MVN - Most Valuable Network

Game #35: Big inning give Sabathia well-deserved victory

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Toronto	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0		1	7	0
CLEVELAND	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	0	X		6	9	0
W: C.C. Sabathia (2-5) L: Roy Halladay (3-5)

Casey Blake hit a two-run double to spark a six-run Indians’ seventh inning, as the Cleveland Indians and C.C. Sabathia defeated the Toronto Blue Jays and Roy Halladay 6-1 in Cleveland Friday night.

The Indians offense was sputtering in an all-to-familiar rut against Halladay, when Blake finally woke up the Tribe bats. Cleveland had managed only three hits entering the seventh inning. That ended quickly when Travis Hafner and Ryan Garko led off the inning with back-to-back singles. Visibly flustered, Halladay then walked struggling Asdrubal Cabrera on four straight pitches to load the bases. Blake then broke the camel’s back with a double that scored both Hafner and Jamey Carroll, who was pinch-running for Garko. The double ended Halladay’s night, but not the Indians’ scoring.

Franklin Gutierrez was intentionally walked by Jesse Carlson after a Grady Sizemore pop out, to again load the bases. Jeremy Accardo relieved Carlson, which didn’t slow the Tribe bats a bit. Ben Francisco was sent in to pinch-hit, and has played in every game since being called up this past week. Francisco doubled in Cabrera and Blake. Gutierrez, on third after the double, would then score on an Accardo wild pitch, that also allowed Francisco to move to third. Victor Martinez was intentionally walked, to load the bases for a third time. Jhonny Peralta would then take an 0-2 pitch to center, to sacrifice home Francisco. Hafner would strike out to end the inning, but when the smoke had cleared, Cleveland had score six runs to take a commanding 6-1 lead.

It was more than enough for the Indians’ Sabathia and the bullpen.

It looked like C.C. Sabathia was going to be a bad-luck loser again on Friday night. Sabathia had a no-hitter through three innings, with a walk, and a hits batsman. He ran into some trouble in the fourth inning, giving up back-to-back singles to Scott Rolen and Vernon Wells. Sabathia would induce Kevin Mench into a double-play, before ending the inning with deep drive by Lyle Overbay that was hauled in by Gutierrez. Sabathia struggled again in the fifth inning, giving up a lead-off double to catcher Rod Barajas. Brad Wilkerson sacrificed him to third, and Marco Scutaro singled him home, for the only run Sabathia would give up. Aaron Hill would hit a two-out double later in the inning, but Sabathia would get out of the jam. Sabathia would give up a single and a walk in the seventh, before striking out the last two batters he would face.

When he walked off the mound in the seventh, he was down 1-0 against Halladay. Sabathia, who has said that he has confidence in an offense that nobody else seems too, watched as Blake and company finally made him seem prophetic with their six-run seventh. Sabathia ended his night going seven innings, giving up six hits and only two walks, while striking out nine.

Consider Sabathia back. In his past four starts, he’s thrown 27 1/2 innings, giving up six earned runs, while striking out 32 and walking only six batters. His ERA over that four game stretch is a spectacular 1.98, and he’s seen his overall ERA cut in half, from 13.5 to 6.55. Now, if the offense can continue to give him the run production.

Speaking of the offense, I don’t know if it’s balancing itself out, but there does seem to be bit more clutch hitting than before. You have to start with Ben Francisco’s call up. Since being back with the Indians, he’s had a four-game hit streak, and has gone 5 for 12, with two runs and two RBI. Overall, he’s batting .389, with a .556 slugging %, and a .421 OBP. He’s been the spark Mark Shapiro and Eric Wedge were looking for.

Casey Blake has gone 4 for 10, with two runs and five RBI in the past three games. We all know how streaky Blake can be. You just have to temper the good, with the bad. Enjoy it while it’s here. Perhaps Andy Marte’s increased playing time this week has induced this recent string of Blake good luck.

David Dellucci is playing better with added playing time, as he’s starting to earn some of the money he is getting paid. He hasn’t had a hit in two games, but in the four previous to that, he was 4 for 13, including the game-winning, pinch-hit home run against Joba Chamberlain earlier this week.

Even Hafner got into the mix after his two games off, going 2 for 3 last night. No, I wouldn’t call it breaking out of a slump, but it’s something. Cleveland is a long way from being right, but they are at least exhibiting some of their traits from last year. They are falling back into their ‘big-inning’ and ‘clutch-hitting’ pattern of last season. If this is a pre-cursor to last year, I’m okay with that. Maybe we’ll see some bats warm up with the weather.

Both Wilkerson and Mench were playing for the Blue Jays for the first time this season, after they were dealt from the Rangers to the Jays for cash considerations. The Jays, even more putrid than the Indians on offense, were looking for an infusion from both. They didn’t get it.

Aaron Laffey will look to continue his solid starts against Toronto’s Dustin McGowan.

This entry was posted on Friday, May 9th, 2008 at 11:56 pm and is filed under Eric Wedge, Casey Blake, Franklin Gutierrez, Brad Wilkerson, Travis Hafner, Asdrubal Cabrera, Jamey Carroll, Tribe Victory, Jesse Carlson, Rod Barajas, Marco Scutaro, Mark Shapiro, Joba Chamberlain, Victor Martinez, Jhonny Peralta, Toronto Blue Jays, Cleveland Indians, David Dellucci, Kevin Mench, Vernon Wells, Aaron Hill, Grady Sizemore, Jeremy Accardo, Roy Halladay, C.C. Sabathia, Ryan Garko. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.