Tribe Win The Series In The Pink

The Indians got their scoring started in the 2nd inning. Bowker (photo) led off the inning with a loopy single that dropped into left field. Hague was robbed of an extra-base hit when LF Feliciano made an amazing leaping catch of Hague’s long liner, against the left field wall. RF Andrew Lambo worked the count full then drew a walk, then C Dusty Brown also walked, to load the bases for the Tribe. That brought up Marte. Marte lifted a long fly to center field for a double, driving in Bowker from third base. Lambo also came around from second base, but the throw in from CF Nieuwenhuis to 2B Fisher to former Indy Indian C Raul Chavez was in time for Chavez to tag out Lambo at the plate. The inning ended when Chavez fired down to pick Brown off third base.

The Tribe went down in order in the 3rd and managed only a walk to Bowker in the 4th. The 5th inning brought another rally. Brown led off with a looping single into short left field. Marte followed with a tremendous blast over the left field wall for a 2-run homer, to give the Indians a 3-1 lead.

The Indians did not score again, though they put one base runner on in each of the three remaining innings. Bowker’s second hit of the game, a line drive single into left field, put him on base in the 6th, but he was erased when Hague tapped back to the mound and Carrasco whirled and threw to second base to begin a 1-4-3 double play. Lambo walked to begin the 7th, but was left on base with a line out and two strikeouts. Harrison lined a single just out of the reach of SS Chin-lung Hu in the top of the 9th, but he was also left stranded.

Owens worked around a single to RF Bell in the 5th inning, with some help from a running catch in the deep left-center field gap by CF Alex Presley. The Bison went down in order in the 6th. Then in the 7th, with two outs, Owens gave up back-to-back singles by Hu and Feliciano. A pop out in foul territory by 3B Marte ended that threat. Owens threw 81 pitches in his 7 innings, with 59 of those strikes.

Cesar Valdez (photo) took over for Owens to begin the 8th inning. He started with two outs, including a nice play by d’Arnaud when pinch-hitter Luis Hernandez’s grounder ticked off Valdez’s glove and changed direction. D’Arnaud had to also change directions, but he charged in on the different vector, made the scoop, and just barely threw out Hernandez at first base. With two out, Luis Figueroa blooped a single just out of d’Arnaud’s reach. Figueroa moved to third base on Fisher’s grounder through to center field. Manager Dean Treanor had seen enough from Valdez at that point, and he brought in Tim Wood to finish the inning. Wood gave up an RBI single to Nieuwenhuis, which plated Figueroa, then got a grounder to second base to end the inning.

Evan Meek continued his rehab stint by pitching the 9th inning. The first batter he faced, Hu, grounded right to first base, but when Hague went for the ball, he fumbled it, and Hu was safe on first with the error. Feliciano’s sacrifice bunt moved Hu to second base. The Indians and Meek got out of the situation with the Tribe’s fourth double play of the game: Bell flied out to left field, where Alex Presley (who had moved over from center field), made a charging running catch of the sinking line drive. Hu headed back to second base, but he was taking his time, while Presley was not. Presley fired a rocket in to second base, where Harrison made the tag to double off Hu and end the game.

The Indians head out of town tomorrow morning, first going to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for four games against the Yankees. After a day off, they will play four games in Pawtucket against the Red Sox.

Indians’ Hitting Gem of the Game: Andy Marte’s home run in the 5th, which gave the Indians the winning run. It was Marte’s 3rd homer of the season. His 2nd home run came one month ago, on April 20th. He was also responsible for all 3 of the Indians’ RBI — 2 on the homer, and one on his double in the 2nd.

Indians’ Defensive Gem of the Game: The game-ending double play. Alex Presley made the running catch of Bubba Bell’s sinking liner, then he made a nearly-perfect throw in to second base, doubling off base runner Chin-lung Hu for the third out of the inning.

More photos of the pink jerseys, which were auctioned off during the game, with proceeds going to breast cancer research. Unlike previous seasons, this year’s jerseys, voted on by fans, were pink with black pin-stripes. Dusty Brown and Josh Harrison were also wearing pink cleats. Brad Lincoln may also have had his pink cleats on, but I didn’t see him.

Josh Harrison, and some of the team during the national anthem: