Tigers-Indians: Miguel Cabrera Hits Walk-Off Home Run

Whoever forgot to pay homage to the Baseball Gods, PLEASE head to the altar now!

The Indians, leading 6-1 after six, lost in the bottom of the ninth, 8-6, on a walk-off home run by Miguel Cabrera.

This isn’t even funny anymore.

They didn’t even lose the way you’d expect. Paul Byrd, who’s just been limburger-cheese awful over the last month, actually deserved to win. He went into the seventh and could not get an out after a shaky sixth.

When he walked back out for the seventh, I thought to myself, "WHAT IS ERIC WEDGE THINKING?" 

Recall that this is a guy who’s been terrible for over a month now, and the Indians are riding a nine-game losing streak. Byrd just gave up two hits and a run in the sixth. Yet out he walked.

I choked on my Doritos.

After a pair of singles, Byrd was gone. Now I’m hoping for Masa Kobayashi. Sure, he’s the newly anointed closer, but we’ve lost nine in a row and the bullpen is bad news.

Out walks Rafael Betancourt.

I swear I could smell defeat—not my feet—defeat. Betancourt walked the first batter. Maybe it’s a good time to send HIM to the showers? Nah, not yet.  

How about after Carlos Guillen's double that made it 6-3 with guys on second and third. Should the Wedge-meister take Betancourt out now? Nah...Not yet....

Miguel Cabrera grounded to third and another run scored…NOW??? 

How about after a two run, game-tying home run by Matt Joyce.

Apparently, THAT is the time to change pitchers. Eric Wedge, congratulations on single-handedly extending the losing streak to 10 games.

Edward Mujica entered the game and got a double play to end the inning, but you just KNEW this one was over.

Oh sure, the Tribe made it interesting. It's still six-up in the ninth and Casey Blake doubled to open the inning. He moved to third on a Shin-Soo Choo groundout.

That’s when the non-praying payment to the Baseball Gods kicked in. Ryan Garko rocketed a grounder toward third that was stopped by Carlos Guillen. Blake, heading home on contact, was a dead duck in the rundown.

Marte grounded out on another nice stop by third baseman Guillen, and the Indians half of the inning was over.

Jensen Lewis relieved Rafael Perez.

Hey, great idea to change out pitchers when they AREN'T in trouble!

Lewis gave up a single, registered one out, getting Guillen on a foul pop out behind home plate, and then surrendered the walk-off home run. Cabrera was the vessel for the hit.

Frankly I was surprised the Baseball Gods didn’t award the walk-off to Guillen, since he’d just stolen the winning Indians run a few minutes earlier with his defense.

The longest losing streak ever for the Cleveland Indians is 12 games. 12. Aaron Laffey and Cliff Lee will have to get back-to-back no decisions or losses for the tie of the streak. Start praying now. The first place Tampa Bay Rays are coming to town.

The four-game series with the Rays will be the last for Cleveland prior to the All-Star break. Grady Sizemore is named as a participant in the Home-Run Derby.

The Indians had 14 hits in the loss, as did Detroit. In the top of the sixth, the Tribe had a shot to break the game open, but they only pushed across one run.

They had runners on the corners, nobody out, and a run across and got nothing.  A groundout and a pair of strikeouts really signaled the beginning of the end.

So...10 in a row, and counting.