Reds series sees highs and lows, but improvement.
Jake Westbrook benefited from a season-high 21 hits and five home runs on Saturday night as the Indians drew even in their Showdown of Ohio series before a sellout crowd of 42,521.
The offense absolutely exploded from the git go after surrending a first inning run, which the tribe wasted no time in getting back.
There has been something about the 3rd inning this season that the indians just feast on.
The Reds got to Westbrook again to plate 2 more runners. That lead was not to last very long and there was no preparation for what was about to befall the Cincinnati club.
Grady Sizemore lead off with what seemed to be a harmless solo home run. Coco Crisp flied out to center then Starter Luke Hudson walked Travis Hafner.
Up Next: Victor Martinez. The slumping catcher had been showing signs of improvement throughout this homestand taking better swings and being more patient . well, his bat would reiterate this. Martinez drove an 0-1 pitch over the right field fence to make it a 4-3 ballgame. Broussard followed with the first of his two home runs to make it 5-3 tribe.
Ronnie Belliard then singled and Jody Gerut doubled ending hudsons night but it wouldnt matter who was pitching. The storm was just getting started. Next Pitcher: Rick Stone
Aaron Boone singled to score Belliard moving gerut to 3rd. Jhonny Peralta struck out but Stone walked Sizemore. Crisp singled to bring in Gerut and Boone and Hafners single knocked in Sizemore. Martinez would ground out to end the inning but 8 runs on 8 hits was just too much for Cincinnati.
The indians would add 3 more later in the game, 2 coming off a Broussard bomb that was launched into the second deck and Travis Hafner tied a Jacobs Field record of 477 feet with his blast that landed in the center field batters eye bar. Jim Thome hit a ball that distance back in 1999 during a playoff game against Boston.
It seemed to be a repeat of a similar stage that took place against the rockies the previous tuesday in which the indians scored 10 straight runs with 3 home runs in one inning to match a club record. The record being set in '99 against the Kansas City Royals that amounted to 12. all coming with 2 outs.
David Riske gave up 3 home runs in the 9th inning to put a little worry into the cleveland faithful but that would be it as howry came in to close out the game.
Sundays game was a pitching duel that came down to Victor Martinez' pinch hit RBI single giving the indians the go ahead and game clinching run. C.C. Sabathia got into a jam giving up a 2 run Home run to Jason Larue but was able to get out of the inning without a panic and no real damage. C.C. coming into todays game had lost 2 straight and would end up with a no decision.
The Indians finished up their longest homestand of the season with a record of 8-4 and 13-2 against national league teams. Hopefully taking 2 out of 3 from the reds is what will gear up the Indians who face the sizzling Boston Red Sox, the same club who swept them a week earlier.
Note: The Indians bullpen has been nothing short of phenomonal all season but since running into the red sox they've been shaky. Riske gave up 3 home runs that never should have happened, especially the 3rd.
Eric Wedge should have sat him down after the second. Wedges problem all last year and to this point has been failure to recognize a pitcher in distress. ballplayers are human, they're going to make mistakes, but its a managers job to prevent them. lets hope this little skid was a minor setback or its more hopes of next year rather than now.
The offense absolutely exploded from the git go after surrending a first inning run, which the tribe wasted no time in getting back.
There has been something about the 3rd inning this season that the indians just feast on.
The Reds got to Westbrook again to plate 2 more runners. That lead was not to last very long and there was no preparation for what was about to befall the Cincinnati club.
Grady Sizemore lead off with what seemed to be a harmless solo home run. Coco Crisp flied out to center then Starter Luke Hudson walked Travis Hafner.
Up Next: Victor Martinez. The slumping catcher had been showing signs of improvement throughout this homestand taking better swings and being more patient . well, his bat would reiterate this. Martinez drove an 0-1 pitch over the right field fence to make it a 4-3 ballgame. Broussard followed with the first of his two home runs to make it 5-3 tribe.
Ronnie Belliard then singled and Jody Gerut doubled ending hudsons night but it wouldnt matter who was pitching. The storm was just getting started. Next Pitcher: Rick Stone
Aaron Boone singled to score Belliard moving gerut to 3rd. Jhonny Peralta struck out but Stone walked Sizemore. Crisp singled to bring in Gerut and Boone and Hafners single knocked in Sizemore. Martinez would ground out to end the inning but 8 runs on 8 hits was just too much for Cincinnati.
The indians would add 3 more later in the game, 2 coming off a Broussard bomb that was launched into the second deck and Travis Hafner tied a Jacobs Field record of 477 feet with his blast that landed in the center field batters eye bar. Jim Thome hit a ball that distance back in 1999 during a playoff game against Boston.
It seemed to be a repeat of a similar stage that took place against the rockies the previous tuesday in which the indians scored 10 straight runs with 3 home runs in one inning to match a club record. The record being set in '99 against the Kansas City Royals that amounted to 12. all coming with 2 outs.
David Riske gave up 3 home runs in the 9th inning to put a little worry into the cleveland faithful but that would be it as howry came in to close out the game.
Sundays game was a pitching duel that came down to Victor Martinez' pinch hit RBI single giving the indians the go ahead and game clinching run. C.C. Sabathia got into a jam giving up a 2 run Home run to Jason Larue but was able to get out of the inning without a panic and no real damage. C.C. coming into todays game had lost 2 straight and would end up with a no decision.
The Indians finished up their longest homestand of the season with a record of 8-4 and 13-2 against national league teams. Hopefully taking 2 out of 3 from the reds is what will gear up the Indians who face the sizzling Boston Red Sox, the same club who swept them a week earlier.
Note: The Indians bullpen has been nothing short of phenomonal all season but since running into the red sox they've been shaky. Riske gave up 3 home runs that never should have happened, especially the 3rd.
Eric Wedge should have sat him down after the second. Wedges problem all last year and to this point has been failure to recognize a pitcher in distress. ballplayers are human, they're going to make mistakes, but its a managers job to prevent them. lets hope this little skid was a minor setback or its more hopes of next year rather than now.
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