Boston Red Sox 5, Cleveland Indians 3: Joe Borowski Has an Alibi

Joe Borowski went on the fifteen day DL on Tuesday, opening the door for someone else to close out a game for the Tribe. 

Jensen Lewis stepped into the role, and looked just like Borowski.  Normally you’d think a setup man pitching just like a closer is good news. 

Problem is, Borowski has been bad. 

In Borowski-like fashion, Lewis gave up a homer and a run in the top of the ninth, and the Indians lost 5-3.  That marks back-to-back nights Cleveland went into the ninth tied, or leading, and lost.   

On the good news side, Paul Byrd had his first good outing of the year, going six innings and giving up one run on six hits.  25,135 fans looked on while the Indians were swept for the first time this season, dropping their record to 5-9 and leaving them just one game away from the AL central cellar. 

Cleveland should have broken out on top in this one.  Franklin Gutierrez walked in the bottom of the third, stole second, then got picked off with nobody out, and would have been the first run of the evening had he been paying attention. 

As it was, the inning ended with runners on the corners on a Travis Hafner strikeout. 

The real scoring started in the top of the fifth.  Boston’s Jacoby Elisbury scored one on a single, followed by a throwing error by Gutierrez, a Julio Lugo single, and a Jed Lowrie fielder’s choice, giving the Red Sox a 1-0 lead. 

The Indians got to Tim Wakefield in the bottom of the fifth, scoring two. 

Casey Blake led off the inning with a single.  Grady Sizemore worked a walk on a full count.  With runners on first and second, David Dellucci flied out, but advanced Blake.  Sizemore immediately swiped second, opening first base for Travis Hafner to take the free pass. 

Victor Martinez got the clutch hit single, scoring Blake and Sizemore and moving Hafner over to second.  Johnny Peralta ended the inning by grounding into a double play. 

The good news was the Indians took the lead.

While nobody scored in the sixth, it did have a bit of significance as both starting pitchers were finished.

The seventh inning was a reverse of the fifth, as the Red Sox scoring two and the Indians getting one. 

Jorge Julio came on in relief for the Tribe and walked the first two batters he faced.  Perez replaced Julio, giving up a bunt single to Lugo.  That loaded the bases for Lowrie, and he hit a single, driving in two runs.  Rafael Perez then got a ground out and two strikeouts to keep the damage for the frame at two runs. 

Third baseman Jed Lowrie, making his major league debut for the Sox, went one-for-four with three RBI.

The Indians run came with two outs. 

Sizemore grounded out, and Jason Michaels struck out.  Hafner was drilled by Javier Lopez.  Martinez singled Hafner to second. 

Manny Delacarmen then came on to pitch, walking Jhonny Peralta and loading the bases. 

Ryan Garko was the second victim of the inning to get hit by a pitch, walking Hafner, the first person nailed, in. 

Asdrubal Cabrera grounded out, wasting the bases loaded opportunity. 

Lewis entered the game after one out in the eighth. He loaded the bases prior to getting an inning ending double play. 

The ninth, however, he could not escape from. 

After striking out Lowrie, Jason Varitek homered, putting Boston up one.

A Coco Crisp single, a Dustin Pedroia double, and the intentional walk to Manny Ramirez, loaded the bases for Kevin Youkilis. 

He delivered a two-out single, scoring Crisp.  Pedroia was thrown out at the plate by Michaels, ending the inning. 

Hideki Okajima earned his first save of the season with a two strikeout, one groundout 1-2-3 ninth.  Dave Aardsma, who relieved in the eighth, registered the win.  Lewis recorded the loss for Cleveland.

The Indians continue their home stand Wednesday against the Detroit Tigers at 7:05 EST.  Armando Galarraga will pitch for the Tigers.  C.C. Sabathia will take the mound for Cleveland.

The Indians have lost four of five series this year, the lone winning series being the first one of the season.