After watching his two aces, C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona struggle with Boston Red Sox hitters, Indian skipper Eric Wedge needed a good outing from his game three starter Jake Westbrook. The sinker baller who has been up and down for most of the 2007 season came up big at Jacobs Field last night, throwing 6-2/3 innings and allowing just two runs in the 4-2 triumph, and gave Cleveland a 2-1 lead in the best of seven American League Championship Series. It was just what the doctor ordered.
The key inning for Westbrook was the second. Facing a bases loaded, no one out situation, partially because of an error by 1B Ryan Garko, the right-hander escaped without allowing the Sox to get on the board. He got Jason Varitek on a short fly ball to left, and then Coco Crisp hit into a 6-3 double play to keep the game scoreless. In the bottom of the inning, the ageless Kenny Lofton belted a two run home run off of Daisuke Matsuzaka to give the Tribe a lead they never relinquished. It was the veteran’s first home run since returning to the Tribe in late July, and what a time for it. Westbrook had two other double play grounders in the contest, as his sinker was biting throughout the game.
The bullpen was outstanding again as well. After extended outings in Game 2, Jensen Lewis came on and struck out the only hitter he faced, and then Rafael Betancourt once again threw a one-two-three eighth inning. Even Joe Borowski retired Boston in order in the bottom of the ninth to preserve the win. There was no full pack of cigarettes needed to watch JoBo pitch last night.
Besides Lofton’s two run blast, the Tribe got timely hits from Asdrubal Cabrera to make it 3-0 in the fifth, and then Travis Hafner legged out an infield chopper to avoid a double play and plate the fourth run. The one through nine approach that Wedge has preached for years is in full bloom in the playoffs, as everyone is contributing. The Indians have hit 11 home runs in the post season, and only Grady Sizemore and Hafner have hit two. Seven players have hit one each, with Casey Blake being the only regular who hasn’t gone deep.
Once again the bias of the Fox crew showed when Manny Ramirez hit into a double play in the sixth. Joe Buck pointed out that a 2-0 pitch that appeared to be inside was called a strike, so he should have walked to load the bases. However, the outrage wasn’t the same when Hafner hit with runners on first and third with one out in the fifth, and the first pitch was a foot outside and was called a strike. Pronk followed with his RBI chopper to second, but his at bat would have been different as well had the first pitch been called a ball.
Tonight is an even number game, meaning it is huge for both teams. If Boston wins, they square the series with Josh Beckett pitching Game 5, and a chance to return home needed to win one game. If the Indians can gain the win, they take a commanding 3-1 lead with a chance to win the pennant Thursday night at home with Sabathia on the bump. Cleveland will need to be patient against Tim Wakefield’s knuckleball, and they will need to score more than four runs to win tonight.
MW
Cleveland Sports Perspective 