Indians-Padres: Cleveland Prevails Over a Struggling San Diego

C.C. Sabathia notched his second win in as many starts, out-pitching the likes of probable Hall-of-Famer Greg Maddux, and the Indians win two-of-three against the San Diego Padres. With the 7-3 victory the Indians move to 33-37 on the year, 5.5 games back of the suddenly cold Chicago White Sox.

Sabathia pitched eight innings, allowing six hits and three earned runs while striking out ten and walking one. He is now 5-8 on the season after a very poor start. 

The Indians jumped out to an early 3-0 lead. Ben Francisco homered after Franklin Gutierrez was safe on a Greg Maddux error and Jamey Carroll was hit by a pitch. 

The Padres squared the game a half inning later. Kevin Kouzmanoff singled to right to open the top of the fourth. Tony Clark singled, and Huber doubled, scoring Kouzmanoff from second. Kalil Greene hit an infield singe that Clark scored on, and Barrett hit a sac-fly to score Huber and knot the contest at 3-3.

Shin-Soo Choo, an offensive catalyst since his return to the lineup, led off Cleveland’s half of the inning with a double to center. Jhonny Peralta moved him to third on a grounder, and Casey Blake got the RBI on a ground-out. Gutierrez doubled, but Shoppach flied out to right to end the inning.

The Tribe would add another run in the bottom of the sixth. With two out, a Peralta single, a Blake single, and a Gutierrez single scored Peralta. 

The bottom of the seventh opened with Grady Sizemore blasting his 17th home run of the season, and he raised his batting average to .263. Carroll singled to right, then stole second after a pair of outs to Francisco and Garko. Choo was intentionally walked and Peralta delivered a two-out double, scoring Caroll. Blake flied out, leaving the Tribe with a two-spot for the inning and a 7-3 lead.

Masa Kobayashi came on for the Indians in the ninth, getting two flyouts and a strikeout while giving up a walk to close out the game.

Cleveland takes a day off Monday, then resumes play in Colorado against the Rockies on Tuesday evening, a 9:05 affair. A 3-6 Paul Byrd goes for the Indians against the 1-4 Greg Reynolds. 

Even with Colorado sitting in the basement of the NL West at 28-41, they’ve been hot as of late, going 7-3 of their last ten. The Indians are 6-4. 

Cleveland is 2-4 in interleague play so far this year.