When the Indians and Tigers play, it’s not over when the fat lady sings.  The fat lady doesn’t sing until it’s over.  In another crazy one, Cleveland prevails 9-4 and ends up with a split in the four game series.

Both teams got on the board in the first after taking basically a breakfast break from the marathon thirteen inning game Wednesday night to the 12:05 afternoon start on Thursday at Progressive Field in Cleveland. 

Detroit scored their run on a Carlos Guillen sac-fly to center that plated Curtis Granderson.  Cleveland got their first score on back-to-back doubles from Ben Francisco and Jhonny Peralta.  At the end of one, it was tied 1-1.

Francisco Carmona pitched as well as a guy should be expected to in his second outing after a long trip to the DL.  It even appeared he might cruise to an easy win.

Then again, this is the Indians and Detroit we are talking about.

The Indians put up a three spot in the bottom of the fifth, opening up a 4-1 lead.  After Sal Fassano was hit by a pitch, Asdrubal Cabera worked a work after a full count, setting the plate for Grady Sizemore’s 27^th home-run of the season.

The Tigers got a run back in the top of the sixth.  Ramon Santiago was hit by a pitch, and Carlos Guillen moved him to second with a single.  Matt Joyce was safe on a fielder’s choice.  A rare fielding error by Cabrera allowed Santiago to score.  With two out, Carmona bailed himself out by getting Marcus Thames to foul out to Indians third baseman Andy Marte.

The Indians padded their lead in the bottom of the sixth.  Shin-Soo Choo singled with one out.  After a Marte foul-out, Ryan Garko walked.  With runners on first and second, Fasano singled home Choo.  Detroit went to the bullpen, bringing in Clay Rapada.  Cabrera greeted him with a single to right, loading the bases.  Sizemore was hit by a pitch, walking in Garko.  Franklin Gutierrez grounded into a fielder’s choice, ending the two run inning.

The Tigers finally chased Carmona in the seventh.  Edgar Renteria started the inning off with a double.  Ryan Raburn singled Renteria to third, and a Carmona’s wild pitch scored Renteria.  On a Fasano error, Raburn ended up on third.  He scored on a Dane Sardinha groundout, and Rafael Perez came on in relief of Carmona.

Perez got the tribe out of the jam, after adding to the malay and then struck out the side in the bottom of the eighth paving the way for Masa Kobayashi to close down the Tigers in the ninth.

In the meantime, the Indians added three runs in the bottom of the eighth on a Garko single, and Fasano double that scored Garko.  Cabrera and Sizemore drew back-to-back walks, loading the bases.  Gutierrez hit a sac-fly that scored Fasano and moved Cabrera over to third.  When Sizemore swiped second, Tiger catcher Sardinha registered a throwing error, and Cabrera scored.

The Indians finished the day with nine runs on eight hits, but had a whopping three errors.  Detroit, not much better in the field, had four runs on six hit with a pair of errors.

Carmona went six and a third, giving up four runs on five hits, while striking out three and walking one.  Two of the runs were earned.  He also came out just shy of 100 pitches at 99 and moves to 5-3 on the season.

Rafael Perez got the hold and deservedly so.  Jason Verlander earned the loss, going five and two-thirds while surrendering six runs on five hits, all six earned.  He did strike out nine and walked three.

Cleveland travels to Minnesota Friday, taking on a Twins team just a game and a half out of first place in the Central.  Game time is 8:05.  Jeremy Sowers (1-5, 5.86 ERA) goes up against Nick Blackburn (7-6, 3.69 ERA). 

Wednesday night was a long one.

At the end of three innings, the Indians were up 8-1.  Cliff Lee was on the hill, going for his 15^th win of the season leading the league with wins and ERA.  No way the Indians lose this one is there?  Final score Detroit 14 – Cleveland 12 after 13 hard fought innings. 

That’s going to leave a mark.

It took five hours and thirteen minutes for this game to be settled.  On a night when Detroit catcher Pudge Rodrigez got traded to the Yankees for reliever Kyle Farnsworth, the Indians could not close the deal and lost for the second straight night to the Detoit Tigers.

Grady Sizemore hit is 26^th home run of the season.  Ben Francisco notched his 9^th and 10^th home runs of the season.  Miguel Cabrera and Brandon Inge homered for Detroit in a game that offense was not a problem for either squad. 

All told, the evening ended with 42 hits : 22 for Detroit and 19 for the Indians.  Kelly Shoppach went 5-for-6 with three RBI’s, leading the way for Cleveland.  Curtis Granderson was 5-for-7 with two RBI’s for Detroit.

Both teams used seven pitchers apiece.  Casey Fossum got the win for Detroit.  Juan Rincon took the loss. 

The Indians loaded the bases in three of the last five innings, and could not win it.

Bummer.

No New York or Boston in the MLB Playoffs?  

If MLB were to become the equivalent of the movie “The Perfect Storm”, 2008 may be the year that neither the New York Yankees nor the Boston Red Sox make the playoffs.  How could something like this happen?

Not since the likes of 1993, when there was no wild card in baseball, has there been a season when either the Yankees, the Red Sox or both have not been in the playoffs.  Since 1995, both have been in the AL final four seven times.  SEVEN TIMES!  That doesn't count the times they were in separately.  They've taken up two of the four AL playoff spots SEVEN TIMES.

Even more amazing, since 1995 there have been 52 AL post season first round slots available.  Between the two teams, they've held 20 of those spots. 

Guess what?  In 1993, had the wild card existed, the Yankees would have been it for the AL.  1993 also left both teams at another disadvantage for making the post season.  Only two teams from each league made it in, since there weren’t three divisions per league.  Toronto and the Chicago White Sox represented the American League.  The Phillies and Braves were the National League division winners.  Toronto won the World Series.

One could make the argument it’s been since 1994, because that was the year of the strike and no World Series, but in all honesty that shouldn’t count.  No one made the playoffs.

It’s now almost August, and the Tampa Bay Rays lead the AL Eastern Division.  In order for the “Perfect Storm” to happen, Tampa will have to hold onto the division. 

Additionally, someone, from the AL Central or the AL West will have to take over the wild card lead currently held by, you guessed it, the Boston Red Sox.  As a matter of fact, two of the top three teams in wild card contention are Boston and the Yankees.  Currently, the “Perfect Storm” scenario rests squarely on the shoulders of the Tampa Bay Rays, and the Minnesota Twins.

Will 2008 be the year the string of thirteen consecutive trips to the post-season by the Yankees comes to an end?  Will it also be the year both the Yankees and the Red Sox sit on their couches in September during the first round of the playoffs?  Even more maddening, will it be the year Boston, New York, AND Atlanta are out? 

You can pretty much stick a fork in the Braves, but everything else is up for grabs.  Personally, I’m praying for “The Perfect Storm”.

And if it does happen, it makes perfect sense the Indians won’t be in the post-season reaping the benefits.

Jim Leyland decided to give his Detroit Tiger Squad a day off from hitting, and they responded by pounding the cover off the ball in an 8-5 win over the Cleveland Indians.

Detroit amassed eight runs on fourteen hits, knocking Indians starter Matt Ginter out of the game and handing him the loss as he gave up four runs on eight hits.

Detroit’s first run came via the long-ball.  Miguel Cabrera tagged Ginter in the second inning, hitting his 17^th home-run of the season, and gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead.

In the fourth, the Tigers would add three.  Maglio Ordonez opened the third with a single.  After a Cabrera pop-out, Matt Joyce double to center, moving Ordonez to third.  Ginter struck out Gary Sheffield and appeared he might squeak out of trouble, but that pipe-dream was squelched one batter later when Edgar Renteria doubled to left, scoring both runners.  Detroit wasn’t finished, as Brandon Inge also doubled, scoring Renteria from second.  Ginter walked Curtis Granderson, but induced an inning-ending ground-out to Placido Polanco, ending the inning and his night. 

He wasn’t the only Indians pitcher getting knocked around.  Juan Rincon gave up two runs on three hits in his one inning of relief. 

Jose Guillen greeted Rincon with a single to open up the fifth.  Cabrera singled, putting runners on first and second with one out.  Rincon struck out Joyce for the second out.  Can you say theme of the day?  One out away from getting out of the inning just like Ginter, Rincon gave up a double to Renteria, plating both runners and giving Detroit a 6-1 lead.

The one for the Indians came in the bottom of the fourth.  Back-to-back doubles by Grady Sizemore and David Dellucci got the Indians on the board after being stymied by Detroit pitcher Armando Galarraga through three.  Galarraga had set down nine Indians in a row until the Sizemore double.

In the meantime, the Indians score a pair in the sixth.  Ben Francisco walked with one out, and scored on a Jhonny Peralta triple.  One batter later, Peralta trotted home on a Shin-Soo Choo double.  That ended Galarraga’s evening with a tag line of three runs on five hits through 5.1 innings.  Freddy Dolsi took over for Detroit and retired the Indians with no further damage.

Jensen Lewis kept the Indians in the game with his two innings of no-hit relief, proving Detroit hitters could actually be stopped.

Then again, he only proved they could be slowed down a bit until Rafael Betancourt came in and gave up a pair of hits and a pair of runs in his one inning of work.

Joyce welcomed Betancourt to the field with a lead-off single, and with two outs yet again, Inge homered to left, rounding out Detroit’s evening by making it an 8-3 Tiger Lead. 

Peralta started off the bottom half of the eighth with a single.  Choo walked, and the Tribe was on tap for a big comeback.  Kelly Shoppach struck out, and Andy Marte popped out while both runners held their positions on the field.  Ryan Garko came through with a big two-out double, scoring Peralta.  With runners on second and third, Cabrera struck out, ending the threat.

Masa Kobayashi finished the game for the Indians with a one hit, no run ninth.

Down 8-4, the Indians offered a weak comeback attempt.  Sizemore walked and took second on a defensive indifference call.  After a Franklin Gutierrez ground-out, Francisco flied out, moving Sizemore to third.  On a Fernando Rodney wild pitch, Sizemore scored, making it 8-5.  Peralta struck out to end the game.

Game three of the four game series is a 7:05 start time.  Cleveland Lefty Cliff Lee (14-2, 2.29 ERA) goes up against Detroit Lefty Nate Robertson (6-8, 5.63 ERA) 

It was a more than nice opening to the series against the Detroit Tigers.  The 5-0 victory was one of the better games of the season for the Indians.

Paul Byrd was sharp until the last out in the eighth, scattering four hits; the only real challenging inning he had was when Curtis Granderson tagged him for a lead-off double in the sixth.  Granderson was still standing on second when the last out was recorded in the inning.

The Indians offense did their part in the victory.  Grady Sizemore opened the game with a lead-off double after falling behind 1-2 in the count.  The double missed being a home run by about a foot when it careened off the wall.  Franklin Gutierrez grounded out, but moved Sizemore over to third.  After Ben Francisco was plunked by a pitch that Detroit pitcher Kenny Rodgers complained Francisco made no effort to move out of the way of, Jhonny Peralta hit into a fielder’s choice, but hustled down the line, avoiding the double play and scoring Sizemore.  Shoppach grounded out, but the Indians were on the board.

In the bottom of the third, they’d extend the lead by one.  Gutierrez singled with one out, and Peralta doubled him home, making it 2-0 Tribe.

The bottom of the sixth broke the tightly contested game open.  Kelly Shoppach started off the inning with a homerun on a 3-1 count.  Andy Marte flied out for the first out of the inning, then Ryan Garko doubled to left.  After a Gonzalez strikeout, Asdrubal Cabrera put the icing on the cake, hitting a homerun on a 2-0 count and giving the Indians a 5-0 lead.

The Tigers finally put Byrd in a bit of trouble in the seventh.  Granderson singled with one out.  Polanco fouled out, then Byrd walked Guillen.  Byrd, already over 100 pitches was relieved by Edward Mujica.  He got Maglio Ordonez to ground into an inning-ending fielders choice, preserving the five run lead.

Mujica would close out the ninth with a flyout sandwiched in between a pair of strikeouts.  He is really establishing himself as the setup man and possibly the inside track guy for the closer position. 

The Indians logged 10 hits total.  Sizemore, Shoppach, and Garko had two hits apiece, while Gutierrez, Peralta, Gonzalez, and Cabrera each had one. 

Paul Byrd gets to 5-10 on the season with the win.  Kenny Rogers is 8-7 and takes the loss.  Game two of the four game set is a 7:05 start time featuring 8-4 Righty Armando Gallaraga (3.27 ERA) against 1-1 righty Matt Ginter (2.45 ERA).

So, you go on vacation for ten days and apparently this is what happens with the Indians.

Since the all star break (ten days), it appears the Indians went 4-9; their only series win against lowly Seattle.  This on the heels of a four game sweep of the first place Tampa Bay Devil Rays and a reason to make me sweat it out with no sports all through the ten day vacation.

Casey Blake shows up on the Sports Center highlights, but is wearing Dodger Blue.

Jeremy Sowers gets his first win and has another strong outing, a positive sign!

Aaron Laffey goes to the minors?  The wheels must have come off there!

Cliff Lee notches his 13^th qnd 14^th wins.

Cleveland is still in last place.

Andy Marte’s batting average still starts with a one.

Fausto Carmona returns only to look like the old Jeremy Sowers.

It’s good to be home.

Cliff Lee has had his share of up's and downs.  I was going to write a story about it, but couldn't have done a better job than Nino Colla already had in conveying Lee's rise to the the All Star game, so here's the link.

Eight hitters take the field tonight in New York for the 23^rd Major League Baseball Home Run Derby.  For the American League, Tampa Bay Rays Evan Longoria, Minnesota Twins Justin Morneau, Texas Rangers Josh Hamilton, and Cleveland Indians Grady Sizemore will go.  On the National League Side, Houston Astros Lance Berkman, Florida Marlins Dan Uggla, Philadelphia Phillies Chase Utley, and Milwaukee Brewers Ryan Braun will hit. 

Hitting in Yankee Stadium favors Lefties because of the infamous “Short Porch” in the right field corner.  Four of the Eight hitters are Left-handers. 

Since its 1985 inception, the Cleveland Indians have sent six participants to five home run derby competitions.  In 1995 two of the four AL sluggers were Indians with Albert Belle and Manny Ramirez both going. 

Three Indians total have gone for the Indians.  Jim Thome went twice.  Albert Belle participated three times.  Manny Ramirez went as an Indian once.  Jim Thome came the closest to winning it for Indians fans, finishing second in 1998.

When Grady Sizemore heads to the plate, he will be the fourth Indian going for the Home Run Derby win.  He is one of the four lefties in the Derby. 

A dark horse in the field, Sizemore definitely has a chance to bring the title back to Cleveland.  He’s one of the hottest home-run hitters in the league coming into the All Star break.  Of his 23 AL leading home-runs, 11 have come in the last 28 games, almost a home run every other game. 

The home run derby though, is all about finding your stroke.  The Home Run Derby has made the likes of all past Indians sluggers look bad.  Jim Thome’s first appearance yielded him exactly zero home runs and a first round exit.  Manny Ramirez had three and a first round exit in his only appearance.  Albert Belle?  Same numbers in his first try… three home runs and a first round exit.

While Sizemore is overshadowed by the likes of Josh Hamilton, four-time participant Lance Berkman, and the only repeat person from last year in Justin Morneau, this writer thinks he’s the odd’s on favorite to win the Derby because of his youth – or maybe its just because I’m from Cleveland.  Either way, Grady has a 1-in-8 shot.

Finally, Cliff Lee is named the Starter for the American league.  Check it out here.

Four days ago, the Indians were mired in a ten game slump and were two losses away from tying the longest losing streak in Indians history.  Now they head into the All Star break on a four game winning streak after sweeping the Tampa Bay Rays.  A 5-2 win was a nice closeout to an otherwise disappointing first half of the season.

Jeremy Sowers was erratic through four, walking seven, but held Tampa to two runs on three hits.  He also struck out eight, bailing himself out of a multitude of trouble.  He ended up with a no-decision, leaving with the score tied 2-2.

The Rays scored one in the second and the third.  The Rays second inning typified Sowers outing.  He struck out the side, but issued the free pass four times, giving up a run. 

In the third, the Rays scored again after another walk put Pena on second after he’d singled.  A Riggans single scored Pena.

In the bottom of the third, the Indians strung together three straight singles for their first run.  Franklin Gutierrez started the hit parade.  Jamey Carroll was the second single, and Ben Francisco’s single scored Gutierrez and moving Carroll over to third.  Jhonny Peralta sac-flied Carroll in and it was 2-2.

Sowers almost handed the lead right back issuing a pair of walks with one out in the fourth, but buckled down and struck out two, helping himself out of a jam.  That was it for Sowers, but he was good enough keeping things tight.

Tom Mastny came in for the fifth, going two full innings without giving up a hit, and ended up picking up the win in the process.

Edwardo Mutica, Rafael Perez, and Masa Kobayashi duplicated Mastny’s lock-down pitching.  Mutica and Perez registered holds, and Kobayashi nailed down the save.

The Indians scored two in the fifth on a Peralta homerun with Sizemore on.

In the sixth they got the last run of the game via the long-ball as well, this time Andy Marte going yard.

The Indians put up five runs on nine hits.  Marte paced the Indians with two hits and a RBI, with Peralta putting up one hit and accounting for three RBI’s.

This was an extremely strong effort from the bullpen and the offense.   

29,700 were on hand to witness the sweep.  The Indians season resumes on Friday, July 18^th in Seattle for three and moves to Anaheim after that.