The Indians completed their third sweep in three series, beating Detroit 9-7 and upping their win streak to ten games in a row.  The longest win streak in Indians history is thirteen. 

This one was a wild contest.  The good news was, the Indians are still cranking out the offense.  The bad news, Jensen Lewis gave up a pair in the bottom of the ninth as he looked human at closer.  Then again, the good news - he ended up with the save.

Checking out the standings, there is a column that shows how the team has performed in their last ten.  The Indians’ reads 10-0.  It will be interesting to see how many more days it can stay there.  With the victory, and sweep of the Tigers, the Indians open up a 1.5 game lead on Detroit for third place.  Now they set their sights on a much higher goal, tracking down second place.

With only roughly 30 games left for MLB teams, the Indians are 10.5 games behind Division leader Chicago, and 9.5 behind Minnesota.  Though highly unlikely, you’d have to admit it would be exciting to see them chase down one of these teams.  If so, reaching the playoffs would not even be a stretch – if they tracked down one of the teams.  Yes, even the thought of post-season is a huge-huge stretch, but one that still exists.  Ever put your money on eleven in the middle of the table at craps?  A post-season berth would be similar to that.  Every once in a while it happens, but it ain’t bloody likely.  Oh, and just for yucks, in case you were wondering, the Indians are 12 games out in the wild card race.  Johnny Carson would probably say the odds are a BILLION to ONE.  He’d probably be about right.

A more realistic goal for the Indians is to finish above .500 for the year.  They are currently two games below that figure at 65-67.  Win two thirds of the remaining games, and they end the year with around 85 wins, not a bad number.

Fausto Carmona pitched himself to a win, allowing four runs on seven hits over six innings.  Justin Verlander took the loss for Detroit going six innings , giving up five runs on seven hits.

The lead was up for grabs through four, as these two traded back-and-forth in the run column.

Cleveland opened the game by going up 1-0 on a David Dellucci double and a Jhonny Peralta single that scored Dellucci sandwiched around ground-out that moved Dellucci to third.

Detroit answered the bell by scoring one of their own when Curtis Granderson led off the game with a home-run, making it 1-1 after one.

Cleveland jumped back out on top in the top of the second on a walk to Ryan Garko, a single by Kelly Shoppach, a successful Andy Marte sac-bunt, a second out Asdrubal Cabrera strike-out, and a Grady Sizemore single that scored both Garko and Shoppach.

Detroit would take their first lead of the game in the bottom of the frame, scoring three runs and giving themselves a 4-3 lead.  They produced on a Jeff Larish single, a Carmona balk that move Larish to second, a Gary Sheffield walk, the second successful sacrifice of the night with Edgar Renteria bunting the runners over, and a Brandon Inge single that score Larish (deep breath).  Ramon Santiago singled, scoring Sheffield, then Granderson singled scoring Inge.  With runners on the corners and still only one out, Carmona was desperate for a double play, and he got it when Joyce grounded to second.

It would take the Indians until the top of the fourth to retake the lead.  Garko was hit by a pitch to open the inning and Kelly Shoppach went yard, giving the Indians a 5-4 lead.

The Tribe added a couple insurance runs in the top of the seventh.  Shin-Soo Choo hit his seventh home-run of the season, a BULLET SHOT deep into the bleachers, with Peralta, the recipient of a walk one batter earlier, standing on first.  Even Grady Sizemore was impressed by the length of this one, and was shown conversing with Choo in the dugout about it.  Choo demonstrated the liner with a hand-gesture showing the ball’s flight path straight to whomever it beaned in the outfield.

Seven runs would not be enough to take down the Tigers on this night.

Granderson was issued a free pass by Rafael Perez, then Rafael #2 Betancourt came on and gave up a double to Maglio Ordonez, that scored Granderson.  The Indians lead dwindled to 7-5.

The Indians offense stoked up the fire again in the eighth, hitting four singles and getting a pair of runs making it a 9-5 lead.  Peralta, Choo, Garko, and Shoppach had back-to-back-to-back-to-back singles off a pair of Tigers relievers, Shea and Farnsworth.  Kyle Farnsworth has come up in talking-heads discussions as a possible candidate for the closer role in Cleveland.  Let’s hope the Indians higher ups remember how the Tribe shelled him in this last Detroit series and they end up sticking with Lewis.

Speaking of Lewis, he came on in the ninth in a non-save situation surrendering a pair of runs, doling out a single to Granderson and a homerun to Ordonez.  On the plus side of the picture, all three outs he registered were strike-outs.

The Indians are off on Thursday (too bad!!!) and resume play Friday at home against Seattle.  Seattle comes into Cleveland losers of six of their last ten, but taking two of three from Minnesota prior to the visit.

Felix Hernandez (8-8, 3.28 ERA) will pitch against Cleveland’s Jeremy Sowers (2-6, 5.95 ERA).  Game time is 7:05. 

It was a busy day for the Indians.  They won their ninth straight.  Cliff Lee picked up his nineteenth win.  Ben Francisco hit two home runs.  The Indians passed up the Tigers for third place in the AL Central, beating Detroit 10-4, and I found out Edwardo Mujica is really Edward in a press box high atop Classic Park in Eastlake Ohio while watching the Lake County Captains whip up on the Hagerstown Suns.

The big Indians and the little Indians each scored six runs in the third inning, enough to win both games, and they were doing it live(Captains) and on TV(Indians) at roughly the same time.  Well, yes the Indians were doing it live to, just not in my little world.  My neck is killing me.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, the Captains won 8-1,are sporting a five game winning streak, won their division in the first half, and will be heading to the playoffs.  If you live within traveling distance, the Lake Erie Captains are a fun night out.

So much for the commercial. 

Jamey Carroll opened up the scoring for the Indians during their six run third, hitting his first homer-run of the year, a solo shot to left on a full count.  1-0 Indians.  Kelly Shoppach made it back-to-back Jacks with his sixteenth of the year.  Asdrubal Cabrera was hit by a pitch, Grady Sizemore fouled out, and Cabrera swiped second.  Franklin Gutierrez was safe on an error, and that scored Cabrera.  Ben Francisco flied out, then Peralta singled Gutierrez over to third.  Detroit registered their second error of the inning, allowing Gutierrez to race home, while Peralta moved over to second.  David Dellucci joined in the hit parade with a double that scored Peralta.  Next batter Ryan Garko walked, and you had to wonder how long the Tigers would leave in just-called-up Chris Lambert.  Apparently it would be one more batter-worth.  Carroll, the first batter of the inning, hit a single, scoring Dellucci and moving Garko to third, giving Carroll two RBI’s of the six scored in this inning.  Aquilino Lopez came on in relief, stopping the madness by getting Shoppach to fly-out. 

Welcome to the big leagues kid.  Lambert would eventually earn the loss, going 2.2, giving up five hits, and getting absolutely no defensive support, as only two of the six runs that crossed the plate were of the EARNED variety.

In the top of the fourth, the Indians extended the lead to 8-0 on a Gutierrez single and a Francisco home-run. 

Meanwhile Cliff Lee was on cruise control and had only allowed three hits in the first four innings. 

The fifth would get a little shaky. Detroit finally got on the board thanks to a three-hit inning.  Marcus Thames led off the inning with a single and scored on a Ryan Rayburn double.  Thames came around to score as well when Brandon Inge singled.  Curtis Granderson was hit by a pitch, and Lee was really in a jam.  He got Polanco on a fly-out, and Ordonez on a ground-out and the inning was over. 

That would be all that Lee would surrender.  He picked up his nineteenth win going 7.2, allowing six hits and two earned runs while striking out four, just another ho-hum day for the potential AL Cy Young winner.

The Indians made it 10-2 in the seventh, as Gutierrez was hit by a pitch and Francisco again drove him home with the long-ball.  The two-homer night was Francisco’s 13^th and 14^th of the season.

The Tigers ended up tagging Edward Mujica(I wonder if he’s related to Edwardo?) for a pair in the ninth.  Thames singled and Renteria homered. Mujica closed out the game.  Final score 10-4 Indians.

The finale of the three game series will decide who holds third place.  The Indians will be gunning for their third series sweep in a row, while Detroit hopes to get back to third by a half-game with a win. 

Righty Fausto Carmona (6-5, 4.4 ERA) goes up against righty Justin Verlander (10-13,4.42 ERA).  Game time is 7:05.

The Indians take Thursday off, and return home on Friday to face the Seattle Mariners, opening up a six game homestand that includes a three game set against the AL Central leading Chicago White Sox. 

The Indians are just three games under .500, a mark they haven’t whiffed since May 18^th when they were 22-22.

Grady Sizemore needed one more home-run to become the second Indians player ever and fourteenth in MLB history to join the 30-30 club.  He hit two.  The Indians needed both pulling out a ten-inning win 4-3.  The only other Indians player to reach the mark was Joe Carter in 1987. 

The Tribe move to within ½ game of passing up the Detroit Tigers for third place in the AL Central.  Additionally, the winning streak they are on is still alive at eight. 

Zach Jackson once again registered a no-decision, as Masa Kobayashi relieved him with one on in the middle of the seventh and could not get an out, allowing the base runner Jackson was responsible for to score and tie the game.

Jackson went 6.1, throwing 96 pitches, allowing three runs on seven hits, striking out six and not walking anyone in the no-decision.

The long ball was the key to this game.  Five of the seven runs in this one were solo homers, two of those off the bat of Sizemore.

Sizemore wasted no time raising his career high home run total, taking the first strike he saw in the game over the center field wall, his eighteenth leadoff homerun. 

The Tigers Marcus Thames would answer that spank in the second with a home-run of his own, making it 1-1.

In the top of the third, Sizemore belted his 31^st over the right-field wall.  Replays and a side-by-side comparison showed the pitch in almost the exact same location as his first jack.  The Indians were back on top 2-1.

In the top of the fourth, the Indians would score their only run that took more than one swing of the bat, as Shin-Soo Choo doubled to open the inning and Ryan Garko singled Choo home for a 3-1 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Tigers narrowed the deficit to 3-2 on an Edgar Renteria home-run, and the home-run fireworks guy was probably clocking in overtime at this point.

Everything would remain as is until the bottom of the seventh.  Jackson, on a short leash at this point with roughly 90 pitches in the books, got Ryan Raburn on a ground-out.  Thames singled to center and that was it for Jackson. 

He’d watch from the bench as Kobayashi delivered a wild pitch that moved Raburn to second.  Next, he watched Andy Marte bobble an Edgar Renteria grounder, putting runners on the corners with still only one out.  After Joyce came on to pinch run for Raburn, Jackson would see his win evaporate into thin air on an infield single by Brandon Inge, scoring Joyce.  That was it for Kobayashi.  Three batters, a wild pitch, and nary an out.

Rafael Perez came on inducing a ground ball comebacker, but the Indians were a hair late turning the double play, leaving the Tigers with runners on the corners with two out.  Perez induced an inning ending ground-out to Curtis Granderson, but by then the game was a 3-all affair.

Perez shut the Tigers down in the eighth, yielding to Donnelly in the bottom of the ninth after the Indians failed to push a run across.

Donnelly threw one of his patented belt high fastballs that Renteria hit just two feet shy of ending the game.  After the scare Donnelly closed down Detroit and the game headed to extra innings.

There was really only way for this homer-fest to end, and Franklin Gutierrez gave the game a chance to do so by powering one to left and giving the Indians a 4-3 lead.

On came newly-found closer extraordinaire Jensen Lewis.  He also gave up a long out warning-track shot off the bat of Polanco as a tying scare, but ended the game with that fly-out and a pair of groundouts, the last being a shattered bat that flew over the head of Andy Marte while he fielded the ball for the last out.

These two battle again on Tuesday at 7:05.  Cliff Lee(18-2, 2.43 ERA) looks for his 19^th win of the season against Chistopher Lambert, a guy with a stat line that reads –, –, –.  This is Lambert’s first time in the bigs.  Let’s hope the Indians make it an amazing experience and a very bad memory as they go for nine in a row.

The Indians completed the sweep of the Texas Rangers with a ninth-inning tie-breaking single by Franklin Gutierrez and now hold the cards on a seven game win streak. 

Next up is a trip to Detroit and a chance to catch the Tigers for third place in the division.  The Indians are currently 1.5 games back of the Tigers and have three cracks at them in the next three days.

In his fourth start for the Indians, Anthony Reyes went seven innings, allowing one run on four hits, while striking out four and walking four.  His 107 pitches, 61 for strikes, was his highest pitch count to date in a Tribe uniform.  Just like his last three outings, Reyes got ahead in the count early on most hitters.  He left the game up 3-1 and in line for a win.  Unfortunately he didn’t get it.

The Rangers took a 1-0 lead in the third.  Joaquin Arias opened the frame with a single to center field.  After a Frank Catalanotto pop-out for the first out of the inning, Arias swiped second.  Michael Young walked, Josh Hamilton struck out, but ex-Indian Milton Bradley singled to left, scoring Arias.  Hank Blalock flied out to end the inning, but Texas was up 1-0.

Meanwhile Texas starter Vincente Padilla was on cruise control through the first three innings.  He struck out the side in both the first and the third, and had another strikeout in the second.  Seven strike-outs recorded for the first nine outs.  That is impressive, and he looked all of that going into the fourth. 

While Padilla would get another K in the fourth, he also allowed three hits.  Jhonny Peralta registered the first Indians hit of the evening, singling to left with one out.  Shin-Soo Choo, the extra-base hitting machine, tripled to center field, scoring Peralta.  Ryan Garko sac-flied, scoring Choo and giving the Indians a 2-1 lead.

They’d add another in the fifth.  Franklin Gutierrez started the Indians off with a single.  After a Marte ground-out, Grady Sizemore walked, and Jamey Carroll was hit by a pitch, loading the bases.  David Dellucci also got plunked, walking in Gutierrez, and making it 3-1 Indians.  Padilla, the same guy who struck out seven batters in three innings, walked three guys in a row, demonstrating just how easy it is to go from great to mediocre.  Peralta bailed him out by grounding into an inning ending double play.

Joaquin Benoit relieved Padilla in the sixth, and picked right up on the strikeout total, getting two of his three outs on whiffs.  Additionally, Benoit is the second guy on the Rangers lineup with the first name Joaquin.  It’s not just me typing Joaquin over and over.

In the bottom of the eighth, Juan Rincon came on for the Indians.  After getting Hamilton to ground-out, Bradley hit an infield single.  The Rangers substituted Jason Ellison as a pinch runner.  Blalock singled him over to second.  Marlon Byrd struck out for the second out of the inning.  Rincon then got charged with a wild pitch, moving Ellison to third.  Gerald Laird doubled, plating Ellison and moving Blalock to third.  Rincon then walked Chris Davis on four pitches, and Rafael Betancourt took over.  Ramon Vasquez pinch hit for Arias, and drew a free pass, making this the second walked in run of the game, one for each side, and the score was tied up 3-3.  Betancourt then got Catalanotto to ground out, keeping the game tied at three, but earning a blown-save in the process.

Eddie Guardado came on in the ninth for Texas, and by doing so earned the loss.  He gave up a single to Garko.  Gonzalez was sent in to pinch run.  Shoppach sacrificed Gonzalez to second for the first out of the inning.  The Sacrifice paid off when Gutierrez hit a single to centerfield, scoring Gonzalez.  Marte and Sizemore registered successive strike-outs, but the Indians led 4-3.

Betancourt came back out in the ninth, pitching a 1-2-3 inning and the Indians win 4-3.

The Indians scored four runs on eight hits, while the Rangers managed three runs on seven hits.  Gutierrez and Peralta each had a pair for the Indians.  Milton Bradley had two for the Rangers.  Texas pitching teamed up for thirteen strikeouts, eight of them going to Padilla.

And if you’ve been wondering about Andy Marte: yes, his batting average is still in the ones.

The Indians are right back in action on Monday night, taking on the Detroit Tigers.  Cleveland is 13-3 in their last sixteen games, including three sweeps out of the last five series.

Zach Jackson(0-0, 5.17 ERA) will try to keep the Indians seven game win streak alive against Detroit’s Armando Gallaraga(12-4, 3.17 ERA).  Gallaraga beat the Indians once already this year on July 29^th with an 8-5 win.  Game time is 7:05.

The Indians were down 7-1 and came back.  Best story of the night?  Maybe.  The Indians posted their longest win streak of the year.  Possibility.  Jensen Lewis stuck out the side in the ninth witb the game on the line at 8-7?  Hey take your pick baby, its all good!

After Jeremy Sowers left in the third, and the Indians were down, most would say game over.  This new group of late season Indians said…… No Problem.

The Indians weren’t behind all night.  They started the first just like they’ve been doing, taking a 1-0 lead.  Grady Sizemore manufactured the first run.  He walked, and stole second.  David Dellucci walked negating the steal, but putting runners on first and second.  Sizemore, not content with the steal, swiped third as well on a double steal move with Dellucci taking second.  The move paid off when Jhonny Peralta sac-flied Sizemore home, opening up the 1-0 lead.  That double steal would prove the right move, as Shin-Soo Choo struck out to end the inning.  Without the base advance, the Indians would have come away with a big-ole zippo. 

One of the great things in the last x number of games has been the Indians going for broke with a national league mentality, stealing, bunting, etc….   doing the little things that ended up being runs that mattered.

Basically, you could say the Indians stole a run, and they’d need it.

The Rangers tied the game in the third, scoring one run on three hits. After Rangers starter Brandon McCarthy bailed himself out of second and third inning jams with inning-ending double play grounders. 

Chris Davis doubled to right with one out.  In a questionable call Joaquin Arias singled by hitting a grounder to short.  The question wasn’t whether Arias was safe, but whether the hit was not an error.  Cleveland shortstop Peralta fielded the ball, and threw to first, pulling Ryan Garko off the bag.  Cleveland announcers claimed foul, saying the error should have been a throwing miscue on Peralta, or a fielding error on Garko, but not a hit.  They also claimed this was the second time in two nights that Rangers hitters were given a huge benefit of the doubt, questioning their ranking of second in the AL in hitting stat. 

Objectively, I’d have to agree with the Indians announcers.  Both hits should have been registered as errors.  I have no idea whether the ranking should be questioned.

Bottom line, the game was tied at 1-1.

The second time through the lineup, Sowers got shelled big-time.  He ended up giving up six runs on five hits in the bottom of the fourth, a geometric progression that can not be ignored by straight-out-the-door math majors, ending his evening pretty darn early.

The shelling went as such.  Milton Bradley earned a walk right out of the gate.  Hank Blalock singled, moving Bradley to second.  Marlon Byrd doubled, scoring a pair and clearing the bases.  Davis struck out for the first out of the inning.  Joaquin Arias singled, and scored Byrd.  Brandon Boggs flied out for the second out of the inning, leaving Arias on first.  Arias stole second, and went to third on a wild pitch from Sowers.  None of that ended up mattering since Michael Young homered to center, chasing Sowers.

Edwardo Mujica came on and got Josh Hamilton to fly out, ending the inning.

Mujica has been cover-your-eyes awful, or lights-out all year, an hopefully the fly-out meant Tribe fans were looking at Mr. lights out. 

They were.  Mujica carried the Indians into the seventh, going two and a third, giving up two hits and no runs and registering himself as lights-out Mujica.

In the meantime, the Indians pulled off a six-spot inning of their own, tying the game.

They didn’t take McCarthy, as he was replaced by Josh Rupe.  Rupe got hammered for five runs in two-thirds of an inning. 

He started off the fifth walking Asdrubal Cabrera.  Sizemore singled, but Dellucci grounded into a double play, moving Cabrera to third with two outs.

That’s when the wheels came off for Texas.  Ben Francisco walked, and Peralta was hit by a pitch in a disputed play that looked like it hit his bat.  That loaded the bases of Shin-Soo Choo, who walked, scoring Peralta.  Garko singled , scoring a pair and leaving runners on first and second.  Warner Madrigal came on in relief of Rupe, but surrendered a home-run to Kelly Shoppach, tying the game at seven.

The relief pitching held both teams in check until the bottom of the eighth, when the Indians took the lead for good.  Shoppach scored an infield single with one out.  Jamey Carroll entered for Andy Marte and, on a passed ball, Shoppach moved to second.  Manager Eric Wedge gambled and pulled Shoppach for pinch runner Franklin Gutierrez.  It didn’t take long for this move to pay off, as Carroll singled, and Gutierrez motored home, giving the Indians an 8-7 lead.

Rafael Betancourt would hold the lead.  Enter Jensen Lewis.  He struck out the side, picking up his sixth save, and giving the Indians an 8-7 win. 

The Indians win six in a row for the first time his season, and they have a chance for the sweep on Sunday.  The Indians don’t pick up a game on the Detroit Tigers.  They beat Kansas City 4-0. 

Sunday’s game is another 8:05 central start.  Indians Anthony Reyes(4.96 ERA)goes up against Vincente Padilla(12-7, 4.96 ERA). 

The Indians are gunning for their seventh win in a row and second series sweep.in a row. 

Rafael Perez gets the win, Jamey Wright picks up the loss.  The Indians score eight runs on eight hits.  Sizemore, Garko, and Shoppach each register a pair of hits apiece for the Indians. 

The Rangers register seven runs on ten hits.  Young, Laird and Arias score a pair a piece in the loss. 

Texas drops to 63-67 on the season.  The Indians improve to 61-67.  The Indians are still 2.5 back of the Tigers for third in the AL Central. 

The Rangers are in second in the AL West but 16 games behind the Angels.

The Indians jumped out front 5-0 in the first two innings, then held on tight, winning 7-5 in the opening game of a six game road trip that will be three against Texas and three more against the Tigers in Detroit, a team they trail in the division standings by 2.5 games. 

Fausto Carmona picked up his sixth win of the season, but just barely, as Jensen Lewis looked human for the first time in his short tenure at closer, giving up a pair of hits and a run to Texas in the bottom of the ninth.  He still picked up the save though, his fifth of the year.

The Indians offense came through right away in the first.  With one out, Jamey Carroll walked.  Ben Francisco hit a single, his first of three hits on this particular evening.  After a Jhonny Peralta fly-out, Ryan Garko got a big two-out double, scoring Carroll and Francisco and handing Carmona a 2-0 lead before he even stepped on to the field.

The Indians would take on three in the top of the second, opening up a 5-0 lead.  Sal Fasano led off the second with a single.  He lumbered home on an Andy Marte triple.  Asdrubal Cabrera sac-flied Marte home.  Next batter Grady Sizemore walked, and moved to second on Francisco’s second hit of the night.  He scored on a Peralta single, but Garko struck out, squelching the scoring at three for the inning.

Carmona pitched most of the first few in trouble, but didn’t give up a run until the fourth.  Chris Davis landed on first after a Carmona error, then moved to second on a Carmona wild pitch.  Jerrod Saltalamacchia singled Davis home, narrowing the Indians lead to 5-1.

That was the only run Carmona would surrender.  His tag line went six innings, six hits, one earned run, five strike-outs and three walks – and the win.

His pitching counterpart, Matt Harrison, picked up the loss, going 3.2 innings, giving up five runs on seven hits, with three walks and two strikeouts.

Kameron Loe, the second pitcher of the night for Texas, held the Indians in check for 4.1 innings, giving Texas a chance to climb back in this one.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Rangers offense did just that, scoring three and drawing to within 5-4.  Milton Bradley and was lifted for pinch runner Jason Ellison.  Ellison moved to second when Blalock walked, putting runners on first and second with nobody out.  Marlon Byrd made sure the walks would not go to waste with a three run home-run.  That was it for the Rangers in the eighth, but it put them in position to win.

Rafael Perez was the pitcher of record for the Indians, on the hook for three.

The Indians added a couple of insurance runs in the top of the ninth, and as things turned out, they’d need them.  Eddie Guardado came in for Texas, issuing a walk to Cabrera.  After a Sizemore pop-out, Carroll singled Cabrera to third.  Ben Francisco, the Indians man of the day, doubled, scoring Cabrera and planting Carroll on third.  Peralta was intentionally walked.  Garko fouled out for the second out of the inning.  Gutierrez walked on a full count, scoring Carroll.  Texas brought on reliever Francisco, and he struck out Fasano, getting Texas out of the inning.

Currently anointed Jensen Lewis took the hill for the Indians and gave up his first run in the closer role, but still got the job done, converting every save opportunity he’s had since assuming the role a couple weeks back.  Boggs homered, Young singled and it looked like a Texas comeback was in the making.  Two strikeouts later, Lewis got Blalock to line-out, ending the game.

The Indians had seven runs on eleven hits, Francisco leading the way with three.  The Rangers had five runs on nine hits, Saltalamacchia recording a pair. 

These two square off again with an 8:05 start time.  Indians lefty Jeremy Sowers (2-6, 5.46 ERA) pitches against righty Brandon McCarthy(5-10, 4.87 ERA).

The Royals had two errors in the first three innings, and the Indians capitalized on both, putting Cliff Lee up 5-0 through three innings of play.  For his part, Lee didn’t give up a hit until the fifth, and he earned his AL leading 18^th win of the season while completing the three game sweep of the Kansas City Royals.  He ties Arizona’s Brandon Webb for most wins so far this season.

In the Battle for the Basement, the Indians came out on top, literally, opening up a 5.5 game lead on dungeon dweller KC.

The Indians put up three in the bottom of the second.  The first man aboard, Ryan Garko, was the result of a fielding error by shortstop Tony Pena Jr.  Jamey Carroll singled and after a Shoppach strike-out for the second out of the inning, Asdrubal Cabrera singled, loading the bases.  Grady Sizemore came through with a two-out triple, allowing all three runners to score. 

The Indians picked up two more in the bottom of the third on Ben Francisco reaching first after a Billy Butler throwing error, Peralta safe on first on a fielders choice that bagged Francisco, and Shin-Soo Choo’s 6^th home-run on the first pitch he saw, making it 5-0 Indians.

Cliff Lee didn’t allow a hit until the sixth, then gave up three runs on four hits, two of the runs earned, narrowing the lead to 5-3 Indians.

Jason Smith reached first on a hit off the end of the bat and an error on third baseman Jamey Carroll. John Buck singled. Mark Teahen doubled both runners in, and Pena Jr. singled Teahen home. 

Lee got a bit of insurance from a sixth inning run on a Carroll walk, a Cabrera groundout that moved up Carroll, and a Sizemore single to left that scored Carroll.

The Indians would add another in the seventh when Peralta homered to one over the left field fence, his 21^st of the year. 

Cliff Lee left in the after seven with a stat line that read 6 hits, 2 earned runs, 7 K’s and 2 walks, not to mention a comfortable 7-3 lead.

Rafael Betancourt took over, giving up a pair of singles, but getting a double play on a liner to Garko that caught German off guard at first.  Garko pulled off the unassisted double play.  Guillen popped out, ending the inning and leaving a runner stranded on third.

The Indians piled on three more in the eighth on a pair of walks to Carroll and Cabrera, and Sizemore’s 29^th home-run of the year.  10-3 Indians.

Brendan Donnelly took over in the ninth, getting the first two batters on fly-outs and striking out John Buck to end the contest. 

Sizemore’s 29^th home-run set his career high for a single season, eclipsing his previous mark of 28 in 2006.  For his career Sizemore has 107 homers in five seasons.  The only season he hit less than 20 in a year was his first year (2004) in the majors.  He was up for 43 games that season.

Brendan Donnelly took over in the ninth, getting the first two batters on fly-outs and striking out John Buck to end the contest. 

The Indians had ten runs on ten hits, while the Royals managed three runs on eight hits.  Both teams had two errors each, and three of the four errors accounted for runs on both sides.

The Indians leave the confines of Progressive Field and head to Arlington Texas, taking on the 63-65 Texas Rangers Friday evening at 8:05 EST.  The Indians are 7-3 in their last 10, while Texas is 3-7.   Cleveland lefty Fausto Carmona (5-5, 4.71 ERA) squares off against lefty Matt Harrison(5-2, 5.77 ERA). 

RowdyZ, a blog comment contributor, proudly sends us a link to this video claiming he is the dude pulling down this home run ball.  All I can say is "SWEET"!!  I do not have a game ball to my credit.  About the only cool thing I can really recall from a Tribe game was the time I finished the last sip of my beer and the "BEER GUY" magically appeared with another one.  Cool, but no game ball catch.

When the Royals broke out with four runs in the top of the fifth, it appeared the game might be out of reach, but the Indians had a five run eighth, coming back from a 5-3 deficit to win 8-5 Wednesday night at Progressive Field in Cleveland Ohio.

Zach Jackson made his second start for the Indians, and just like the first time, he came away with a no-decision.  Jackson gave the Tribe seven innings, giving up five runs, four of them earned, while surrendering seven hits; most of those coming in the first and fifth innings.

In the first, he allowed three hits, but got out of the inning fairly unscathed via the double play ball after the Royals loaded the bases.  Mike Aviles, Esteban German, and David DeJesus all singled, bringing up Jose Guillen with nobody out.  Guillen sac-flied in Aviles for the first run and out of the game.  German moved up to third, putting runners at the corners with one out.  Billy Butler saved Jackson’s bacon by grounding to Asdrubal Cabrera, who flipped to Jhonny Peralta turning a big inning into an inning-ending double play.

The Indians broke on top in the bottom of the first after they hit into a double play of their own.  Grady Sizemore walked, but Gutierrez grounded into the double play.  With two out, Ben Francisco was safe at first on an error by third baseman Alex Gordon.  Peralta took advantage of the miscue by blasting 20^th home run of the season and registering his 69^th RBI of the year, giving the Tribe a 2-1 lead.

In the bottom of the second, Shoppach joined the homer-club-of-the-day, belting his 13^th of the year and putting the Indians up 3-1.

Jackson would throw zeroes until the fifth, when the Royals put up a four-spot for a 5-3 lead.  They loaded up the bases again with nobody out on a pair of singles and a hit batsman.  Aviles doubled, scoring all three runners.  After a German fly-out, and a DeJesus strikeout, Aviles stole third, and came home on a Shoppach throwing error. 

In the bottom of the eighth, Shoppach atoned for his blunder by homering for the second time inn the game, his 14^th of the year, making it 5-4 Royals.  Shin-Soo Choo, the master of pinch hitting and drawing a walk, pinch hit and drew a walk.  Cabrera sacrificed Choo to second, and the Royals brought in reliever Joakim Soria.  He walked Sizemore.  Franklin Gutierrez delivered the fourth Indians home-run of the night, making it 7-4 Tribe.  The Indians would tack on another run via Peralta being hit by a pitch, Dellucci walking, and Garko singling home Peralta.  Basically four of the five runs scored this inning were guys crossing the plate after being walked. 

Jensen Lewis picked up his fourth save of the year. Gutierrez made a great diving catch on Gload for the first out.  Lewis struck out Olivo, and finished the game on a Gordon line-out.

The Indians go for the series sweep on Thursday, finishing off their homestand.  Cliff Lee(17-2, 2.43 ERA) takes the mound hoping for his 18^th win of the season.  He’ll battle Royals righty Zack Greinke(9-8, 3.29 ERA).  Game time is 12:05.

Could be a good day to play hooky, get the blue flu, or be Ferris Buehler. 

In the AL Central division match-up of the Indians and Royals that could be dubbed, “The Battle of the Basement”, Cleveland hosted Kansas City in the first of a three game series at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio.

Current cellar dweller Kansas City jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first.  Indians pitcher, Anthony Reyes, usually jumping ahead in the count and throwing a load of strikes in his previous starts, opened this game by walking Mike Aviles.  After a ground-out moved Avilesto second, David DeJesus doubled to center, making Reyes pay for the walk.  A pair of fly-outs limited the damage to a 1-0 lead.

The Indians struck back in the bottom of the second.  Shin-Soo Choo hit the first pitch he saw out of the park via the center field fence, making it a 1-1 game.  Ryan Garko singled to left.  On a Kelly Shoppach double, Garko motored all the way around from first base after it appeared left fielder Jose Guillen pulled up instead of cutting the ball off.   That made it 2-1 Indians with one out.  Andy Marte flied out for the second out, and Asdrubal Cabrera delivered the two-out RBI single, scoring Shoppach.  Royals starting pitcher Luke Hochevar had an extremely slow delivery to the plate, and Cabrera, not known for his wheels, stole second, his third stolen base of the season.  His slow-motion burst of speed was wasted when Grady Sizemore ended the inning with a fly-out.

The Indians added a run in the fourth when Garko homered to left with nobody on and nobody out. 

The Royals got the run back in the top of the fifth, narrowing the lead to 4-2.  Aviles was the guy crossing the plate again for the Royals.  He singled and moved to second after Esteban German walked.  DeJesus grounded out, but moved both runners up, and Guillen’s ground-out scored Aviles.  Mark Teahen flied out to end the inning.

Donnelly came on in relief of Reyes in the top of the sixth.  He walked Gload with one out, then gave up a single to Olivo and Smith, scoring Gload.  Choo backhanded Smith’s single and fired a one-hop strike to third, nailing Olivo for the second out.  Avileshad his third hit of the night that would have easily scored Olivo from second had he not tried for third, and the game would have been tied.  As it was, Donnelly struck out German to hold the lead at 4-3.

In the bottom of the sixth, Hochevar left the game before throwing a pitch, pulling a muscle in his side during warm-ups.  Nunez relieved, and the Indians took advantage.  With one out, Shoppach walked.  Marted ripped a double to the wall, moving Shoppach to third.  The Royals played Cabrera perfectly, shading shortstop toward second, and Cabrera was thrown out while the runners stayed put.  Sizemore jumped all over the first pitch he was for his 28^th home-run of the year, giving the Indians a 7-3 cushion.

Perez pitched a 1-2-3 seventh, then the Indians came back and scored a pair on three hits, opening up a 9-3 lead in the bottom of the eighth.

Masa Kobayashi came on in the ninth, hoping for a quick inning.  That wasn’t to be, as he allowed a run on three hits, but did finish off the game, Indians winning 9-4.

Reyes ended up picking up the win even though he left after five.  Hochevar took the loss.

These two resume play Wednesday night at 7:05.  Righty Gil Meche(10-9, 4.13 ERA) goes up against Cleveland lefty Zack Jackson (0-0, 5.19 ERA). 

Rafael Betancourt came on in the eighth, taking the Royals down in order.  The Royals matched the Indians in hits with 13.  

The Indians had three home-runs: Choo (5^th), Garko (10^th) and Sizemore (28^th).  Sizemore, Gutierrez, Garko and Cabrera had two hits.  All nine guys for the Indians registered a hit in the win.