Indians hold on for a 7-5 win in Texas.
Posted August 23rd, 2008 by Dave Wiley
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).
