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OSUBasketballJunkie

Never Forget 31-0
scout.com

4/12/05



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Jody Gerut ... on the way back.

</TD><TD noWrap width=3></TD><TD vAlign=top>Gerut Progressing; Lewis Is Shut Down
By Chuck Murr Indians Ink
Date: Apr 10, 2005

Jody Gerut is progressing, but pitching prospect Scott Lewis has been shut down at the Indians' extending spring training camp in Winter Haven, Fla.

Gerut is scheduled to play three innings in right field and hopefully get two at-bats in an extended spring training game Monday. He is rehabbing from surgery to repair at torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, suffered last September.

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Lewis, however, has been shut down indefinitely with soreness in his left shoulder.

The Indians' third-round pick in 2004 out of Ohio State had surgery on the shoulder in 2003, but returned to pitch briefly for the Buckeyes last spring and worked in three games last summer at Class A Mahoning Valley (one walk and 13 strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings).

He suffered a setback this winter when he strained the shoulder while trying to keep from falling down some stairs at home.

Last week, he visited orthopedist Dr. James Andrews, who had done surgery on Lewis' shoulder in 2003. Dr. Andrews recommended a period of non-throwing and rehab.

An exclusive profile interview with Lewis appears in next month's issue of Indians Ink Magazine.

SABATHIA UPDATE: Left-hander C.C. Sabathia, on the disabled list as he recovers from a strained muscle in his right side, is scheduled to make his second start for Class AA Akron on Tuesday night. He allowed one earned run and two hits over four innings for the Aeros last Thursday night. If all goes well Tuesday, Sabathia likely will be activated before next weekend's home series against Minnesota.

PROBABLE PITCHERS VS. CHICAGO
at Jacobs Field

Monday vs. White Sox, 3:05 p.m.
RHP Kevin Millwood (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Freddy Garcia (0-0, 3.00)
Wednesday vs. White Sox, 7:05 p.m.
LHP Cliff Lee (0-0, 13.50) vs. RHP Jose Contreras (0-0, 1.50)
Thursday vs. White Sox, 7:05 p.m.
RHP Jake Westbrook (0-2, 7.20) vs. RH Orlando Hernandez (1-0, 1.29).

HOME OPENER SOLD OUT: The home opener Monday against the White Sox is sold out.

STRONG BULLPEN: Over a three-game span entering Sunday, the Indians' bullpen had been allowing only two earned runs over the last 17 1/3 innings (9H, 4R/2ER, 3BB, 14K) for an ERA of 1.04. That dropped the team's relief ERA from 15.43 to 2.75.

OOPS: The Indians have made an error in each of their five games and have committed an MLB-high eight miscues to begin the season. ... The Indians rank last in the AL in fielding percentage (.960) after finishing seventh (.983) in 2004. ... Cleveland also is last in the league in batting average (.220).
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scout.com

4/14/05

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Jhonny Peralta scores in the second inning.

</TD><TD noWrap width=3></TD><TD vAlign=top>Tribe Falls In 10th To White Sox, 5-4
By Chuck Murr Indians Ink
Date: Apr 14, 2005

The Indians' one-thru-nine offensive philosophy continues to work -- in reverse.

Cleveland's team batting average fell to .211 as the Indians managed only six hits in a 5-4 loss in 10 innings to the Chicago White Sox at Jacobs Field on Wednesday night.

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"No, it isn't frustrating, but yes, we do have to start winning some of these games," said Cleveland outfielder Coco Crisp after the Indians fell to 1-4 against Chicago.

All four of the losses have been by one run as the Tribe's entire lineup, one through nine, struggles to get in gear.

"I think this shows what everybody was saying, that the division is evenly matched," Crisp said. "Hopefully, we'll switch some of it around our way and start winning these."

Crisp manufactured a run in the first inning for the slumping Tribe when he walked, stole second, took third on a groundout and scored on a passed ball.

Jhonny Peralta had an RBI single and scored on another single by Crisp to make it 3-0 in the second off Chicago starter Jose Contreras.

"We started off pretty good, but Contreras got tougher as the game went along," said Indians manager Eric Wedge.

Cliff Lee pitched well for Cleveland, even in a three-run fourth inning by Chicago in which the White Sox got a couple of scratch hits and were helped by an error by Lee.

Lee was perfect through three innings, but couldn't field a slow roller hit to his left by Pablo Ozuna to open the fourth.

"I've got to make that play," said Lee. "They called it a hit, but I thought it was an error."

Tad Iguchi singled between first and second to send Ozuna to third and Carl Everett then poked another slow roller to Lee's right. Ozuna scored as Lee fielded the ball -- and threw it into the right-field stands, sending Iguchi to third and Everett to second.

Jermaine Dye followed with a run-scoring grounder and Aaron Rowand's RBI single tied the score at 3.

"I threw away the bunt and couldn't field a squibbler," said Lee. "I've got to make those plays. I thought they were both errors. I came back to the dugout, looked at the scoreboard and saw they had four hits that inning. I said, 'Where?' ">br>
Joe Crede's RBI double in the seventh off Matt Miller put Chicago ahead, 4-3, but Grady Sizemore hit his first homer in the bottom half to re-tie it.

Chicago won it with a scrappy rally in the 10th off Bob Howry (0-1).

A.J. Pierzynski lined a double to right-center and was safe at third on a sacrifice bunt by Joe Crede, beating a low throw from first baseman Ben Broussard.

"If Benny makes a good throw, we've got the guy," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "It was still somewhat of a close play."

Juan Uribe followed with a sacrifice fly, easily scoring Pierzynski.

"It's tough to lose like this," said Tribe third baseman Aaron Boone. "But playing all these close games early could make us better in the long run."

NOTABLE: The Indians signed DH Travis Hafner to a new $7 million, three-year contract. ... Cleveland native and TV comedian Drew Carey got a loud ovation when he caught a foul ball in the top of the 10th. ... Tribe OF Casey Blake sat out with a strained left hamstring. ... LHP C.C. Sabathia is due to be activated from the disabled list and make his first start Sunday against Minnesota. He was sidelined in spring training my a strained muscle in his right side and has pitched twice in the minors on a rehab assignment.

MINOR MATTERS

AAA BUFFALO: Jake Gautreau's leadoff homer in the top of the 10th gave the Bisons a 2-1 win at Syracuse.

John Ford Griffin put Syracuse ahead with a second-inning homer off Bisons starter Brian Tallet. Mike Kinkade's fourth-inning homer tied it.

Tallet allowed three hits over five innings, striking out five without a walk. Kaz Tadano worked three scoreless innings, winner Chad Zerbe (2-0) struck out two in 1 2/3 innings and Jake Robbins allowed a hit and walk but got the final two outs for his first save.

AA AKRON: Jason Cooper and Michael Aubrey each drove in two runs to lead the Aeros to a 7-1 victory over visiting Bowie.

Fausto Carmona (1-0) allowed six hits and one run over seven innings, striking out four for Akron. Jose Morban had two of the Aeros' four stolen bases.

CLASS A LAKE COUNTY: Brian Finegan's bases-loaded sacrifice fly drove home the winning run in the seventh inning as the Captains edged Delmarva, 2-1.

Fernando Pacheco went 3-for-3 and singled to start the winning rally. He went to third on a single my Marshall Szabo and both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Jose Constanza.

After Argenis Reyes was intentionally walked to load the bases, Finegan flew out to centerfielder Arturo Rivas, who threw out Szabo trying to go to third for a double play. Pacheco had already crossed the plate by the time Szabo was tagged out, so his run counted.

Michael Hernandez (1-0) struck out three in two hitless innings for the win. Matt Knox got the final three outs for his first save.

CLASS A KINSTON: The Little Indians' game against Wilmington was postponed by rain.
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The Tribe better start turning around these 1 run games, its getting frustrating for me.​
 
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scout.com


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Travis Hafner watches his two-run double.

</TD><TD noWrap width=3></TD><TD vAlign=top>Cora Finds Big Hole In Sox' Strategy
By Chuck Murr Indians Ink
Date: Apr 15, 2005

Alex Cora had a hunch and played it.

Swinging away in a bunt situation, the infielder helped get the Indians' lethargic offense untracked and Cleveland went on to defeat the Chicago White Sox, 8-6, at Jacobs Field on Thursday night.

"He did it on his own," said manager Eric Wedge. "His instincts are fantastic.

"We're not surprised at what Alex is doing because we knew he was a real good baseball player when we signed him."

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Cora, signed as a free agent to provide infield depth, got the Indians out of the depths of a slump with a ball that barely got out of the infield.

The Indians needed it. They entered the game with only two extra-base hits in their previous 19 innings, the lowest batting average (.211) and fewest runs (31) in the American League -- and in danger of being swept in the three-game series by the rival White Sox.

They showed signs of emerging from the slumber when Ben Broussard hit a two-run triple in the first inning and Victor Martinez belted his first homer in the fifth.

But Cora's weak squibbler was best of all.

Jhonny Peralta opened the Cleveland sixth with a walk off Orlando Hernandez (1-1). Reliever Neal Cotts came on and promptly threw a wild pitch, sending Peralta to second. He then walked Coco Crisp.

Cora squared to bunt, but fouled off the first pitch he saw. On Cotts' next pitch, with third baseman Joe Crede charging in and shortstop Jose Uribe racing to cover third base, Cora swung away and hit a grounder right where Uribe had been standing.

"I was going to try and bunt again, but saw something and took a chance," said Cora. "It was luck that it went through, but I know how they like to play. They took a gamble and so did I."

Travis Hafner followed with a double off the wall in left for an 8-5 lead.

Chicago scored an unearned run off Arthur Rhodes in the eighth -- when first baseman Broussard was charged with an error for failing to touch the bag after fielding a throw.

Rafael Betancourt (1-0) pitched two innings for the win, allowing only one walk. That is the only batter to reach base all season against the right-hander in 7 2-3 innings overall.

Bob Wickman worked the ninth for his third save.

Carl Everett gave Chicago a 1-0 lead with a first-inning sacrifice fly.

Martinez snapped an 0-for-16 slump with an RBI single in the bottom half and Broussard followed with a drive that carried over the head of Everett, who stumbled into the left-field wall trying to make the catch. Two runs scored before center fielder Aaron Rowand could retrieve the ball and keep Broussard from an inside-the-park homer.

Paul Konerko tied the score at 4 by hitting a three-run homer off Indians starter Scott Elarton in the third.

Willie Harris singled home a run in the fourth to put Chicago ahead 5-4, but Martinez tied it with a line homer to right in the fifth off White Sox starter Orlando (El Duque) Hernandez.

Before the game, Wedge, expressed confidence in the Indians' offense.

"I don't look at it as a slow start," he insisted. "We're a week into a long season. We've got some strong offensive players and I believe in these hitters."

The Indians host three-time AL Central champion Minnesota this weekend before going to Kansas City on Monday for a two-game set to conclude a 14-game stretch of head-to-head play in the division.

MINOR MATTERS
Class A Buffalo lost at Syracuse, 6-3. Jeff Liefer had a two-run homer for the Bisons. Starter Kyle Denney allowed two runs over five innings but reliever Denny Stark lost it by giving up three runs over two innings.

Class AA Akron won at Bowie, 5-2, as Franklin Gutierrez (3-for-4) and Jon Van Every (2-for-5) hit homers. Gutierrez also had three stolen bases. Right-hander Jake Dittler was the winner, allowing five hits and two runs (none earned) over 5 2-3 innings. Todd Pennington got the save.

Kinston got homers from Kevin Kouzmanoff, Brad Snyder, Dave Wallace and Ryan Mulhern in a 9-1 win over Wilmington in Class A. Winner Nick Pesco gave up three hits and one run over three innings.

Chris Gimenez homered in Class A Lake County's 5-1 loss to Lakewood. Argenis Reyes went 2-for-4 for the Captains. Lake County starter Reid Santos allowed seven hits and four runs, but Scott Roehl struck out four in two innings of relief.

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</CENTER>It was nice to see Victor go 2-4 with a homerun.
 
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scout.com$

4/21/05

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Bartolo Colon

</TD><TD noWrap width=3></TD><TD vAlign=top>Indians, Westbrook Fall To Angels, Colon
By Chuck Murr Indians Ink
Date: Apr 21, 2005

Jake Westbrook pitched well in vain once again as the Indians lost to Bartolo Colon and the Los Angeles Angels, 2-0, Wednesday night.

Colon (3-1) allowed four hits and two walks over eight innings and struck out six. Francisco Rodriguez worked a perfect ninth, striking out two, for his third save in three chances.

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Westbrook (0-4) gave up two runs and five hits over eight innings. He leads the American League in complete games with two -- but lost both of those games when the Indians were shut out each time.

"Bartolo and Jake just squared off," Indians manager Eric Wedge told reporters afterward. "Jake has pitched well. It is unfortunate that he has had some tough losses because we have not scored runs for him."

Overall, the Indians' offense has provided Westbrook with only four runs and 18 hits total in his four starts.

Cleveland fell to 6-9, including 3-7 in one-run games with its fourth loss in six games. The Angels won for the third time in their last seven games.

Colon showed no effects of the slight injury he had to his left ankle in his last outing. He skipped his bullpen session on Monday, but threw well all night against his former team, lowering his ERA to 2.60.

"Colon is one of the best and had it going tonight," said Wedge. "Both guys deserved to win the game tonight."

Westbrook retired the first seven batters before Jose Molina hit a one-out single in the third. Molina went to second on a ground out by Chone Figgins and scored on Darin Erstad's bloop single to left.

Figgins made it 2-0 by hitting a 3-2 pitch for his second homer with one out in the eighth.

Indians DH Travis Hafner went 0-for-2 with a walk against Colon and is 0-for-12 with four strikeouts in his career against the right-hander.

MINOR MATTERS

CLASS AA AKRON (8-6)
lost at Altoona, 5-2. Second baseman Eider Torres went 3-for-4 to put his average up to .258 and DH Scott Youngbauer hit a two-run homer, his first of the season for the Aeros. Right-hander Dan Denham (1-1), who had pitched well in two previous starts, gave up seven hits and five runs (four earned) over 5 2/3 innings Wednesday night to put his season ERA at 2.00. He walked three and struck out four. Victor Klein and Todd Pennington closed with 2 1/3 innings of scoreless ball.

CLASS A KINSTON (8-4) was shut out at Wilmington, 5-0. Brad Snyder had two of Kinston's five hits to put his average at .333, but Kevin Kouzmanoff went 0-for-4 to drop to .425. Left-hander Jeremy Sowers, the Indians' first draft pick (No. 6 overall) in last June's draft, took his first loss as a professional. Sowers (2-1) gave up seven hits and four runs over 4 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out four as his ERA rose to 3.78. Matt Davis worked 2 1/3 hitless innings, striking out one, for the K-Tribe.

CLASS A LAKE COUNTY (8-5) lost at Delmarva, 11-8, as Scott Roehl (0-1) blew a save by giving up four runs on five hits and one walk in the bottom of the eighth inning. First baseman Chris Gimenez broke out of an early season slump by going 2-for-4 with three RBI, including a two-run homer for the Captains. That lifted his average to .190. Left-fielder Mike Butia (.245) went 3-for-5 and scored three runs; second baseman Argenis Reyes (.373) went 2-for-4; and catcher Josh Noviskey (.158) 2-for-4 for the Captains. Lake County starter Reid Santos gave up six runs (only three earned) on six hits and four walks over five innings. The right-hander struck out two.

CLASS AAA BUFFALO (6-7) was rained out at home against Rochester and will play an afternoon doubleheader Thursday. The first of the two seven-inning games in scheduled to start at 1:05 p.m. at Dunn Tire Park. Right-handers Steve Watkins and Jeremy Guthrie are the Bisons' probable starting pitchers.
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3-7 in 1 run games! The Tribe better turn this around if they want to contend in the central.​
 
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Kevin Millwood ... still winless with Cleveland.

</TD><TD noWrap width=3></TD><TD vAlign=top>Tribe Turns 5-0 Lead Into 6-5 Loss In 10
By Chuck Murr Indians Ink
Date: Apr 22, 2005

Orlando Cabrera hit the fifth pitch he saw from Jason Davis over the left-field wall to give the Los Angeles Angels a 6-5 win in 10 innings over the Indians on Thursday night.

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Davis (1-1), the sixth Cleveland pitcher, fell behind in the count 3-1 and Cabrera hit the next pitch for his second homer.

The Angels are 2-2 in extra-innings -- all in games started by Jerrod Washburn. Cleveland is 1-2 in extras, 3-7 in one-run games and 6-10 overall.

Kevin Millwood was deprived of his first victory as a member of the Indians when the Angels tied the score at 5 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.

Bob Wickman walked Darin Erstad, who was bunted to second by Juan Rivera. Vladimir Guerrero, the 2004 AL MVP, then struck out to fall to 0-for-9 in his career against the Tribe closer, but Garret Anderson blooped an RBI single to center to tie it. It made Anderson 3-for-5 in the game and 7-for-13 in his career against Wickman -- who suffered his second blown save in six chances this season.

Millwood gave up three runs on eight hits and two walks over 5 1/3 innings. The right-hander struck out five and appeared in line for his first American League win and 99th of his career.

Scott Sauerbeck and Rafael Betancourt, who struck out both Angels he faced, combined to pitch one scoreless inning. Arthur Rhodes allowed one hit and one run -- which scored on Jose Molina's RBI single off Bob Howry in the eighth to make it 5-4.

Jose Hernandez hit a three-run double in the first inning and Ronnie Belliard hit his third homer, a two-run shot in the second, to put Cleveland ahead, 5-0.

Travis Hafner went 3-for-5, including 2-for-3 off Angels starter Jerrod Washburn. Hafner is 6-for-12 with two homers and six RBI in his career against the left-hander. Hafner's homerless streak to start the season reached 54 at-bats, however.

Victor Martinez also went 3-for-5 while Belliard and Coco Crisp each had two of Cleveland's 13 hits.

Crisp was ejected in the ninth after striking out and then arguing. With reserve outfielders Ryan Ludwick and Jose Hernandez already out of the game, manager Eric Wedge had to use Alex Cora in left field -- the first time the veteran infielder ever played outfield in 697 games in the major leagues.

MINOR MATTERS

CLASS AAA BUFFALO (8-7)
won a home doubleheader with Rochester, rallying to win the second game in extra innings, 4-3, with a two-run rally. Darnell McDonald opened the bottom of the ninth with a single, took second on a sacrifice bunt by Joe Inglett and went to third on a wild-pitch ball four to Brandon Phillips. John Rodriguez singled home McDonald to tie the score and Phillips scored from second on Mike Kinkade's ground single to right.

Rochester had gone ahead 3-2 on a wild throw by shortstop Phillips trying to complete double play in the top of the ninth (games in minor-league doubleheaders are scheduled for seven innings only). With runners on first and second and one out, winning pitcher Chad Zerbe (3-1) fielded a ground ball and threw to second for the second out of the inning, but Phillips' throw to first was low and skipped past Andy Abad, allowing the go-ahead run to score.

Buffalo starter Kaz Tadano struck out seven without a walk over five scoreless innings in the second game. He left with a 2-0 lead after allowing four hits and lowering his ERA to 1.12. Andrew Brown gave up two runs on four hits in two-thirds of an inning as Rochester tied it in the sixth, 2-2. Brown's ERA went from 2.25 to 4.15, though the right-hander has walked only one and struck out 15 in 8 2/3 innings overall this season. Left-fielder Jeff Liefer went 2-for-4, and hit his third homer leading off the fourth to put Buffalo ahead. Jake Thrower added a sacrifice fly later in the inning for a 2-0 lead. Third baseman Jake Gautreau went 1-for-3, extending his hitting streak to 10 games and putting his average at .279.

The Bisons won the first game, 3-2, as Abad hit a two-run homer, his second. Steve Watkins (2-0) allowed two runs (one earned) and four hits over six innings for the win. He walked one and struck out four. Matt Miller, in his first appearance since being sent down to Buffalo by the Indians on Saturday, made an error trying to field a bunt, then got an out on a sacrifice bunt before leaving the game with what was reported as a strained muscle. Jake Robbins got the last two outs for his third save. Phillips had two of Buffalo's four hits.

CLASS AA AKRON (9-6) edged visiting Altoona, 3-2, as Jose Morban doubled in the winning run in the seventh inning. Aeros right-hander J.D. Martin had another sensational start, but his record remained at 0-0 and he gave up his first run of the season to put his ERA at 0.45. Martin stretched his scoreless streak to 19 innings before giving up a run a sixth-inning run and left with a 2-1 lead after allowing one run, three hits, one walk and striking out 10 -- giving him four walks and 27 strikeouts in 20 innings this season.

Chris Cooper (2-0) yielded the tying run in the seventh, but was the winning pitcher as Akron scored in the bottom half. Javier Herrera doubled and scored two outs later on Morban's double. Todd Pennington walked two and struck out one in a hitless ninth for his second save. Eider Torres, Morban and Herrera each had two hits for Akron. Third baseman Pat Osborn went 0-for-4, dropping his average to .348. Center-fielder Franklin Gutierrez, who had missed four games with a sore left knee, went 1-for-4 with an RBI.

Before the game, right-hander Travis Foley was activated from the Indians' extended spring training program and right-hander Travis Thompson placed on the Aeros' disabled list with right shoulder fatigue. Foley had been recovering from off-season elbow surgery. Thompson, signed as a minor-league free agent in February, did not allow a run in three outings covering 5 2/3 innings. He gave up two hits and two walks, striking out five. Thompson, 27, went 41-28 with four saves and a 3.34 ERA in 130 games, including 79 starts, in the Cincinnati Reds organization the past six seasons.

CLASS A KINSTON (8-5) lost to Myrtle Beach, 4-2. Billy Traber, making his third of four scheduled rehab starts for Kinston, gave up three runs on three hits over six innings. The left-hander struck out three without a walk, retiring the last nine men he faced. Caleb Brock got Kinston within 3-2 with an RBI double in the seventh inning. With Brock on second and none out, Ricardo Rojas struck out on a failed bunt and Nathan Panther lined out, with Brock being caught off base for a double play. K-Tribe first baseman Ryan Mulhern went 2-for-3, both doubles, and is hitting .405. Right-fielder Ryan Goleski went 1-for-3 to lift his average to .196, but DH Kevin Kouzmanoff went 0-for-3 to drop to .395.

CLASS A LAKE COUNTY (8-6) lost at Delmarva, 11-8, as the Shorebirds took advantage of four Captains errors to complete a three-game sweep. The Shorebirds scored 26 runs and never were retired in order in 24 innings in the series. Errors by first baseman Fernando Pacheco, shortstop Brian Finegan and third baseman Chris Gimenez in the third inning helped Delmarva score six unearned runs for a 7-3 lead. Gimenez drove in three runs with two singles, Mike Butia had a pair of RBI singles and Marshall Szabo (3-for-5) a two-run double for the Captains. Lake County starter Chris Niesel (1-1) gave up seven runs, one earned, over 2 2/3 innings. He walked three and struck out three. The Captains open an eight-game homestand Friday night (7:05) against the West Virginia Power.
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I am officially frustrated with the Tribe's inability to win these close games....they are last in the AL in hitting...$%^^#@# pathetic! :(​
 
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It's really getting frustrating that this teams record is as bad as it is when we have gotten tremendous starting pitching so far this season. Westbrook being 0-4 is sickening.
 
Upvote 0
yahoo.com

4/23/05

C.C. Sabathia is counting on this being the season where he doesn't have a letdown after a sensational start.



Sabathia pitched seven strong innings and Ronnie Belliard hit a three-run homer, leading the Cleveland Indians to a 6-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night.



``I felt great,'' he said. ``Hopefully, I can keep up the way I'm pitching the whole year. I'm excited I'm throwing a lot of strikes. I usually start off my seasons pretty good. I'm just hoping I can throw like this in August and September.''



The Indians handed Sabathia (1-0), a two-time All-Star making his second start of the season because he missed all of spring training with a strained right oblique muscle, a 5-0 lead in the first. Coco Crisp and Alex Cora led off the game with singles, and Travis Hafner and Casey Blake had RBI singles. With two outs, Belliard hit his fourth homer of the season, a 335-foot shot near the right-field corner for three more runs off Gil Meche (1-1).

``It was huge,'' Sabathia said of the big lead. ``It takes a lot of pressure off you when the guys go out there and score some runs early and you can just go out there and focus on throwing strikes.''

The 6-foot-7 Sabathia, who is listed at 290 pounds, limited the Mariners to one run on five hits and two walks, with five strikeouts.


After going 17-5 as a rookie at Cleveland in 2001, Sabathia has a combined record of 37-30 the past three seasons.

``I need to keep doing what I'm doing now. Just throwing strikes and just getting everything over for a strike and get these guys to swing at it,'' Sabathia said.

Eric Wedge, in his third full season as the Indians manager, thinks Sabathia is finally blossoming into a premier starting pitcher.

``I love where he's at right now,'' he said. ``He is being more efficient. I think that just goes along with him pitching, his mentality and his focus.''

The Mariners scored against Sabathia in the second on singles by Bret Boone and Raul Ibanez, and Willie Bloomquist's sacrifice fly.

Cora's RBI single off Julio Mateo in the sixth made the score 6-1.

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<SMALL>AP - Apr 23, 12:25 am EDT</SMALL>
More Photos</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Sabathia left the game after throwing 97 pitches, and David Riske came on to finish the six-hitter for the Indians.

Meche went five innings, allowing five runs on seven hits and four walks, with three strikeouts.

Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki went 0-for-4 and is 3-for-20 in his last five games. He went hitless for the third time this season.

Suzuki, who came into the game 11-for-25 (.440) in his career against Sabathia, was retired on three infield groundballs when he faced Sabathia.

``That's weird, huh?'' Sabathia said. ``I never get Ichiro out. I think that's the key to their lineup. If you can keep Ichiro off base, you don't have to worry about him stealing second and third. Then you don't have to worry about making bad pitches to the other guys.''

The Indians lost 6-5 in 10 innings in Anaheim Thursday night after taking a 5-0 lead in the first two innings.

Belliard, who was a first-time All-Star last season, said he took that defeat exceptionally hard.

``We talk about it last night on the plane and again today,'' he said. ``But we come back today.''

The Mariners have scored one run in their past two games. They lost 3-0 to the Oakland Athletics Thursday night. In addition to Suzuki's hitless night, Adrian Beltre and Richie Sexson, Seattle's $114 million free agent additions during the offseason, were a combined 0-for-7. Beltre is hitting .242 and Sexson .200.

``We put ourselves behind the 8-ball early,'' new Mariners manager Mike Hargrove said. ``Sabathia is obviously one of the top arms in the league and it's tough to start out five runs down.''

Meche blamed himself for the loss.

``I tried to locate my fastball down and away, but left it up,'' he said.

<SMALL>Notes</SMALL> Sabathia improved to 3-0 against the Mariners at Safeco Field, while Meche went to 1-5 against the Indians. Sabathia, 24, pitched his second career shutout at Safeco Sept. 6, a five-hitter. He's 3-2 in his career against the Mariners. ... Hargrove, who led the Indians from 1991-99 and took them to two World Series against Atlanta ('95) and Florida ('97), saw his record drop to 10-18 against Cleveland. Hargrove was 10-17 against the Indians when he was with Baltimore from 2000-03. ... Mariners pitchers gave up a season-high six walks.
I think that our hitting is starting to come around, they better because the White Sox are smoking everyone right now.
 
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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=750 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=560><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD height=7><SPACER width="1" type="block" height="1"></TD></TR><TR><TD class=yspsctnhdln>Cleveland 5, Seattle 2</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7><SPACER width="1" type="block" height="1"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Preview - Box Score - Recap </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>April 24, 2005

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=ysptblbdr2><TABLE class=yspwhitebg cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>
<SMALL>AP - Apr 24, 12:08 am EDT</SMALL>
More Photos</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>SEATTLE (AP) -- Cliff Lee showed how good he can be when he is getting ahead in the count.

Lee pitched seven scoreless innings and Victor Martinez had a two-run double during a three-run seventh, leading the Cleveland Indians to a 5-2 victory over the slumping Seattle Mariners on Saturday night.

Lee (2-0) allowed four hits, struck out five and walked one. He threw 107 pitches, 70 for strikes.

``I felt like I was getting ahead,'' Lee said. ``If I left it over the middle, it seemed like they hit it right to someone. In the first three or four innings, I got a couple of outs that they easily could have drove. I got lucky early, and then got into a pretty good groove.'' During the 14 innings he's pitched in his last two starts, Lee has allowed no runs and only six hits. He had given up nine earned runs in 10 innings in his first two starts. ``He's still getting better,'' Indians manager Eric Wedge said. ``He is learning what it takes to be successful. He was as efficient tonight as he's ever been. It was great to see, especially in a tight game like this.''

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> Lee became the latest pitcher to shut down the Mariners, who have scored just three runs while losing their last three games.



``Wherever the catcher's glove was, he was hitting it,'' Seattle's Richie Sexson said. ``He never really got into a pattern. He might go 2-0 curve or 2-0 change or 0-2 fastball. As a hitter, you're looking for a pattern.''

With one out in the seventh, Grady Sizemore singled off Aaron Sele (1-2) and advanced to second on a fielder's choice. Coco Crisp drove home Sizemore with a single and Ronnie Belliard followed with another single.

Ron Villone replaced Sele and immediately fell behind 3-0 to Martinez, who got the green light and doubled into left-center field for a three-run lead.

``Cliff was doing a great job for us, changing speeds and mixing it up,'' Martinez said. ``We needed to start getting some runs.''

Sele allowed six hits and three earned runs in 6 2-3 innings, falling to 0-3 in his last seven starts against Cleveland. He has not beaten the Indians since Sept. 7, 1999, while with Texas.

The Indians missed a chance to get on the board against Sele in the second. With one out and runners at second and third, Sele fielded a comebacker hit by Travis Hafner and threw out Crisp at the plate, which was blocked perfectly by Dan Wilson.

Cleveland added an unearned run in the eighth when Wilson's throw to third on an attempted stolen base by Ben Broussard sailed high into left field for an error, allowing Broussard to score. Belliard made it 5-0 with his fifth homer with two outs in the ninth.

Seattle finally scored in the ninth. Bobby Howry walked Randy Winn and gave up singles to Adrian Beltre and Sexson, with Winn scoring on right fielder Casey Blake's error. Bob Wickman entered and allowed another run to score on a double-play grounder before recording his fifth save in seven opportunities.

``We had two scoring opportunities tonight with men on second and nobody out,'' Mariners manager Mike Hargrove said. ``We couldn't execute. We couldn't get them over or in. It's frustrating.''

<SMALL>Notes</SMALL>

Lee did not throw more than nine pitches in any of the first three innings. ... Safeco Field's retractable roof was closed and has been closed for at least part of four of Seattle's 10 home games this year. ... Seattle's first three hits were doubles. ... Sexson broke an 0-for-14 slump with a single in the seventh.

Updated on Sunday, Apr 24, 2005 1:29 am EDT
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Belliard now has hit a homerun in three consecutive games, its nice to see them finally starting to hit the ball, lets see if we can get the sweep on Sunday afternoon.​
 
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