MLB: Indians Hand Angels Second Loss in Three Games

The Indians completed the weekend against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim by winning 4-3, scoring them a 2-1 series win.  Heading into Monday’s day off, that had to feel pretty good.

Jeremy Sowers came out on top of a back and forth contest, even while giving up two runs in the first. 

The Angels got on the board with three straight singles before Sowers had even registered an out, and were up 2-0 after a fielder’s choice was the first out of the inning.  Sowers issued a free pass but squeezed out of the inning with no further damage. 

Sower’s albatross this entire season has been the first inning.  This coming Christmas when making out his wish list, getting out of the first inning unscathed will probably be pretty high.

The Indians put Sowers right back in the driver’s seat, registering a pair of their own in the bottom of the first. 

After a Grady Sizemore fly-out, Jamey Carroll and Ben Francisco each singled putting runners on first and second.  Jhonny Peralta failed in his bid to move anyone up, flying out for out number two.  Ryan Garko was hit by a pitch, loading up the bases for Franklin Gutierrez.  He singled home both Carroll and Francisco, tying the game at two.

The Indians took the lead in the bottom of the third with pretty much the same suspects from the first inning.  Carroll walked, Francisco singled, and once again, there were runners on first and second.  Peralta grounded into a double play, but after the dust settled, Carroll was standing on third with two out. 

Garko hit a rare infield single, rare because he is about as speedy as a three-legged turtle, and Carroll scored.  In actuality, it was a high, bouncing, checked swing infield collision, not Garko, that registered the single. 

The Angels got out of the inning with no further damage, but the Indians were up 3-2. 

In the top of the fifth, the Angels would even the score.  Chone Figgins opened the inning with a single.  After an Aybar pop-up, Mark Teixiera singled Figgins over to second.  Vladimir Guerrero hit into a second-out fielder’s choice, but a past ball with Torii Hunter at the plate allowed Figgins to score from third. 

The Indians scored the winning run in the bottom of the sixth.  Sal Fasano made up for his past ball by starting the inning off with a double.  He’d score after a sacrifice by Cabrera and a bloop single by Grady Sizemore.  The Indians have been playing a bit of small ball in the last few games, and it's been working.

Jensen Lewis came on for the Indians in the ninth and got his third save of the year, albeit not an easy one. 

Juan Rivera started the inning off with a single.  Gary Matthews Jr. came in as a pinch runner, and the Angels also sent in Sean Rodriguez as a pinch hitter.  Rodriguez sacrificed Matthews Jr. over to second for the first out of the inning.  Kendry Morales, the second pinch hitter in a row for the Angels, singled Matthews to third.  With runners on the corners and one out, Figgins popped out to third.  Aybar fouled out to end the game.

Lewis appears to have taken to the closer role like a duck to water, a good sign for an Indians staff that has tried everyone but Slider the mascot at that position this year, with absolutely poor results. 

Monday is an off day for the Tribe.  They are back in action Tuesday night playing against last place Kansas City. 

A sweep would be a nice boost toward overtaking Detroit, while three losses would put the Indians right back into the cellar.  Luke Honchar (6-11, 5.44 ERA) goes against Anthony Reyes (1-1,3.67 ERA).