Cleveland Indians Lose in Grand Fashion

The Cleveland Indians traveled to Anaheim Monday and ended up losing on a walk-off grand slam by Torii Hunter; this on the heels of a ninth inning three-run rally to take a 4-2 lead going into the bottom half of the inning. 

Behind the six inning, four hit, three strikeouts, and one run pitching out-of-trouble all day that was lefty Fausto Carmona, the Indians headed into the sixth with a one run lead. 

They’d scored in the fourth on a Johnny Peralta solo home run, giving the Tribe a 1-0 lead.

That lead held until the bottom of the sixth. 

 The Angels tied it up with a little small ball, Kotchman hitting a single and stealing second to get into scoring position. 

Aybar grounded out, moving Kotchman to third, Blake committed an error that would have gotten the Tribe out of the inning, and Kotchman scored on the play.

Torii Hunter, always a thorn in the Indians side with the Minnesota Twins, continued to play the part of thorn, hitting a home run in the eighth and giving the Angels a 2-1 lead going into the ninth.

The Angels had not lost a game in the last 162 contests when holding a lead heading into the ninth, and the Indians put that streak in jeopardy by scoring three in the inning and taking a 4-2 lead. 

Travis Hafner walked to start the inning.  Cabrera came on as a pinch runner for Hafner.  Victor Martinez, who was back in the lineup for the Tribe after an opening day injury, doubled, scoring Cabrera. 

Dellucci pinch ran for Martinez, and scored on a Peralta double.  Peralta was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple.  And Rodriguez, the Angels closer, was chased when he walked Garko.   

 Shields relieved, giving up a single to Gutierrez.  Casey Blake singled Garko home and gave the Indians runners on the corners, with Gutierrez on third.  Carroll walked, Sizemore stuck out, and Michaels grounded out, ending the rally. 

The damage, however, had been done and the Tribe looked to head back to the hotel with a come-from-behind victory.   

Joe Borowski came in for the save, but ended up with a loss instead. 

With one out, Borowski gave up a walk, a single, and a walk, loading the bases for Torii Hunter. 

Hunter decided it was a grand time for a slam, taking the 1-0 offering over the wall and sealing the victory 6-4, snatching victory from defeat.  These same two teams meet again Tuesday.