but considering the offense they were facing, allowing 6 hits and three walks in 12 innings is as close to perfect as you can get.
(oh, by the way, Jeff Kellogg's strike zone was the worst I've seen in a long time, and contributed in part to the amazing scoreless stretch. Kellogg had players who normally never say anything visibly ticked off. I could only imagine what would have happened had Tony La Russa been managing one of these teams.)
The Indians tried to take the lead in the eighth inning. Jason Donald doubled high off the wall in left-center, and went to third on Ezequiel Carrera's grounder to the right side of the infield. Manny Acta then put on the suicide squeeze with Michael Brantley at the plate, but Daniel Schlereth threw an unhittable curve, and Donald was a dead duck at home.
After Frank Herrmann finished his second inning of work, starter Josh Tomlin started to get loose in the bullpen. Tomlin had started Sunday in Texas, and presumably this was his day to throw. Fortunately he didn't have to be used, as the Indians finally scratched out a run in the fourteenth. With one out, Asdrubal Cabrera walked, and went to third after Travis Hafner hit a rocket past the stationary Carlos Guillen. The Tigers elected to walk Carlos Santana to set up a force at any base, bringing up Kosuke Fukudome, who had obtained the Golden Sombrero already in the game. But thanks to a pitch to his elbow, he'd end up the hero. It was an appropriate end to an eccentric game.
| Highest WPA | Lowest WPA | ||
| Smith/Herrmann | .262 | Kipnis | -.200 |
| Durbin | .177 | Donald | -.169 |
| Sipp | .164 | Brantley | -.149 |
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And attempting a suicide-squeeze on Schlereth. That was ill-conceived—a definite Acta fail—but thankfully it didn’t matter.
was at the game, first row of mezzanine in right, and as soon as Donald breaks for home, I’m shouting “no”. I guess he defended it in the post-game that if it works, he’s a genius.
I like Manny, but even with the W, that call does not sit well with me.
You are reading my signature.
I’m fine with the squeeze. It has worked before. But the execution, oh my. Brantley squared way too soon. He then pulled the bat back, and actually didn’t offer at the pitch. Really? Then to try to atone for his mental error, he rolled his bat in front of Avila. A triple fail. Quite impressive with the ineptitude.
Yeah, I can’t believe people said “He even tried to throw the bat at the ball!” … No he didn’t, he tried rolling it between the catcher and Donald presumably to trip or distract him.
"I want to be playing at the end of October or the end of September -- not just at the beginning of April." —Grady
The main thing is, Brantley MUST make contact at all costs on that play, and he didn’t, and he didn’t appear to have tried hard enough.
I’m okay with the play, although I don’t love it. I like it more if it’s a walkoff.
I think its asking alot of a left-handed batter to lay down an adequate bunt against a LHP whose been throwing a sweeping curve.
To me the percentages were much too low. It smacked of desperation.
He can’t let Donald get retired though. Even if he steps across the plate to get something on the ball, he’s out and we still have the runner on third. By not getting to the ball, he was at the very least an accessory in that inning’s death.
Trombone/creamy/soda.
How does that work? I know he’s out by stepping across the plate, so the ball is dead at that point as well?
Matt LaPorta is the bane of my existence.
Tomorrow will be huge for Ubaldo. Tigers have Verlander going Thursday, so they can all but count it as an off day for most their pen. They can afford to burn it down tomorrow, Tribe can’t.
Il faut d'abord durer.
Verlander going Thursday, so they can all but count it as an off day for most their pen
You know what, screw that. The bigger they are, the harder they fall. The only team in the American League that he has a higher ERA against is Toronto, who he has only faced 6 times. 4.82 ERA against the Tribe. When pitching in Cleveland? 6.31 ERA with a 1.49 WHIP. Worst ERA of any park he has been to more than once.
Matt LaPorta is the bane of my existence.
by USSChoo on Aug 10, 2011 2:55 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I want you to be right — I pray that you’re right — however, Verlander is a different kind of monster this year. That higher ERA against Toronto? Yeah, he no-hit them this year.
I agree. However!
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/boxscore;ylt=Ammy.xIhVFhYzI9eSNNxBNuFCLcF?gid=310524106
ylt=AsmNfxdRmRZnVx4GNCiAB5KFCLcF?gid=310726104" target="_blank">http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/boxscore;ylt=AsmNfxdRmRZnVx4GNCiAB5KFCLcF?gid=310726104
ylt=Ams_nDlDKkvjvqCcCQDYTmuFCLcF?gid=310715106" target="_blank">http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/boxscore;ylt=AmsnDlDKkvjvqCcCQDYTmuFCLcF?gid=310715106
"I want to be playing at the end of October or the end of September -- not just at the beginning of April." —Grady
oh COME ON!
I even previewed this and it was fine.
"I want to be playing at the end of October or the end of September -- not just at the beginning of April." —Grady
Once upon a time in 2011 he gave up 6 runs to Tampa. He also gave up 4 twice in the CWS. This year! NCAA hitters!
"I want to be playing at the end of October or the end of September -- not just at the beginning of April." —Grady
A Møøse once bit my sister
OCab is no longer my bête noire.
by stuart dean on Aug 10, 2011 3:10 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
About the only think you can guarantee about a Verlander performance against Cleveland is that he’ll hit somebody with a pitch.
@grantgw - sports and Cleveland and Columbus stuff
by woodsmeister on Aug 10, 2011 10:52 AM EDT up reply actions
Whoever gets hit should bloody his face.
by JulioBernazard on Aug 10, 2011 11:29 AM EDT up reply actions
Had to leave to go to a father/son evening at his school, as soon as we left I was on the phone looking up the result. YES TRIBE
One day I'll get over to watch the Tribe play
by new zealand tribe fan on Aug 10, 2011 5:03 AM EDT reply actions
Where does your dad go to school?
by CaptainPenny on Aug 10, 2011 10:34 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Now THAT’S a mafia. Incredible stuff. I wonder whether any sit-down was held on the off-day, because that was a totally different group we saw last night.
Well said.
"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge..." C. Darwin
by Spidey on Aug 10, 2011 7:40 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Can’t figure out Acta putting on the suicide squeeze in the eighth. Schlereth is most definitely not the pitcher against whom you want to try that against a left-handed batter. Too difficult to bunt that curve.
This team.
Lou Marson fan. Jason Donald advocate.
by Gradyforpresident on Aug 10, 2011 9:45 AM EDT reply actions
game winning HBPs...
Because you need to know these things.
That was the first walkoff HBP in Progressive Field history, and the first walkoff HBP in major league history by a player born in Japan. That last time the the Indians won a game with an RBI plunk was June 11, 1991, when Ken Dayley of the Blue Jays hit Alex Cole to break a 1-1 tie in the 12th inning. A young Carlos Baerga scored the winning run.
Prior to that the last Indians walkoff HBP was June 22, 1975 when Eduardo Rodriguez of the Brewers hit Rico Carty. That one was the first game winning RBI plunk ever recorded by a Designated Hitter.
Prior to that the last HBP to win a game for the Indians was… sometime before retrosheet has playbyplay for every game. Possible never. Or maybe it was September 29, 1940 when it appears the Beau Bell was the last player to record a plate appearance for the Indians. It appears that he either won the game with a bases loaded HBP or a walk.
by plunkeveryone on Aug 10, 2011 9:51 AM EDT reply actions 11 recs
whenever somebody gets hit by a pitch in an interesting way... I'll be there.
whenever a lot of people get hit by pitches in a not very interesting way, I’ll also be there. And sometimes, when nobody is getting hit by any pitches I’ll still be there, but I probably won’t have anything interesting to say about it.
by plunkeveryone on Aug 10, 2011 10:39 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
I love all your research, effort, and passion.
But can you cool it with the subject lines?
by JulioBernazard on Aug 10, 2011 11:30 AM EDT up reply actions
check.
there seems to be some division in the SB Nation world regarding whether subject lines are cool or uncool.
by plunkeveryone on Aug 10, 2011 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions
I wonder what the longest game to be decided by a walk-off HBP is? I’m curious how the 14-inning game stacks up.
Professional Lurker. Non-Baseball Posting Specialist.
that's the longest I have record of
But I only have the complete list back to 1974, plus all of the American League back to 1965, and a potentially incomplete list for the NL from 1965 to 73. So we can be reasonably certain it’s the longest game to end in an HBP in the DH era, and it’s probably the longest such game in the divisional play era.
by plunkeveryone on Aug 10, 2011 11:04 AM EDT up reply actions
So we have to make a bullpen move today, right? I expect Josh Judy to be heading up to Cleveland this morning.
Apparently Acta said no. I’d have thought Hermann for Judy, but maybe they’re holding out that they can get 7 or so out of Jimenez today.
Il faut d'abord durer.
Jimenez certainly should be able to go 7, and then we can get an inning from Sipp and Chris Perez, but I thought we’d want a fresh body just in case he doesn’t.
by Buckeye Brad on Aug 10, 2011 10:28 AM EDT up reply actions
LGU! Let’s Go Ubaldo!! save the pen tonite.
What a wils week od baseball. Tribe is 4-4 with all 8 games winnable. I fear the bullpen is going to wear out since every one of the last 8 has been close and it feels like everyone has thrown or has been up in the pen every nite.
By the way Ubaldo is the first player in Tribe history with a first name that starts with U.
hide
i could tear myself away from that game. even though i left the game thread and was really planning on going to sleep after Herrman pitched his 2nd (or 3rd?) quick scoreless inning i had to stay up for one..more..inning. and it FINALLY paid off. this was such a big win. It was probably the tribe’s biggest win since game 4 of the ‘07 ALCS. LGT, LGUbaldo. goin’ to the game tonight. let’s get ourselves a W and a series win here.
by tr1betime on Aug 10, 2011 10:22 AM EDT reply actions 3 recs
I still can’t believe I was at Game 4. First game ever for me at the Jake.
by supermarioelia on Aug 10, 2011 11:06 AM EDT up reply actions
Durbin, Herrmann and Fukudome. Unlikely heros show up in 14 inning games, I guess.
My MLB Atbat11 conection kept crapping out on me (or maybe it was the hotel wifi) so I fell asleep long before the game ended. What a great surprise to wake up this morning to the boxscore. Ubaldo has a big one tonight.
Per @tribeinsider, Masterson is getting moved up to Friday, Tomlin Saturday, Sunday TBA.
Il faut d'abord durer.
I figured they would move up Masterson because of his short outing. Huff on Sunday, I assume.
by Buckeye Brad on Aug 10, 2011 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions
why did he only pitch 2 innings?
I teach good life choices. That’s why I almost didn’t graduate High School.
Intensive Purposes? I could care less...
your whole argument is a fallacy!
Yes, he didn’t come back after the 2 hour rain delay.
by Buckeye Brad on Aug 10, 2011 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions
Are they going to add a reliever today?
I guess they can wait until tomorrow after they see how tonight goes.
I think they just did add a reliever today: Tomlin.
"I want to be playing at the end of October or the end of September -- not just at the beginning of April." —Grady
Today is his day to throw on the side, right?
by JulioBernazard on Aug 10, 2011 12:45 PM EDT up reply actions
Yesterday was. But he could presumably do it again with his start pushed back a day, right?
"I want to be playing at the end of October or the end of September -- not just at the beginning of April." —Grady
That’s what I was thinking when I saw that his start was pushed back. Tomlin was going to pitch last night if we went further in the game so he can probably do the same tonight since he’s not pitching until Sat.
by Buckeye Brad on Aug 10, 2011 1:48 PM EDT up reply actions
I always thought guys would throw before the game on their “day to throw.” Do they really wait until after the game? Getting your work in with the bullpen catcher at midnight?
I think they throw during the game, and they probably held Tomlin back last night once Masterson was done in case they needed him. But that’s just a guess. Good question, though.
by Buckeye Brad on Aug 10, 2011 3:06 PM EDT up reply actions
AL Central watch:
Joe Mauer: 1 HR / 234 PA
Cliff Lee: 2 HR / 58 PA
by JulioBernazard on Aug 10, 2011 11:33 AM EDT reply actions 8 recs
Just forwarded this to my fellow baseball-nerd amigos. Thanks.
If you squint just right....you can sometimes see the ghost of Andy Marte...playing dominoes in the dugout.
by Seattle Tribe Fan on Aug 10, 2011 1:37 PM EDT up reply actions
When do we get to see CC Lee?
LGT's resident moderate Yankee hating fan.
by Joe. on Aug 10, 2011 1:05 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
I don’t think he’s even on the 40-man, so it might be a while.
Trombone/creamy/soda.
by Joel D on Aug 10, 2011 2:21 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Anyone else gonna be at the game tonight? I’m so GD stoked.
My watch is broken... it's stuck on Tribe Time
#suckitLaw
Going down with my boy. He just called me at work to “remind” me that Ubaldo’s pitching.
He’s 4 1/2…
by The DiaTriber on Aug 10, 2011 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions 11 recs
That is effing precious, dude
My watch is broken... it's stuck on Tribe Time
#suckitLaw
by Turkmenbashi on Aug 10, 2011 3:58 PM EDT up reply actions
He got to see Ubaldo and (his inexplicable favorite player) Marson warm up in the bullpen beforehand, so the game was just icing for him.
And no, he doesn’t stand a chance…
by The DiaTriber on Aug 10, 2011 10:15 PM EDT up reply actions
What is not to like about Marson.
Lou Marson fan. Jason Donald advocate.
by Gradyforpresident on Aug 11, 2011 11:32 AM EDT up reply actions
Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with Marson.
But I would venture to guess you don’t get quite as upset at seeing Santana behind the plate at the beginning of a game or have your day ruined when the #6 isn’t available at Heinen’s to put on your mom’s grocery cart on the way out.
by The DiaTriber on Aug 11, 2011 1:55 PM EDT up reply actions
My best friend came over after his shift to watch and he tried to leave in the middle of the rally(?). I threatened him with extreme violence.
Matt LaPorta is the bane of my existence.
A note to Chris Perez: Those 2 blown saves in the last month, 1 in Minnesota and 1 in Texas, would have been huge wins too. Perez is allowing more hits and getting less strikeouts this year, while his 88% save success rate masks these issues. We need Perez to close the door when it counts, I could care less about his Twits. I know I’m gonna get savaged for this comment but we gotta hold their feet to the fire especially when every game counts in a pennant race.
I’m glad you were here to hold his feet to the fire. I’m sure he’s sufficiently chastened.
Though I look right at home, I still feel like an exile
by Manhattan Tribe Fan on Aug 10, 2011 3:09 PM EDT up reply actions
I agree. We should mercilessly tweet at him using improper grammar and syntax. Then he’ll get the message.
My watch is broken... it's stuck on Tribe Time
#suckitLaw
by Turkmenbashi on Aug 10, 2011 3:09 PM EDT up reply actions
I could care less
Obviously.
"An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools" -Hemingway
by notthatnoise on Aug 10, 2011 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions 6 recs
Boy, if only he cared about his job and felt bad about those performances.
Matt LaPorta is the bane of my existence.
My only gripe with Rage is that he’s throwing a lot more balls early in counts this year, AND he doesn’t seem to be concerned with holding baserunners on once he puts them on. I wish he cared more about those things, which are marginally within his control.
Sadly, just not as nasty this year as previous years.
"Mixed emotions. Rather see him hit PEDroia [with that pitch]. I don’t care if he is in the dugout"
by Gradysmanldy on Aug 10, 2011 3:28 PM EDT up reply actions
from watching him, it seems obvious to me that he has the stuff. he just isn’t good when he isn’t getting the calls at the corners by the umps, because getting called strikes around the edges of the zone is really his best way of getting people out, and he knows it, or otherwise he wouldn’t nibble so damned much. IMO that’s why he walks so many guys, not because he doesn’t have the control or the stuff but because he relies so much on getting the corner strikes that he just can’t bring himself to go right at a hitter
Isn’t this kind of true with nearly every pitcher in the league? If they’re not getting the calls on the corners, they pretty much have to throw meatballs over the heart of the plate, which have a tendency to get hammered. Considering the majority of umpires have a relatively good understanding of the strikezone, I think it goes far beyond this.
getting less strikeouts
fewer strikeouts
by JulioBernazard on Aug 10, 2011 4:00 PM EDT up reply actions 6 recs
Eiwwww.
"Mixed emotions. Rather see him hit PEDroia [with that pitch]. I don’t care if he is in the dugout"
by Gradysmanldy on Aug 10, 2011 4:12 PM EDT up reply actions
Where are you seeing this? Also, please don’t tell me we have Laporta and Duncan starting at the same time. May be a paradox.
"Mixed emotions. Rather see him hit PEDroia [with that pitch]. I don’t care if he is in the dugout"
by Gradysmanldy on Aug 10, 2011 4:14 PM EDT up reply actions
Cleveland Indians
tribeinsider Cleveland Indians
August 10 @Indians lineup vDET: Carrera cf Kipnis 2b Cabrera ss Hafner dh Santana ca Fukudome rf Duncan lf Chisenhall 3b Marson ca Jimenez p
We’re going with Marson instead of Laporta. Frankly I like this better given how bad Santana looked trying to catch/block Ubaldo’s splitter last time.
Cant disagree with that at all. Also, I don’t ever want to see a lineup with Laporta and Duncan in it at the same time.
"Mixed emotions. Rather see him hit PEDroia [with that pitch]. I don’t care if he is in the dugout"
by Gradysmanldy on Aug 10, 2011 4:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Leyland was smug about the fact Avila will be catching every inning today after 14 innings last night.
Why not bat Fukudome leadoff given his OBP skills? I know, it’s quibbling over batting order and all that, but still, I don’t understand why Carrera is batting this high in the order.
@grantgw - sports and Cleveland and Columbus stuff
by woodsmeister on Aug 10, 2011 4:55 PM EDT up reply actions
Well, clearly the suicide squeeze bunter yesterday was unqualified for the job, so they moved in someone who is. /snark
"Mixed emotions. Rather see him hit PEDroia [with that pitch]. I don’t care if he is in the dugout"
by Gradysmanldy on Aug 10, 2011 5:19 PM EDT up reply actions
It’s not about batting order so much as getting a better hitter more at bats. No reason to give Carrera more at bats than Fukudome. Your point stands.
Agreed. Fukudome should probably be batting leadoff over Brantley but he certainly should be there over Carerra.
by Buckeye Brad on Aug 10, 2011 9:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Sorry for the new thread when it was already discussed above, but RE: Tomlin being available yesterday because yesterday was his bullpen or side-session day: I feel like I know just about a whole lot about baseball, but I can’t wrap my head around that one. If yesterday was his bullpen day, wouldn’t he have already thrown his bullpen by 2 a.m.? Does it mean that TODAY was his bullpen day, and he would have skipped it if he had been used last night? The terminology and the process of this has always confused me.
Bullpens, I believe, usually happen during the game, or at least proximal to it. Once they know they might have a delay, I wouldn’t be surprised if they held him back—even without extras, going to your ’pen after 2 innings is not a great situation, meaning it might make sense to hold back the starter who was supposed to throw.
If it was yesterday, he would’ve already thrown it by gametime, typically. Sometimes you see them doing it during the game. Belcher said that he was out in the bullpen to throw long toss to Fukudome between innings to see if he thought he could get loose. Herrmann was going to be out there for at least one more inning, probably more.
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