Indians-White Sox: Another Loss for the Tribe, 6-5

Well, you can’t blame this one on the offense.  After scoring three in the bottom of the sixth to regain a 5-3 lead, Rafael Betancourt came on and gave the three spot right back in the top of the seventh, and the Indians lost 6-5.

Jake Westbrook made his return to the lineup after a 15-day DL stint with a strained left intercostal.  He pitched five innings, giving up three runs on five hits with three strike outs and two walks. 

Chicago starting pitcher Gavin Floyd’s numbers weren’t as good.  Eight hits in six innings and five runs given up, yet he registered the win, and Westbrook ended up with a no decision. 

The Tribe staked themselves to a two-run lead in the bottom of the first.  Grady Sizemore opened the game by bunting himself on.  Jamey Carroll singled Sizemore over to second.  From there, Sizemore swiped third. 

Ben Francisco made it to second on a throwing error by Floyd, scoring Sizemore and moving Carroll to third.  Victor Martinez was credited with an infield single, scoring Carroll and moving over Francisco.  From there Dellucci struck out, Peralta lined out, and Aubrey struck out, ending what looked like was going to be a giant, blowout inning.  Still, the Indians were up 2-0.

The White Sox chipped away at the lead in the top of the fourth.  With two out and the bases empty, Jermaine Dye blasted one to left on a 2-1 pitch, cutting the lead to one.  That appeared to rattle Westbrook.  He walked Thome and gave up a single to Konerko before settling back in and getting Wise to ground out.

The top of the fifth it appeared Shaky Jake came back on the hill.  Crede and Ramirez opened the inning with a pair of singles.  Cabrera walked on a full count, bringing up Pierzynski.  He grounded out to Westbrook, but Crede scored. 

Quentin hit a sac fly, scoring Ramirez, and the dreaded Jermaine Dye came up to the plate.  Westbrook got the strikeout, but the lead was gone and so was Westbrook.  He was replaced by Rafael Perez in the sixth. 

The Indians came back in the bottom of the sixth, a rare but delightful treat.  They scored three on a Martinez double, a Dellucci double that scored Martinez, and a Jhonny Peralta two-run home run. 

Marte allowed Crede on in the top of the seventh with his error, and Ramirez singled, bringing in Cleveland reliever Rafael Betancourt. Betancourt got Cabrera to bunt into a fielder’s choice, as he fielded the bunt himself and took out Crede at third. 

Pierzynski doubled Ramirez home, moving Cabrera to third.  Quentin doubled to left, scoring both Cabrera and Pierzynski. Dye struck out and Thome flied out to end the inning, but the White Sox were back in the lead 6-5. 

Betancourt returned for another inning, not allowing a run, but he ended up earning the loss for the three-run inning he had in the seventh.

Normally you’d consider this contest over, but give the Indians offense credit as they tried to fight back.

In the seventh, Sizemore walked and moved over to second before getting stranded in scoring position. 

In the eighth Aubrey singled before getting erased at second for the third out. 

Kobayashi relieved Betancourt on in the ninth, shutting down the White Sox and giving the Indians a chance. 

Jenks came in to close for the Sox, and the Indians made one last push.  Ryan Garko landed on first after a Joe Crede error. Cabrera came on as a pinch runner.  Sizemore walked. 

With nobody out and runners on first and second, the sacrifice was a no-brainer, and Carroll moved both runners into scoring position.  One hit away from a walk-off hit and two outs left to get it in, Francisco popped out to first base, and Martinez popped out to short. 

Not even a hit to the outfield so the third base runner could tag.  You just had to shake your head.

While more exciting than many of the previous losses, it was still a loss, and the Tribe have lost five of their last six meetings with the White Sox.  Not good against the division-leading Sox. 

The Indians travel to Kansas City hoping the Royals will help break them out of their current funk. 

The three game set opens at 8:10 PM Friday evening: Cliff Lee meeting Gil Meche.  Lee goes for his eighth win of the season against one defeat. Meche is 3-7 with a 5.35 ERA.