Awful in Anaheim

Last nights' game was a microcosm of what can go wrong in baseball. When a team can't field consistently, or string together consecutive hits, they typically lose. The Cleveland Indians mustered one run and committed two errors (Garko missed a foul ball too,) through eight innings. But they were able to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory

The team coasted through until the ninth, when an apparent victory was ripe for the taking. Hafner led off with a walk, Cabrera pinch ran, and then victor took the first pitch of Frankie Rodriguez down the right field line for a double. Dellucci then came in to pinch run for Victor, a postition where it is difficult for him to strike out in. Jhonny Peralta followed by stroking a double to right field. He then tried to take 3rd on an overthrow by Vladamir Guerrero, but was beaten to the unoccupied bag by K-Rod. This was a bigger out than most think, as the Indians were able to load the bases later in the inning. Skinner was yelling at Jhonny to run, but Jhonny hesitated. He is not the fleetest of foot. The baserunning blunder added to a long list of bad plays for the Tribe. Sizemore struck out by taking two close strikes with one out and the bases loaded, and Brett Michaels did what he does, grounded weakly to second base.

The ninth was a disaster. JoBo opened up a gas tank and decided to spray the contents all over the field, loading the bases with one out. My Cleveland upbringing told me the game was over. As Torii Hunter's bat went sailing into the air, I kept thinking back to the top of the ninth when the Tribe left the bases full. It is a bad omen when you root for you team to have a four run lead in the ninth so your gas can of a closer won't come in to fire 75 MPH curveballs down the middle of the plate.

The Indians didn't deserve to win last night, but they did show resilience. For 8 innings they looked terrible, but still put themselves in the position to win. Would Joe Borowski be able to pitch the 7th and 8th innings with a 5 era? Will Michaelucci be replaced soon after batting a combined .040 (1-25)? Probably not but Shapiro and Wedge will stick with "the plan" for the time being.

The Indians look to bounce back with Jake Westbrook facing Ervin Santana.