It was written by the experts that the Cleveland Indians best chance to win the American League pennant was getting dominant performances from its two aces, C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona. The Tribe’s starters for the first two games of the ALCS have combined to pitch 8-1/3 innings and have allowed 12 earned runs. So, image how suprised everyone must be that the series is tied at one game apiece considering the work of the Cy Young worthy pair. The Indians have used a superior performance by the bullpen to split the first two games in Fenway Park.
You would expect the Raffies to be at the center of the good work by the bullpen, but Rafael Perez struggled last night, giving up back to back bombs to Manny Ramirez and Mike Lowell to turn a 5-3 lead into a 6-5 deficit. However, Jensen Lewis came up huge giving Eric Wedge 2-1/3 scoreless innings to quiet the Red Sox’ bats, and Rafael Betancourt provided his usual outstanding performance by shutting down the Boston bats for another 2-1/3 innings. Then, the fans of Cleveland got huge lift from an unexpected source.
Tom Mastny was pressed into service to face the big three of David Ortiz, Ramirez, and Lowell in the bottom of the tenth. Surely, this would be where the Sox would take advantage and go up 2-0 in the best of seven series. But Mastny retired the three hitters in order and gave his hitters a chance to face the unreliable part of the Boston bullpen. The righty’s 7-2 record despite an ERA in the mid to high 4.00 range belies his uncanny ability to have the bats get warm when he comes in the game, but the 11th inning was beyond anyone’s thoughts.
First, Trot Nixon, I suppose his name should be proceeded by much maligned (including here), put Cleveland ahead 7-6 with a soft single into center which scored Grady Sizemore. Nison was in the game because Eric Wedge pinch ran for Travis Hafner in the top of the ninth, but the skipper stuck with him even though the Sox brought in lefty Javier Lopez to pitch. A wild pitch, and clutch hits by Ryan Garko and Jhonny Peralta followed by the capper, a three run bomb by Franklin Gutierrez gave the Indians a seven run inning and sent them home with the series tied.
Quietly, Peralta has had a good post season so far with the stick. He hit .467 (7 for 15) against the Yankees, and erased a 3-1 deficit yesterday with a three run homer off of Curt Schilling. He has been a little shaky defensive, especially on balls in the hole, but he has contributed mightily with the bat. The one through nine approach preached by Wedge since he took over the manager job has never been more in evidence than the playoffs thus far. Everyone has pitched in, including Nixon, reverse catcher Kelly Shoppach, and Jason Michaels.
I’m sure the fans no believe the Indians will come home and all will be well. However, Jake Westbrook needs to give the Tribe a quality start in game three, if only to give the bullpen a little bit of a blow. If the Tribe can get a well pitched game from the struggling sinker baller, and the hitting continues to keep the pressure on Daisuke Matsuzaka, perhaps Cleveland can make people remember that there is indeed two teams in the ALCS. It’s not just the Red Sox invitational.
KM
Cleveland Sports Perspective 