Indians-Royals: He's Baaack...Sabathia Has Strong Outing, Tribe Wins 15-1

How do you break out of a pitching slump?  Getting two guys to strike out three times each is helpful.  C.C. Sabathia looked a bit like his former self in Kansas City, striking out eleven and walking only two in six innings. 

Both Mark Teahen and Jose Guillen struck out three times apiece, contributing heavily to the strikeout total.  Sabathia dropped his ERA three-plus points to a 10.13 earning his first victory of the season in a 15-1 pasting of the Kansas City Royals in Kansas City; not a bad start to the three-game set. 

While it was great to see C.C. break out of his funk, it was just as nice watching Indians hitters collectively rise out of their sad situation as well.  Casey Blake paved the way with four hits and six RBI’s for the Tribe.  He just missed hitting for the cycle by a triple, one he almost had in the fifth.  He was just a bad bounce away, but the ball went right off the wall to Royals left-fielder Teahen, leaving Blake with his second double of the night. 

All told, Cleveland had three homers : Blake’s, Johnny Peralta and David Dellucci registering dingers as well.  Along with the homer, Peralta also hit two singles.  Coming into the night, he was batting .500 life time versus KC starter Gil Meche. 

He and Franklin Gutierrez chased Blake in the hit department with three a piece.  The only starter not getting in on the hit parade was Travis Hafner.  He went 0-5 and watched his batting average dip to .213. 

The Indians used four pitchers in the win.  Julio pitched in the seventh, not giving up a hit.  Jensen Lewis gave up two hits and Kansas City’s only run in the eighth, and Betancourt struck out two in the ninth, proving in a non-stressful environment, he can close.  Unfortunately for him, a fourteen run lead preserved does not earn you a save.

Indians scoring started in the second.  Ryan Garko doubled, Peralta singled, and Asdrubal Cabrera sac flied Garko in from third.  The hitting was sandwiched in between to fly outs. 

In the third, Cleveland tacked on a pair.  Blake started off the inning with a single, and Sizemore walked.  Dellucci singled to center, plating Blake.  Hafner sac-flied Sizemore home for the first out.  Martinezand Garko registered a groundout and a strikeout to close out the third.

In the fifth, the Indians were finally on the right side of a grand slam.  Peralta and Cabrera singled to lead off the inning.  Gutierrez beat out a bunt to load the bases, setting the table for Casey Blake’s bases clearing homer.  One batter later, Dellucci homered, giving the Tribe five in the fifth. 

The seventh brought in two more for the Indians.  Peralta homered for one of the runs, and back-to-back doubles by Gutierrez and Blake plated Gutierrez.

In the eighth, after numerous Cleveland substitutions, the Tribe added another three spot. 

After a Hafner strikeout, Martinezwalked, Garko doubled, and Carroll singled, loading the bases.  Gutierrez slammed a double, clearing the bases and accounting for all three of the inning’s RBI’s. 

Cleveland scored fifteen runs on seventeen hits, while limiting the Royals to one run on six hits. 

Wednesday’s game pits Cleveland’s 2-1 righty, Fausto Carmona, against KC’s 1-2 righty Brett Tomko.  Carmona enters the day with a 1.96 ERA and ten strike-em-outs.  Tomko sports a 3.60 ERA with nine K’s on the season.