MARSfleet: 6/7/09

MarsFleet

ff the Shide, Indians Vault out of last place with 2 wins over KC

SFI'BeZerKoManDr View Member Profile Add as Friend Send Message Find Member's Topics Find Member's Posts	Posted On: Today, 12:45 AM
I serve the OSE Group: Clan Member Posts: 34 Joined: 27-May 09 From: CLEVELAND Member No.: 22 XFire: berzerkomandr CallSign: Solomonad	Marc DeRosa went 3/4 w 2 BB and Johnny Peralta doubled off the tip of rthe wall in left as the Indians tackled Zach Greinke and torch Royals' closer Jaochim Soria. The Indains, after pasting the White Sox, won 8-4 , tying at 4 in the sixth and winning on DeRosa's Grand Slam. Tonight's game went to extra innings and after Kerry Wood pitched the ninth Matt Herges set down K.C as the Indians connected for 16 hits. With the winning run on second base, Sin Choo Choo laced a base hit over star- crossed reliever AJ Farnsworth and former Indian Coco Crisp in center field made no throw to the plate, the line drive slew through an immense gaggle of gulls. One earned a purple heart as the baseball rocked the lolleygagging sea gull; he remained on the field but the Indians charged to the center of the diamond and celebrated. The Royals surrendered runs from every inherited runner in the series, as the Royals ace was lifted for Sorai and Peralta cleared the bases... By DOUG TUCKER AP Sports Writer KANSAS CITY, Mo.(AP) -- In a battle of bullpens, fate favored the guys with all the blown saves. Cleveland's Luis Vizcaino, Matt Herges and Rafael Betancourt kept Kansas City at bay Thursday after Royals ace Zack Greinke departed with a one-run lead. Victor Martinez had three RBIs and the Indians pulled away for an 8-3 victory. "We faced a pitcher who's at the top of his game every time out and we wore him out, I think," said Cleveland starter Carl Pavano (4-4), who matched his more celebrated opponent nearly pitch for pitch. "It looked like he was kind of laboring and we got him out of there and were able to get to the bullpen." Greinke's record stayed at 7-1 with his first no-decision in nine starts. He went six innings, gave up a season-high eight hits and left with a 3-2 edge. His major league-leading ERA crept up to 0.82 from 0.60. The Indians tied it 2-all with two run in the third and loaded the bases before Greinke escaped by striking out Mark DeRosa and Ben Francisco. "I just wasn't real crisp. It was really stupid pitching for that whole inning probably," Greinke said. "I started throwing two-seamers to get ground balls and it's not really how I pitch. I got behind on everyone because I was throwing the two-seamer. It was just stupid, really stupid." Asdrubal Cabrera had four hits and two RBIs as Cleveland beat the same opponent two times in a row for the first time this season. It was the first time they beat the same team two straight. Pavano went six innings, giving up three runs and six hits while striking out eight. "We made (Greinke) work hard and they made Carl work hard," Cleveland manager Eric Wedge said. Coming in, the Cleveland bullpen was a mess, with nine blown saves in 17 opportunities. Closer Kerry Wood, after working the past two nights, was not available. "It was left up to the bullpen and our guys really stepped up. It should be a big boost for them," said Wedge. Betancourt came in with the bases loaded and none out in the ninth and got a popup and a double-play grounder for his first save in three chances. Shin-Soo Choo had three hits and two RBIs. He said he thought Greinke's fastball was better than the last time he faced him. "It was still 96-97 (mph) but everything was moving," he said. "There was no straight fastball today." Greinke handed a 3-2 lead to Horacio Ramirez (0-2) starting the seventh and the left-hander immediately got in trouble, giving up an RBI single to Choo and a run-scoring double to Jhonny Peralta. In their last six innings, Royals relievers who were expected to be a strength this year have allowed 10 runs on 14 hits and three walks. "You can have all the good arms you want, but if you don't locate and command pitches you're not going to get quality major league hitters out," Royals manager Trey Hillman said. The Indians added four off Juan Cruz in the eighth on back-to-back RBI doubles by Cabrera and Luis Valbuena and a two-run double by Martinez. Martinez went 2-for-5 and kept his major league-leading average at .400. Billy Butler's RBI double and Jose Guillen's run-scoring single staked Greinke to a 2-0 lead in the first. Grady Sizemore ended an 0-for-17 skid with a single in the Indians third and Martinez and Choo followed with RBI singles. Notes: Going back to last Sept. 2, Greinke has not allowed a home run in 94 innings. One of only two pitchers since the early 1900s to post at least seven wins with an ERA of 0.60 or less, Greinke has allowed six earned runs in 66 innings. ... The 16 hits were the most the Royals have allowed this year. ... The Indians begin interleague play this weekend at Cincinnati while the Royals travel across the state to meet the St. Louis Cardinals. ... Indians CF Ben Francisco made an outstanding diving catch on Alberto Callaspo's sinking liner leading off the fifth. ... 2B Valbuena had gone 24 games at shortstop without committing his first major league error until he misplayed Mike Aviles' grounder in the seventh. --------------------
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SFI'BeZerKoManDr

Posted On: Today, 01:33 AM

I serve the OSE

Group: Clan Member

Posts: 34

Joined: 27-May 09

From: CLEVELAND

Member No.: 22

XFire: berzerkomandr
CallSign: Solomonad

CLEVELAND -- Coco Crisp thought he had a chance to get to Shin-Soo Choo's line drive. Instead, a bird beat him to it.

The ball flattened a low-flying gull in the 10th inning and rolled past Kansas City's center fielder and Mark DeRosa scored from second base to give the Cleveland Indians a 4-3 win over the Royals on Thursday night.

"Crazy things happen in this game," Crisp said after Shin-Soo Choo's line single over the second-base bag clipped the wing of one of hundreds of birds that buzz the ballpark. "It was hit so sharply, I felt like I had a chance," Crisp said. "You never know what the heck is going to happen."

The stunned bird flopped around for a few seconds before finally flying off.

Just another wild win at Progressive Field.

"I didn't see it, but I'll take it," Choo said.

Two years ago, a swarm of bugs rattled New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain in the AL division series, helping the Indians rally.

The bugs, common near the lakefront in late spring, returned a few weeks ago, and for the past few weeks, flocks of gulls have flown around feeding off them, as well as scraps of food tossed by fans.

"I guess the bugs brought the birds with that whole nature thing," Crisp said. "I'd rather have the birds, to be honest."

DeRosa opened the inning with a single off Kyle Farnsworth (1-4) -- his third single along with two walks in five times up.

Victor Martinez then walked and Choo lined a 1-0 pitch over second and off the gull. The collision changed the ball's path just enough to redirect it past Crisp all the way to the wall as DeRosa scored easily and the Indians mobbed Choo to celebrate the win.