Six runs in the ninth give Tampa Bay a 10-7 win over Cleveland

Jeremy Sowers now knows what its like to get some offensive run support.  Down 3-1 early, Cleveland accomplished something that has been rare this entire season.  The offense battled back and retook the lead for their starting pitcher.  Then familiarity kicked in.  The bullpen blew a 7-4 lead in the bottom of the ninth, and the Rays won 10-7.

The Tampa Bay Rays are certainly glad they will not see the likes of the Indians again this year.  Going 2-6 against a last place team has to be frustrating.  It was probably nice to end the season series on a positive note though.

Cleveland took an early 1-0 lead on a lead off home run.  No, it wasn’t Grady Sizemore, it was Franklin Gutierrez.  The Indians came out with a rare Gutierrez, Choo, Francisco combination in the outfield, giving Sizemore and many of the Indians starters a day off.

It didn’t seem to help Tampa out any, although it looked like it might early on.

Tampa Bay answered the Indian run in the first by scoring three right back, and taking a 3-1 advantage.  Sowers got the first hitter out, then allowed a single and a steal by Ben Zobrist.  Carlos Pena walked, and was thrown out at second when Tampa tried the double steal.  Zobrist ended up on third, and scored on an Evan Longoria single.  Gutierrez, Cleveland’s center fielder for the day, was credited with an error on the play allowing Longoria a free pass to third.  The two base advance didn’t make much of a difference however, because it doesn’t matter what base you are standing on when the guy batting hits a home run.  Navarro did just that, making the score 3-1 Tampa Bay.

The Indians would draw to within one on a solo shot from Jhonny Peralta in the top of the third.

They took the lead 5-3 with a three run fourth.  Jamey Carroll walked to open the frame.  After a Francisco strikeout, Peralta doubled, putting runners on second and third with one out.  Shin-Soo Choo delivered a single, driving in Carroll.  Peralta stopped at third.  Andy Marte doubled, scoring both Peralta and Choo.

The Rays got back to within one in the bottom half of the fourth on a Zobrist single that landed him on second base after the second Indians error of rhe afternoon.  Pena walked, and Longoria singled home Zobrist.  Sowers escaped with no further damage by inducing a Navarro ground-out.

Carroll and Peralta teamed up for another Indians run in the fifth, Carroll singling and Peralta doubling him home with two out. 

Rafael Perez relieved Sowers in the bottom of the seventh, and was stellar in relief once again.  He struck out four in two innings of relief, giving up one hit and no runs during his tenure on the mound.  Too bad he didn’t go three.

The Indians added an insurance run in the ninth.  Peralta singled to start the inning.  Choo hit into a fielders choice, erasing Peralta.  Choo then stole second, moved to third on a Marte groundout, and came home on a Troy Percival wild pitch.

On came Edwardo Mujica for the close. Mujica has been making a pitch for the closing position as the most consistant reliever beside Perez, at least until today.

A six run ninth by Tampa erased that wish.  Back-to-back doubles by Bartlett and Hinske accounted for the first Tampa run of the inning.  Gabe Gross added to the Mujica hit parade with a home run, and Mujica was yanked for Masa Kobayashi.

Kobayashi gave up an infield single to Iwamura, then walked Zobrist on four pitches, setting the stage for the game ending three run homerun by Pena.

If you’re a Tampa Bay fan, you went nuts.  If you’re an Indians fan, you just shook your head and thought what the Favre? 

Mujica got the blown save for his efforts.  Kobayashi got the loss.  Percival, despite surrendering a run in the ninth, earned the victory.

Rafael Betancourt probably sat on the bench thinking…. “Well, at least it wasn’t me this time”. 

Peralta went 5-for-5 with two RBI for the Indians.  Jason Bartlett was three-for-four for the Rays. 

Tampa Bay heads cross-country to Seattlefor a Thursday nighter.  The Indians take Thursday off and retake the field on Friday against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto. 

Paul Byrd (6-10, 4.72 ERA) faces off against David Purcey(1-2, 8.35 ERA).  Game time is 7:07.

Cleveland is 3-1 against the Blue Jays so far this year.  All four games were in Cleveland.  The Toronto series was part of an 8-2 streak for the Indians.  Those were the days eh?