Martinez a hitting machine for Indians
CLEVELAND (AP) — When Victor Martinez was batting .209 in June, C.C. Sabathia told people not to worry. Eventually, Sabathia predicted, the Indians' catcher would break out of a troubling slump.
"I've played with Victor since 1999," Sabathia said, "so I knew it was just a matter of time before he would go off like this."
Dormant earlier this season, Mt. Victor has indeed erupted.
On Monday, Martinez was named the AL's player of the week after batting .536 (15-for-28) with three homers and six RBIs. He entered a three-game series against Detroit on a mind-boggling 12-for-19 (.632) tear in his past five games and since the All-Star break, Martinez is hitting a major league-best .401 with nine homers and 29 RBIs in 41 games.
"He has been pretty impressive to watch the last couple of months," said teammate Travis Hafner.
No doubt.
Martinez credits his turnaround to hard work, and despite his torrid streak, he was one of a small group of Cleveland players who took extra batting practice before Monday night's series opener.
That didn't surprise manager Eric Wedge.
"Victor really respects the game," Wedge said. "He knows that it's a long haul. We always felt like he was going to come out of it, and he did, too."
Martinez's numbers have steadily increased as the season has progressed. He batted .207 in April, .213 in May, .295 in June, .323 in July and took a .407 average into his final two games of August.
Source: http://www.cleveland.com/
Role reversal continues
It continued Tuesday night, the Bears' execution of both role reversal and roll reversal.
Having followed a 1-7 homestand by winning two of three at Spokane, Yakima again played like a team in a pennant race even though it probably isn't, hammering the Indians 7-2 before an announced crowd of 1,520 at Yakima County Stadium.
The Bears left town last week losers of 11 of their last 13 and having mostly played themselves out of the imminently attainable Northwest League East Division. When swept by Tri-City over the final three games of the aforementioned home engagement, they had helped the Dust Devils overtake Spokane for the division lead.
The secret this time? A visit from Dr. Longball, with Ramon Downing, Trey Hendricks and Manny Del Campo each launching home runs that combined to drive in five runs.
Angel Rocha pitched six hitless, albeit sometimes adventurous, innings for his third win in eight decisions and relievers Enmanuel Duran and Chris Thompson were lights out.
But the key blows were the long balls — solo shots by Downing and Hendricks in the first and eighth innings, respectively, and Del Campo's three-run shot to seal the win, also in the eighth.
"It's true in most levels of baseball, but especially at this level, that guys hit home runs when they're not trying to," Yakima manager Jay Gainer said. "In the big leagues, you've got a few players who can try to hit a ball out and then do it.
"But Trey, he got himself an 0-2 count and zoned in pretty well on a pitch. Same thing with Downing. But Del Campo was deep in the count (3-2) and just battled, trying to get a pitch he could drive. And he ended up hitting it out."
Del Campo's homer was temporarily in doubt, with plate umpire Steve Barga initially signaling the drive to left as having been foul. But Barga consulted base umpire Aaron Young, as per Gainer's request, and after a brief conference the call was reversed.
Downing had gotten Yakima started in the bottom of the first, lining an opposite-field drive over the right-field fence for his seventh homer of the season.
But the strike zone temporarily eluded Rocha in the second, however, enabling Spokane to take a 2-1 lead.
Rocha walked the bases loaded, then yielded a run-scoring, fielder's-choice groundout to Julio Santana. A second run scored when Rocha threw wildly on a pickoff attempt, although the inning ended without further incident.
Rocha, meanwhile, settled nicely for the next three innings and stood to get the win after Yakima scored twice in the bottom of the fifth.
A leadoff walk to Lester Contreras was followed by Jaen Centeno's double off the left-field wall, putting runners at second and third with no outs.
Del Campo and Kevin Williams each popped out, with neither being deep enough to score Contreras from third. After Jo Jo Batten walked, however, Downing ripped a double into the left-field corner to score two before Hendricks went down swinging.
Duran was called on to start the seventh, after Rocha completed his six-inning stint with 10 strikeouts and six walks. Rocha also had a no-hitter going, which went by the boards in the seventh via a swinging-bunt single down the third-base line by Joey Hooft.
The Indians got two solid singles in the eighth off Duran, but with two out the right-hander struck out cleanup hitter Jonathan Higashi swinging.
Hendricks, meanwhile, greeted Spokane reliever Nate Fogle with a booming homer just to the right of the 406-foot sign in right-center, giving Yakima a 4-2 cushion leading off the bottom of the eighth.
It was Hendricks' seventh homer this season, tying him with Downing for second on the club to Centeno's nine, and increased his team-best RBI total to 37.
With one out, Derek Bruce walked and Contreras was hit by a pitch, after which Leyson Septimo struck out.
That brought up Del Campo, who worked the count full before lining his first homer of the season.
Next game
Opponent: Spokane Indians.
When, where: 7:05 p.m. tonight, Yakima County Stadium.
Radio: KUTI 1460 AM.
Probable pitchers: Yakima RHP Adam Howard (4-5, 4.28) vs. Spokane RHP Doug Mathis 3-7, 2.63).
Notes
ALL STAR IN ABSTENTIA: Though his season with the Bears started late because he played in the College World Series and ended early because he went back to school, Josh Ford clearly made an impact.
The catcher from Baylor University was named to the Northwest League All-Star team Tuesday. He was the only Yakima player selected.
In 43 games with the Bears, Ford batted .282 with 25 runs batted in. His RBI total remains fourth-highest on the team, and he his 24 runners thrown out attempting to steal continues to lead the entire league.
"Great guy," Bears pitcher Chris Kemlo said, "and a great guy to throw to. He has a great knowledge of the game and an ability to calm you down if you need it."
Spokane outfielder Steve Murphy (.306 average, nine home runs, 37 RBI) has been named Most Valuable Player and Salem-Keizer's Steve Decker was chosen Manager of the Year.
Others: 1b, Will Thompson, Salem-Keizer; 2b, Luis Valbuena, Everett; 3b, Pablo Sandoval, Salem-Keizer; ss, German Duran, Spokane; dh, Lizahio Baez, Spokane; c, Josh Ford, Yakima; of, Mike Mooney, Salem-Keizer; Steve Murphy, Salem-Keizer; Travis Becktel, Tri-City; lhp, Darin Downs, Boise; rhp, Mike Madsen, Vancouver; lh reliever, Brad Kilby, Vancouver; rh reliever, Brian Anderson, Salem-Keizer.
COMPLETE PERFORMANCE: Chris Kemlo's complete-game, 7-2 conquest of the Indians at Spokane on Monday night was the first such performance in the Northwest League since Everett's Troy Cate on Sept. 3, 2002, and the first by a Bear since Phil Devey in 1999.
"They (pitching coach Erik Sabel and manager Jay Gainer) came to me after the seventh and wanted to take me out," Kemlo said before Tuesday night's game. "I told them I felt good and felt strong, and I guess they changed their minds."
The fact that Kemlo had thrown only 77 of his 93 pitches, according to Sabel, also had an impact.
"We really can't let 'em go much past 100," Sabel said. "But he had his sinker going and got 15 ground-ball outs. He had some real low-pitch innings — I think his highest was 15 in one inning. That's what you have to do to pitch a complete game at this level."
Kemlo had five first-pitch outs and gave up four first-pitch hits. He had only three strikeouts, but walked none and scattered seven hits. The run was unearned.
This is the second season Kemlo has spent with the Bears. After working largely as the team's closer last year, the native of Oshawa, Ontario and product of Santa Fe (Florida) Community College has been a starter in all 14 of his appearances this summer.
He's 4-7 with a 5.40 earned run average, and has struck out 39 while walking 24 in a team-high 781/3 innings.
NEWEST BEAR: Jo Jo Batten, an infielder, joined the Bears during their recent three-game series in Spokane. He had played previously at Missoula.
Batten played second base during Monday night's 7-1 Yakima win, was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and, so far, is hitting .500 as a Bear.
Source: http://www.yakima-herald.com/
A's rolling into division showdown
BALTIMORE - Four home runs and a baserunning gaffe by the Orioles enabled the Athletics to take a wealth of momentum into their showdown with the Angels.
Nick Swisher and Mark Ellis homered off Jorge Julio in a five-run 12th inning, and Oakland completed a four-game sweep with a 10-5 victory Monday.
Jay Payton and Dan Johnson also homered for the A's, whose sixth straight win extended their lead in the West to one game over the idle Angels. The teams begin a three-game series tonight in Anaheim.
"We battled to get in this spot, and we've got to feel proud about what we've accomplished," Swisher said. "We just want to keep it going right now; we just need to keep riding that wave."
Oakland's runs all came on homers. Payton hit a two-run shot in the first and Johnson connected with two on in the sixth. The A's have 18 home runs in their past six games.
Kiko Calero pitched two perfect innings to seal Oakland's first four-game sweep in Baltimore since the A's moved from Kansas City in 1968.
The Orioles had a chance to break a tie at 5 in the eighth, putting runners at the corners with no outs against Justin Duchscherer, but pinch-runner Luis Matos held at third when Sal Fasano hit into a double play. Brian Roberts followed with a groundout.
The A's were amazed that Matos didn't break for home as soon as Fasano's grounder headed toward shortstop.
"We felt like we were playing with house money when they failed to run home on that ball," third baseman Eric Chavez said. "That was definitely miscommunication on their part. We got lucky; they had a brain cramp on that play."
Orioles interim manager Sam Perlozzo, who spent 14 years as a third-base coach, was quick to acknowledge that Matos should have been running on the play.
"That's normally an automatic situation that you go, and obviously we didn't, so I guess that comes back to me," he said. "In that situation, you pretty much want to stay out of the double play no matter where the ball is hit."
Third-base coach Rick Dempsey, who moved from first base shortly after Perlozzo took over for Lee Mazzilli on Aug.4, took the blame.
"It was bad judgment on my part," Dempsey said. "It wasn't (Matos') fault at all. It was 100 percent my fault. He did exactly what I told him to do. I have to live with that."
Said Matos: "The third-base coach tells you to stay, you stay. I don't want to look like a bad runner."
Baltimore tied it at 5 in the seventh when Javy Lopez drew a two-out walk and scored on B.J. Surhoff's double.
Oakland finally took advantage of the mistake in the 12th.
YANKEES 7, MARINERS 4: Jason Giambi hit two homers and drove in four runs as visiting New York rallied from a four-run deficit for their fifth straight win.
On Sunday, Giambi had two homers and seven RBIs in a 10-3 victory over Kansas City at Yankee Stadium.
In this one, Mike Mussina had his second straight poor outing, and the Yankees needed Giambi's power as they won after trailing by four runs for the second time in three games, the eighth time this season.
INDIANS 10, TIGERS 8: Jhonny Peralta, Coco Crisp and Ben Broussard drove in two each as Cleveland kept up its late-season surge.
The Indians overcame a five-run deficit in the first by scoring six in their first at-bat and improved to a major-league-best 19-7 in August.
RANGERS 7, WHITE SOX 5: Rookie Juan Dominguez allowed seven hits in eight innings and Mark Teixeira had three hits and two RBIs to lead Texas. Mark DeRosa and Kevin Mench homered for the Rangers, who have won five of seven on their 10-game homestand after a 1-12 trip.
TWINS 3, ROYALS 1 (10): Nick Punto hit a two-run double in the 10th, leading visiting Minnesota. Kansas City's Emil Brown had a two-out run-scoring double to tied it at 1 in the fourth.
Source: http://www.sptimes.com/
A's sweep, lead AL West by 1
BALTIMORE - Nick Swisher and Mark Ellis homered off Jorge Julio in a five-run 12th inning, and the Oakland Athletics completed a four-game sweep of the Baltimore Orioles with a 10-5 victory yesterday.
Oakland scored all its run on homers. Jay Payton hit a two-run shot in first inning and Dan Johnson connected with two on in the sixth. The A's have 18 home runs in their last six games.
The victory enabled Oakland to extend its lead in the AL West to a full game over the idle Los Angeles Angels.
Indians 10, Tigers 8
CLEVELAND - Jhonny Peralta, Coco Crisp and Ben Broussard drove in two runs apiece as Cleveland kept up its late-season surge by outslugging Detroit.
The Indians overcame a five-run deficit in the first inning by scoring six times in their first at-bat and improved to a major league-best 19-7 in August.
Twins 3, Royals 1
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Nick Punto hit a two-run double in the 10th, leading Minnesota over Kansas City.
Shawn Camp (1-4) walked Jason Bartlett and Michael Ryan with one out in the 10th and Punto, in a 2-for-17 slide, doubled to gap in left-center.
Minnesota, struggling to stay in the AL wild-card hunt, is 13-6 in extra-inning games.
Rangers 7, White Sox 5
ARLINGTON, Texas - Rookie Juan Dominguez allowed seven hits in eight innings, and Mark Teixeira had three hits and two RBIs as Texas beat Chicago.
Dominguez (2-3) gave up two runs, struck out three and walked two in his 11th major-league start.
Dodgers 9, Cubs 6
CHICAGO - Jeff Kent drove in four runs and D.J. Houlton got his first win in two months as Los Angeles used a six-run second inning to beat Chicago.
Houlton (5-7) won for the first time in nine starts despite giving up four solo homers.
Jeromy Burnitz homered twice for the Cubs and Nomar Garciaparra and Todd Walker each connected off Houlton.
Cardinals 6, Marlins 1
MIAMI - Chris Carpenter pitched 7ª innings to become the first 19-game winner in the major leagues, and David Eckstein went 4-for-5 with three RBIs to help St. Louis beat Florida.
Carpenter (19-4) beat the Marlins for the second time in August and improved to 11-0 in his past 14 starts. Florida missed a chance to tie Philadelphia for the NL wild-card lead.
TWO NL GAMES POSTPONED: As Hurricane Katrina moved inland, Washington's game at Atlanta was postponed because of heavy rain. It will be made up as part of a doubleheader tomorrow. Cincinnati's game at Pittsburgh was rained out and will be made up as part of a doubleheader Sept. 16.
Source: http://www.capecodonline.com/
Five-run 12th inning sparks Athletics to win, sweep of O's
Nick Swisher and Mark Ellis homered off Jorge Julio in a five-run 12th inning, and the Oakland Athletics completed a four-game sweep of the Baltimore Orioles with a 10-5 victory Monday.Oakland scored all its run on homers. Jay Payton hit a two-run shot in the first inning and Dan Johnson connected with two on in the sixth. The A's have 18 home runs in their last six games.The victory enabled Oakland to extend its lead in the AL West to one full game over the Los Angeles Angels, who were idle Monday. The teams begin a three-game series Tuesday night in Anaheim.Kiko Calero (3-1), the sixth Oakland pitcher, worked two scoreless innings to seal the A's sixth straight win. It was Oakland's first four-game sweep in Baltimore since the A's moved from Kansas City in 1968.Indians 10, Tigers 8: At Cleveland; Jhonny Peralta, Coco Crisp and Ben Broussard drove in two runs apiece as Cleveland kept up its late-season surge by outslugging Detroit.Broussard hit an RBI triple in the first off Jeremy Bonderman (14-11) and Casey Blake had three hits for Cleveland. Dmitri Young had a grand slam and five RBIs, and Carlos Pena homered for Detroit.Rangers 7, White Sox 5: At Arlington, Texas, Rookie Juan Dominguez allowed seven hits in eight innings, and Mark Teixeira had three hits and two RBIs to lead Texas over Chicago.Dominguez (2-3) gave up two runs, struck out three and walked two in his 11th major league start. Mark DeRosa and Kevin Mench homered for the Rangers.Twins 3, Royals 1, 10 innings: At Kansas City, Nick Punto hit a two-run double in the 10th inning, leading Minnesota over Kansas City.Shawn Camp (1-4) walked Jason Bartlett and Michael Ryan with one out in the 10th and Punto, in a 2-for-17 slide, doubled to gap in left-center.Red Sox 10, Devil Rays 6: At Boston, David Ortiz homered twice and Johnny Damon hit his first leadoff homer since Boston's World Series clincher to lead Boston to a win over Tampa Bay.Matt Clement (12-3) won for the second time in eight starts since his All-Star game appearance, and John Olerud had three of Boston's 13 hits.NATIONAL LEAGUECardinals 6, Marlins 1: At Miami, Chris Carpenter pitched 72/3 innings to become the first 19-game winner in the major leagues, and David Eckstein went 4-for-5 with three RBIs to help St. Louis Cardinals beat Florida.Carpenter (19-4) beat the Marlins for the second time in August and improved to 11-0 in his past 14 starts. He allowed seven hits but only one run, stranding four runners in scoring position.Dodgers 9, Cubs 6: At Chicago, Jeff Kent drove in four runs and D.J. Houlton got his first win in two months as Los Angeles used a six-run second inning to beat Chicago.Houlton (5-7) won for the first time in nine starts since June 27, despite giving up four solo homers.Jeromy Burnitz homered twice for the Cubs and Nomar Garciaparra and Todd Walker each connected off Houlton, who surrendered seven hits and four runs in 5 2-3 innings.
Source: http://www.mcall.com/
Bonderman, Tigers falter at Jake
Thanks to the Tigers offense, those days when the Tigers were losing by 1-0 and 2-1 scores seem like an eternity ago. Unfortunately, so do Tigers quality starts lately.
Though the Tigers left Fenway Park on Sunday night, the team's recent run of slugfests continued. A six-run Indians first inning off Jeremy Bonderman nullified Dmitri Young's grand slam in the top of the inning, setting the tone for a 10-8 Detroit loss at Jacobs Field and setting the mood for manager Alan Trammell after the game.
"I don't have a whole lot of answers tonight," Trammell said. "I have to do some thinking."
Trammell was already worried about the state of his bullpen entering this three-game series, suggesting he could need to make a move if he had to use his bullpen heavily again on Monday. Hard as he tried not to do that, he had to lift Bonderman in the fourth inning, setting in motion a scenario that could require finding relief for overtaxed relievers.
Even if Trammell calls up a reliever from the Minor Leagues, however, that doesn't solve the question of whether the starters' recent struggles are more of a long-term concern. In the short term, they're certainly weighing on Trammell's mind. Detroit's starting pitchers have allowed 43 earned runs on 55 hits in 24 1/3 innings over the club's last six games.
"We have a number of games left on this road trip," Trammell said. "We need to stop this. We can't keep getting pounded. We just can't take that."
Young's second grand slam in three days -- a line drive shot that somehow skimmed the top of the right-field fence in front of the Tigers bullpen -- and Carlos Pena's seventh home run in less than two weeks powered a five-run Tigers first inning.
Young's grand slam on Saturday helped the Tigers overcome a 6-0 deficit and pull out a 12-8 victory. His latest slam pulled Detroit ahead early before Cleveland answered.
Bonderman (14-11) left his previous start early when a line drive hit his right wrist. On Monday, he was simply hit. The Indians' first three hitters reached base safely and scored, as Coco Crisp and Jhonny Peralta belted back-to-back RBI doubles.
Bonderman regrouped to retire Travis Hafner -- with help from Pena at first base -- and Victor Martinez before an Omar Infante error extended the inning for three more runs. Nearly every ball hit in that inning was hit hard.
"Really, the first inning was huge, no question about it," Trammell said. "When you score five runs in the first inning and give up six, that's not what you're looking for."
Craig Monroe's two-run single put the Tigers back in front in the top of the third, and Bonderman seemingly settled into a rhythm. But back-to-back singles from Aaron Boone and Casey Blake plus a walk to Grady Sizemore loaded the bases with none out in the fourth. Crisp tied the game with a sacrifice fly before Peralta's hard bouncer hopped off Brandon Inge's glove and into left field, driving in another run and chasing Bonderman from the game.
Bonderman insisted he wasn't feeling any effects from the wrist injury last start, and Trammell believes him. His struggles date back before that hit. He gave up six runs on nine hits in three innings that night, and nine hits over 6 1/3 innings against the Red Sox before that. He's worked well with runners in scoring position much of the season, but not on Monday.
Bonderman did not fall behind hitters on Monday so much as he struggled to finish them off. Eight times, he put Cleveland batters in 0-2 counts. All eight times, they reached base safely, including all three at-bats that loaded the bases in the fourth.
"In that last inning, I kept throwing breaking balls and those guys hit them," Bonderman said. "I thought I threw good breaking balls down, maybe too good with two strikes."
Asked if he might be overthrowing the ball, Bonderman didn't think so.
"I wasn't trying to throw 100 mph," he said. "I wasn't trying to blow it by guys. I was trying to make guys hit the ball and put it in play."
Hafner's sacrifice fly greeting Vic Darensbourg finished Bonderman's line with nine runs allowed, five of them earned, in 3 1/3 innings. Yet what could've been a long night remained close thanks to the overworked bullpen, which combined to allow one more run on three hits in 4 2/3 innings.
The Tigers' offensive threats, meanwhile, continued. Young struck again with an RBI double to the right-center field wall in the fifth inning, pulling the Tigers back to within a run. Detroit put two more runners on in the fifth and sixth before Cleveland relievers stranded them.
Monroe just missed what would've been game-tying two-run homer on an opposite-field shot that died at the warning track in right field. Indians closer Bob Wickman stranded runners at first and second in the ninth inning to finish off his 35th save.
The Tigers have totaled 31 runs over their last four games and have scored at least eight runs in five of their last 10 games. They've lost two of those. But considering what the pitching staff dealt with in May while the Tigers struggled to hit, Inge isn't going to sit around with his arms folded.
"The way I think everyone on this team looks at it," he said, "[is that] no matter what the pitching is doing or what the hitting is doing, the pitchers and hitters know that we're giving 100 percent each way. Therefore, if they go out and give up some runs, we feel like it's our responsibility as hitters to pick them up, and vice versa. I'm not frustrated one bit. I thought we could've won that game, even with giving up runs."
Source: http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/
Indians unlikely to make deadline deal
The deadline for acquiring players who are eligible for postseason play is midnight tonight, but Indians general manager Mark Shapiro said he isn't overly optimistic that the Indians will make any moves.
Tonight's deadline is also the deadline for trading for players who have cleared waivers.''There are a small number of players who have gotten to us on waivers, and the ones who have, we haven't been able to work out a deal with the player's team,'' said Shapiro.
Shapiro said the Indians' improved play over the last month has lessened his sense of urgency to make a trade, or add a player.''Part of the reason for our good play is the dynamic of our team,'' he said. ''Inherent in any move we make is that we must insure that the player fits with this team. Our team plays really well together. To disrupt that, the talent, the player we added would have to be definitively better than what we have.''Rip cityIn the Indians' 4-1 win over Toronto Sunday, Casey Blake and Aaron Boone both hit home runs off Blue Jays starter Josh Towers, who didn't take lightly to giving up home runs to those two particular players.''Those aren't good hitters,'' said Towers. ''Nothing for nothing, but they're hitting .240 for a reason.''Boone said he saw the comments Monday.''I took it as a frustrated, idiotic comment, especially considering the slop he was throwing up there,'' said Boone. ''I mean, who is Josh Towers?''Blake knows. The two were once teammates on the Orioles. But Blake wasn't thrilled by the comments, either.''Let's just say if we talked face to face, I probably wouldn't be doing a whole lot of talking,'' said Blake, who then smiled. ''I'm kidding!'' Go figureIn the last 50 years in the major leagues, there have only been three games in which a team has scored five runs in the top of the first inning and trailed at the start of the second inning.The Indians have been involved in two of those three games.One was Monday night, when the Tigers scored five runs in the top of the first inning and the Indians scored six in the bottom of the first.The other was on May 17, in Chicago, when the Indians scored five runs in the top of the first inning off Jaime Navarro, and the White Sox scored six in the bottom of the first off Bartolo Colon. The Indians came back to win that game, 13-9.According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the only other time it has happened was on July 20, 1982, when Atlanta scored five runs in the top of the first off the Cardinals' John Stuper and St. Louis scored six in the bottom of the first off Rick Mahler and Ken Dayley. The Braves won that game, 8-6. NotedThe Indians game with Detroit yesterday was rained out. No makeup date was announced, but the only common off day the two teams have is Sept. 8, so it's likely that will be the date of the makeup game. . . Ryan Garko has been named to the International League's postseason all-star team as a utility player. Garko received votes at catcher, first base and designated hitter. In 444 at-bats this season with Buffalo, Garko has hit .306 with 19 home runs and 76 RBIs. . . Major League rosters can be expanded tomorrow and Shapiro said the Indians activate relievers Arthur Rhodes and Matt Miller off the disabled list, while they call up ''two or three'' players from Buffalo. . . Tonight at 7:05 p.m. in the second, and final game of the homestand, Cliff Lee (14-4, 3.93) will face lefty Mike Maroth (11-12, 4.98).
Source: http://www.zwire.com/
Bradley Had Problems at Home Too
Police have responded three times to domestic violence calls. No arrests were made, and Dodger outfielder calls the report 'exaggerated.'
Redondo Beach police responded to domestic violence reports at the home of Milton Bradley three times in a 33-day period this summer, including an instance in which the Dodger outfielder allegedly choked his pregnant wife and injured her lip, authorities said Tuesday. Three 911 calls were made to the Redondo Beach Police Department between June 28 and July 30, at least one of them by the Dodger center fielder. The Bradleys were neither arrested nor charged with a crime in connection with any of the police visits, and in a statement Tuesday Milton Bradley called a report of the incidents "exaggerated." The calls were first reported by the Daily Breeze.
On July 11, police said they arrived to find Monique Bradley with a bloody lip, sustained when her husband "grabbed her right hand and pushed her hand against her mouth," according to a police report of her account. Her name was redacted from the documents released Tuesday.Bradley also held his wife against a wall by placing his right forearm across her throat, according to the police report. She was four months pregnant at the time. When Bradley released her, she told police she "went to the bathroom and threw up."Monique Bradley had called 911 from a neighbor's house, according to the report, and Milton Bradley was not home when an officer arrived at 4:55 p.m. She told police her husband had hurled her cellphone against a bedroom headboard, gathered the couple's cellphones, house phones, car keys and credit cards, then left the house."Had he been there on the 11th, we would have arrested him. I guarantee it," said Redondo Beach Police Sgt. Phil Keenan, the second officer to arrive at the scene. "She was desirous of prosecution. There was injury."And that's our standard — physical injury and desirous of arrest. That's enough to arrest him."No warrant was issued and police did not return to the house until Milton Bradley called 911 on July 30, when officers entered the home, spoke to the couple, and left.According to a charge evaluation worksheet dated July 14, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office and Deputy D.A. Mary T. Suzukawa declined to press charges in the July 11 incident because of "insufficient evidence."The sheet also reads, "Victim stated suspect used his hand to grab her hand to force her to hit herself in the face. Victim was interviewed a [second] time and changed her stories. [Insufficient] to prove to jury beyond a reasonable doubt."In the June 28 incident, a 911 operator responded to a hang-up by returning the call to the Bradley residence. Milton Bradley answered the phone and identified himself as a professional baseball player, according to a police dispatch brief, and alleged that his wife had struck and scratched him. He told the operator his wife was angry because she believed he was cheating on her. Police officers went to the house, where they determined that neither party wanted to press charges.Monique Bradley, answering the door at the couple's Redondo Beach home Tuesday, declined to comment and said her husband was not home.Bradley, 27, is out for the remainder of the season because of a knee injury that will require surgery."The events written about are very regrettable. Any problems reported have been exaggerated but nonetheless, my wife and I have resolved all issues," he said in a statement. "The incidents reported will remain private and personal. At this time, I am choosing to handle this matter and all future matters directly and confidentially with the Dodgers."After an incident late last season in which he slammed a plastic bottle toward fans during a game at Dodger Stadium, tore off his jersey on his way from the field and subsequently was suspended for five games, Bradley began team-supervised counseling for anger management.He then was charged on a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct after interfering with a traffic stop on an Ohio highway in November, however, and in December served three days in an Ohio jail for driving away while being issued a speeding ticket — an offense that occurred in August 2003 while he was a member of the Cleveland Indians.Now, in the wake of his recent disagreement with teammate Jeff Kent, whom he accused of being racist, his disregard for Manager Jim Tracy's request to refrain from discussing the issue further with the media, and the news of a domestic violence allegation, Bradley is unlikely to return to the Dodgers next season.A career .269 hitter who has 32 home runs and 105 runs batted in in 216 games with the Dodgers, Bradley injured his left knee Aug. 22 and is expected to undergo surgery. The Dodgers' options are to retain Bradley, non-tender him by the Dec. 20 deadline, trade him or release him. Bradley cleared waivers this month, so he could be traded, but the pending surgery would make that difficult, if not impossible. Their preference is to have Bradley heal and hope another organization rates Bradley's talent over his potential behavioral issues."Dodger owner Frank McCourt and I have made it crystal clear that character is an essential attribute for everyone within the Los Angeles Dodgers organization," Dodger General Manager Paul DePodesta said in a statement. "As we have already stated, Milton Bradley has health issues that we expect he will address. We are disappointed that he is facing challenges away from the ballpark, but we are confident he will confront these issues as well."Dodger officials said they were unaware of the domestic disputes and the 911 calls.
Source: http://www.latimes.com/
Athletics defeat Orioles to extend lead
Oakland completed a four-game sweep of Baltimore, while in Miami the Cardinals' Chris Carpenter became the first 19-game winner in the major leagues
Nick Swisher and Mark Ellis homered off Jorge Julio in a five-run 12th inning, and the Oakland Athletics completed a four-game sweep of the Baltimore Orioles with a 10-5 victory on Monday.
Oakland scored all of its run on homers. Jay Payton hit a two-run shot in first inning and Dan Johnson connected with two on in the sixth. The A's have 18 home runs in their last six games.
The victory enabled Oakland to extend its lead in the American League West to one full game over the Los Angeles Angels, who were idle. The teams were to begin a three-game series yesterday in Anaheim.
Kiko Calero (3-1), the sixth Oakland pitcher, worked two scoreless innings to seal the A's sixth straight win. It was Oakland's first four-game sweep in Baltimore since the A's moved from Kansas City in 1968.
Jay Gibbons homered and Melvin Mora had two RBIs for the Orioles, who have lost nine of 10.
Indians 10, Tigers 8
At Cleveland, Jhonny Peralta, Coco Crisp and Ben Broussard drove in two runs apiece as Cleveland kept up its late-season surge.
The Indians overcame a five-run deficit in the first inning by scoring six times in their first at-bat and improved to a major league-best 19-7 in August.
Rookie Fernando Cabrera (2-0) cleaned up after Indians starter Scott Elarton, allowing one run in 2 2-3 innings. Rafael Betancourt pitched 1 1-3 scoreless innings and Bob Howry worked a perfect eighth.
Bob Wickman pitched the ninth for his league-leading 35th save in 40 attempts.
Broussard hit an RBI triple in the first off Jeremy Bonderman (14-11) and Casey Blake had three hits for Cleveland.
Dmitri Young had a grand slam and five RBIs, and Carlos Pena homered for Detroit.
Rangers 7, White Sox 5
At Arlington, Texas, rookie Juan Dominguez allowed seven hits in eight innings, and Mark Teixeira had three hits and two RBIs to lead Texas.
Dominguez (2-3) gave up two runs, struck out three and walked two in his 11th major league start.
Mark DeRosa and Kevin Mench homered for the Rangers, who have won five of seven on their 10-game homestand after a 1-12 trip that dropped them from contention.
Geoff Blum homered for the AL Central leaders, who have lost 10 of their last 15 and are 0-3 at Texas this year.
Chicago made four errors, matching its season high, three by second baseman Tadahito Iguchi.
Mark Buerhle (14-7) gave up seven runs -- four earned -- and nine hits in seven innings. He came in 7-0 with a 2.21 ERA in 10 career appearances against Texas.
Twins 3, Royals 1, 10 innings
At Kansas City, Missouri, Nick Punto hit a two-run double in the 10th inning to lead Minnesota.
Shawn Camp (1-4) walked Jason Bartlett and Michael Ryan with one out in the 10th and Punto, in a 2-for-17 slide, doubled to gap in left-center.
Juan Rincon (6-4) worked out of a bases loaded jam in the ninth and pitched two scoreless innings. Joe Nathan got three outs for his 33rd save in 36 chances, completing a five-hitter.
Minnesota, struggling to stay in contention in the AL wild-card race, is 13-6 in extra-inning games, the most extra-inning wins in the major leagues.
Kansas City has lost four straight after winning four of five following a 19-game losing streak. The Royals are 4-20 in August.
Chris Carpenter pitched 7 2-3 innings to become the first 19-game winner in the major leagues, and David Eckstein went 4-for-5 with three RBIs to help the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Florida Marlins 6-1 on Monday.
Carpenter (19-4) improved to 11-0 in his past 14 starts. He allowed seven hits but only one run, stranding four runners in scoring position.
Jeff Conine's sacrifice fly in the fourth ended a streak of 24 consecutive scoreless innings pitched by the Cardinals.
A.J. Burnett (12-8) lost his second start in a row after winning seven straight. He gave up a season-high six walks, and four led to runs -- including one to Carpenter, a .031 hitter.
Dodgers 9, Cubs 6
At Chicago, Jeff Kent drove in four runs and D.J. Houlton got his first win in two months as Los Angeles used a six-run second inning to beat Chicago.
Houlton (5-7) won for the first time in nine starts since June 27, despite giving up four solo homers. He can thank the Dodgers' offense for finally getting him some runs -- they'd scored only eight in his seven losses. Jeromy Burnitz homered twice for the Cubs and Nomar Garciaparra and Todd Walker each connected off Houlton, who surrendered seven hits and four runs in 5 2-3 innings.
Cubs right-hander Kerry Wood made his final appearance of the season, pitching the eighth. He will have season-ending arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder on Wednesday.
The Dodgers drove Jerome Williams (4-7) out after 1 2-3 innings with a six-run second.
Boston Red Sox pitcher David Wells will sit out six games for pushing an umpire, failing in his attempt to shorten the suspension on Monday.
He blasted Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig for the appeals process and just about everything else.
"I don't know what the point was even having a hearing," Wells said.
"They said I clearly bumped him and sprayed him with spit. That's coming from a guy that works for the commissioner, so what can you do?" he said.
Wells, who was scheduled to start on Friday, will instead pitch on Sunday. A spot starter will take Wells' turn and the rest of the rotation will be pushed back a day, manager Terry Francona said.
Wells was ejected in Boston's July 2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays after an argument in which he was accused of making contact with two umpires.
Wells acknowledged swearing but said he did so quietly and to himself. He denied spitting on or "beaking" any umpires and said there would have been no problem if second base umpire Chris Guccione wasn't reading his lips or third base umpire Angel Hernandez hadn't intervened to restrain the fuming pitcher.
"I guess that gives umpires a reason to do whatever the hell they want to do," Wells said, adding that he thought he was pushing teammate Kevin Millar, who was trying to restrain him. "It's a sad day for me ... I don't get it. I'm very bitter about the situation."
Wells accused Selig of retaliating for past criticism and discipline czar Bob Watson of "turning against the players." This story has been viewed 25 times.
Source: http://www.taipeitimes.com/
Oddly, his record's even
Toronto- When Jake Westbrook's record dropped to 6-12, he stopped thinking about it. At least he tried.
"All I wanted to do was keep a level head," said Westbrook.
Deep down he wanted to get back to .500. Sunday afternoon, with the help of some timely power and Ronnie Belliard's defense, Westbrook did just that as the Indians beat Toronto, 4-1, at Rogers Centre.
Westbrook went 6 1/3 innings to even his record at 13-13.
He has won seven of his past eight starts.
"My goal was to get back to .500; now I want to build on that," said Westbrook.
The victory gave the Indians a 5-2 record on this trip through Tampa Bay and Toronto. They stayed a game behind the first-place New York Yankees and a half-game behind the Los Angeles Angels in the American League wild-card race.
"What Jake has done is a testament to his consistency and mental toughness," manager Eric Wedge said. "He never gave into his record."
Westbrook, who allowed one run on eight hits, is one win away from equaling his victory total from last season.
The Blue Jays hit Westbrook hard in the first two innings. Frank Catalanotto doubled in the first, but Vernon Wells lined out to second.
Source: http://www.cleveland.com/
Indians chatter
Clubhouse confidential: Scoreboard watching in August and September for teams in playoff contention is as much a part of baseball as the resin bag, pine tar, hot dogs and nachos.
The Indians are locked in a wild-card chase, but manager Eric Wedge says he is not a fan of his players eyeballing the scoreboard. "I don't believe in it," he said. "It's hard to do two things at once. Now, checking the standings on the day after is fine."
Stat of the day: Cliff Lee's 14 victories are tied with Chicago's Mark Buehrle for the most by a left-handed pitcher in the American League.
Source: http://www.cleveland.com/
Another day, another trade, another loss
The Cubs made another move for the future Monday night, sending outfielder Todd Hollandsworth to the Atlanta Braves for two minor-league pitchers.
The trade was the second in the last three days of a veteran player to a contending team, following the deal Saturday that sent outfielder Matt Lawton to the New York Yankees for pitching prospects.
The waiver trade deadline is Wednesday, and another similar move could come by then. Second baseman Todd Walker is a likely possibility, having drawn interest from the Cleveland Indians.
"It's a good thing for both clubs,'' general manager Jim Hendry said of the Hollandsworth trade, made during the Cubs' 9-6 loss Monday night to the Los Angeles Dodgers. "Holly gets a chance to go to a top, contending club. [The Braves] felt they could use a veteran off the bench, and we get a couple pitchers, one of them [Todd Blackford] whom we've liked a lot the last couple of years.''
Blackford, 20, was drafted in 2004 and was coveted at the time by the Cubs. In two professional seasons, he has gone 6-5 with a 4.60 ERA, including 5-3 this season with a 3.17 ERA in 12 games at Class A Danville. The Cubs also get right-hander Angelo Burrows, 25, who was pitching in Class A.
The left-handed-hitting Hollandsworth was batting .257 with five home runs and 35 RBI. He started Monday's game but left after the seventh inning as the trade became final.
His departure opens the door for rookie outfielder Matt Murton, who returns to the Cubs today with Class AAA right-hander Jermaine Van Buren.
Van Buren, 25, will take Kerry Wood's spot in the bullpen. He had 24 saves and a 2.01 ERA in 51 games for Iowa, striking out 63 and walking 22 in 53-2/3 innings.
Hendry and manager Dusty Baker said Murton, who hit .339 in 25 games in an earlier stint with the Cubs, likely will get substantial playing time as the team looks ahead to 2006.
"Murton's a guy we want to look at,'' Hendry said. "He did a commendable job when he was here.''
The Cubs' present looked grim as a Wrigley Field crowd of 37,625 saw the Dodgers rock starter Jerome Williams (4-7) for six runs in 1-2/3 innings, his shortest outing of the season.
Williams, who had pitched well in his previous two starts, gave up five hits and three walks, one with the bases loaded to pitcher D.J. Houlton (5-7). Williams also was hurt by a throwing error by Nomar Garciaparra, his second in four games at third base.
The Cubs got solo homers from Garciaparra and Walker and a pair from Jeromy Burnitz.
Wood made his last appearance of the season in the eighth, retiring the side in order. He will have arthroscopic shoulder surgery Wednesday in hopes of returning healthy by spring training.
While Wood's season ends early, the Cubs aren't ruling out the possibility that third baseman Aramis Ramirez will return from a strained left quadriceps that landed him on the 15-day disabled list last week.
"That will depend on if there are longer-term ramifications from it or a danger of it becoming worse,'' Hendry said.
Trainer Mark O'Neal said Ramirez's condition "definitely has improved'' but couldn't say what his chances are to return.
But O'Neal did say Ramirez, who has been prone to similar muscle strains in the past, will be given a new offseason conditioning program aimed at strengthening his lower body and legs.
Source: http://www.suntimes.com/
Peralta swings out of mini-slump
Jhonny Peralta came out of his mini-slump Monday night, hitting a double and single and driving in two runs as the torrid Indians edged Detroit, 10-8, at Jacobs Field.
"I didn't notice Jhonny was in a slump," said teammate Travis Hafner, his voice exuding sarcasm. "It's not a slump unless you think it's a slump."
Peralta was relaxed and smiling easily in the Cleveland clubhouse before the game, but he knew he could be doing better than he has of late. "I'm swinging at bad pitches," he said. "They're throwing me a lot of breaking balls and I'm swinging too hard."
Peralta hit only .192 on the seven-game trip to Tampa Bay and Toronto last week, striking out 13 times in 26 at-bats. He went down three times against Tampa Bay on Aug. 23, prompting manager Eric Wedge to give him a day off.
Peralta responded by whiffing four more times in his next game.
"He said I needed a rest," Peralta said. "But I don't like to rest. I want to play every day. I've never had an injury problem. He said I won't have any more days off the rest of the year."
The 6-2 Peralta began the season weighing 226 pounds. He is down to 213. "I don't really feel tired," he said.
Mini-slump or not, Peralta is still having a fine season. He is hitting .297. His .540 slugging percentage going into the game is the highest of all American League shortstops and is ninth overall in the league. He is second among big-league shortstops in homers with 20 and third in RBI with 64.
That's what makes his recent skid so noticeable.
"They're trying to pitch me a little different," Peralta, 23, said. "They're giving me a lot of breaking balls away. But my mind is positive. Sometimes you go good. Sometimes you're not so lucky."
Source: http://www.cleveland.com/
Few feeling heat from Tribe wins
What kept so many away from Jacobs Field this time?
Coupon clipping? Was Pat Robertson holding another audition for "The Sopranos?" Must-see TV that, if only to make sure you're not on his enemies list.
An announced attendance of 22,713, padded by a 5,000-seat commissioner's initiative giveaway, suggested another possibility. The Weather Channel was promoting video of flying livestock and airborne hurricane reporters.
That would be pure spectacle. This night turned out to be in the general vicinity of the same - a 10-8 Indians win that recalled the old Rock'em Sock'em Robot bouts of the mid-90s.
The Indians supposedly aren't entertaining. First of all, they're winning. And winning isn't exactly an all-you-can-eat buffet in this town.
It's a different kind of entertainment built around low-budget achievers and featuring a ninth-inning pulse that beats jack-hammer fast when Bob Wickman trots from the pen.
Wickman put away the Tigers for his 35th save Monday after allowing his obligatory two base runners. But it was how this game started that delivered fans from the angst of watching the 2005 Indians play at Jacobs Field.
After Scott Elarton allowed a five-run first, the Indians' six-run bottom half drew a standing ovation that was as joyous as it was (ahem) intimate. Wickman saw the crowd, shrugged it off and suggested every Indians player do the same.
"You have to block it out and be thankful for the fans who come out," he said. "If this was July or early August, that's one thing. But I'm a father. I've got kids in school and they definitely wouldn't be out on school nights."
It's difficult to imagine an electric September, even though the Indians are beginning to beat their own drum at home with 11 wins in the last 17 games. This night was more evidence. The in-park attendance was closer to 16,000 for a team that is 19-7 in August and still only a half-game off the wild-card pace.
Source: http://www.cleveland.com/
Tigers waste 5-0 lead, lose to Tribe
The Tigers wasted a 5-0 first-inning lead Monday night and lost to the Indians, 10-8, at Jacobs Field.
The Indians -- who stayed a game behind the Yankees in the American League wild-card race -- improved to 19-7 in August.
The Tigers again slipped five games under .500.
The losing pitcher was right-hander Jeremy Bonderman (14-11), who didn't make it out of the fourth inning in his first start since being hit with a line drive on his right wrist last week.
"The wrist felt good," he said. "I just sucked."
Dmitri Young (No. 21) hit a first-inning grand slam for the Tigers and had five RBIs; Carlos Pena (No. 10) hit a solo shot. It was Young's second grand slam in three days.
It was a struggle for Bonderman from the beginning, and poor defense didn't help. He managed two scoreless innings after being roughed up for a six-run first (three earned), but left in a three-run fourth.
Bonderman was charged with nine runs (five earned) in 3 1/3 innings.
The Tigers' rotation has a 15.90 ERA over the past six games. The starters' ERA for August is 6.31.
"This is starting to take its toll," manager Alan Trammell said of the pitching meltdown.
The Tigers' offense -- which has hit 35 homers in August -- has had a hard time carrying a pitching staff that has fallen on hard times.
The Tigers likely will have to find pitching reinforcements somewhere and soon.
"I don't have a lot of answers right now," Trammell said. "I have to do some thinking -- we need to do something."
Indians starter Scott Elarton loaded the bases in the first inning Monday on walks to Placido Polanco and Magglio Ordonez sandwiched around a broken-bat single by Ivan Rodriguez, his first of three hits. Young hit a 2-2 pitch down the rightfield line that cleared the fence in a hurry. Pena homered on the next pitch.
The first three hitters had hits off Bonderman, good for two runs, and Victor Martinez's sacrifice fly made it 5-3. Bonderman should have been out of the inning, but shortstop Omar Infante booted a two-out grounder, and the Indians followed with a triple, single and double to earn the lead and a standing ovation.
"It was terrible to waste five runs like that by giving up six," Bonderman said.
Bonderman pitched a hitless second, and the Tigers took the lead in the third, 7-6, on Craig Monroe's two-run single.
The Tribe took a 9-7 lead in the fourth, but the Tigers scored in the fifth on Young's RBI double.
With the Tigers trailing, 10-8, Monroe just missed a game-tying, two-run homer in the seventh when his drive was caught at the fence in right.
Monroe fired his helmet against the wall when he returned to the dugout.
"It's frustrating when you lose, no matter how it happens," Brandon Inge said.
Source: http://www.freep.com/
Tigers' pitching is still missing
It wasn't the wrist, it was the wruns.
The runs, rather.
In his first start since getting hit by a line drive on the right wrist last week, Jeremy Bonderman was shelled for nine runs (five of them earned) Monday night while lasting 3 1/3 innings in the Tigers' 10-8 loss to the Indians.
The wrist didn't bother him, though -- not nearly as much as giving up six runs in the first inning after the Tigers had scored five.
"This is six games in a row that we've been pounded," manager Alan Trammell said. "That doesn't sit well with anybody. We need to stop this."
The Tigers have allowed 58 runs in those six games. They were hoping Bonderman would lift them out of the rut, but he might have developed a bad habit.
"Physically I didn't see anything wrong with him," Trammell said, "but I think right now Jeremy is overthrowing."
Bonderman (14-11) agreed he didn't pitch well but was surprised at the comment that he overthrew.
"When you get five runs in the top of the first inning, and give up six in the bottom, that's pretty terrible," he said.
"No excuses. I have to pitch better than that.
"But I don't think I overthrew at all. I wasn't trying to throw 100 miles an hour. I wasn't trying to blow it by guys. I was trying to make them hit the ball and put it in play."
Staked to a quick five-run lead, due in large part to Dmitri Young's second grand slam in three days, Bonderman struggled through a 39-pitch first inning, caught a glimpse of dominance in a four-pitch third, but more trouble knocked him out in the fourth.
Wasted in the loss were a five-RBI night for Young and Carlos Pena's seventh home run in his last eight games.
Source: http://www.detnews.com/
Wickman makes most of chances
CLEVELAND -- Only once in the 36 years since saves have been an official statistic in Major League Baseball has an Indians reliever led the American League in that category.
That was in 1995, when Jose Mesa led the league with a club record 46 saves.
The Indians haven't had a closer lead the league in saves before or since, but that could change this year. Bob Wickman leads the league in saves, but that race is far from over. With a little over a month left in the 2005 season, Wickman leads the league with 35 saves. At the start of play yesterday, Mariano Rivera had 34, Joe Nathan 33, Dustin Hermanson 32, Danys Baez 31 and Francisco Rodriguez 30. Wickman is less impressed with his league leading total than you might think. ''I don't think you can say the guy who leads the league in saves is the best reliever,'' said Wickman, who ended up off yesterday after the game against the Tigers was postponed because of rain. ''I've got five blown saves. There are guys below me with fewer blown saves than that. Saves are no way to judge a season for a reliever, because the closer has no control over how many save situations he gets.'' Wickman found that out earlier this season, when he went from April 18 to May 2 with just one save situation. ''You go that long without a save situation and you get rusty,'' he said. ''A closer never knows how often, or how little he is going to get to pitch.'' For the record, Rivera this year has four blow saves, Nathan three, Baez seven and Rodriguez five. Wickman's 35 saves are two shy of his career high, set in 1999 with Milwaukee. The difference is that Brewers team had a losing record (74-87) and was going nowhere. Wickman appeared in 71 games that season, and was 3-8 with a 3.39 ERA and 37 saves, which tied him for fifth in the National League. In 52 appearances for the Indians this season, Wickman is 0-4 with a 2.84 ERA and 35 saves. ''I'm a better pitcher now, than I was then,'' said Wickman, who ironically, replaced Doug Jones as the Brewers' closer. Jones is the Indians' career leader in saves with 129. Wickman ranks second on the Tribe's all-time list with 114. ''I'm a better pitcher now because I'm a smarter pitcher,'' said Wickman. ''I pitch to situations better now. Sometimes it's better to concede a run, and stop the inning right there. Back then, I tried to stop every run from scoring and sometimes I wound up getting blasted.'' Wickman says that, using blown saves as the measure of how good his season is, 2001 might have been his best overall season. In 70 games for the Indians that season he was 5-0 with 32 saves and a 2.39 ERA and only three blown saves. ''My percentage of saves was better that year, so you could say I was better then than I am this year,'' he said. What's beyond discussion, however, is that Wickman has a much better supporting cast in the Indians' bullpen than he had in 2001. With Bob Howry, David Riske, Rafael Betancourt, Scott Sauerbeck, Arthur Rhodes, Fernando Cabrera and Matt Miller filling the other roles in the bullpen, much of the heavy lifting toward a Tribe victory has already been done by the time Wickman arrives in the ninth inning. ''I think, in a quiet way we thrive on one another out there,'' said Wickman. ''We all know what our jobs are, and what we need to do to help the team be successful.'' Wickman said this year's bullpen reminds him a little of the bullpen in Milwaukee, prior to his days as a closer. ''Back then, it was me and Mike Fetters setting up for Doug Jones,'' he said. ''One day Mike would pitch the seventh and eighth innings, and Doug would pitch the ninth. The next day I would pitch the seventh and eighth ahead of Doug. So every day, either Mike or I would get a day off, and the other guy would pitch two innings.'' Howry, Riske and Betancourt have been the most frequent setup relievers for Wickman this season, and all of them have pitched very consistently. As a result, Wickman's name is at the top of the list in saves in the American League. ''All that means is I've gotten the most opportunities,'' he said. ''And again, that's nothing I can control. As a closer, you can't control how many save opportunities you get.'' But you can control what you do when you get them. And Wickman has done plenty with his.
Source: http://www.zwire.com
Instant rally puts fans on feet
Standing ovations in baseball are normally reserved for late-inning heroics.
The Indians got one in the first inning of Monday night's 10-8 victory over the Detroit Tigers at Jacobs Field.
The crowd of 22,713 stood as one and roared after the Tribe answered Detroit's five-run first by batting around and scoring six in their half of the inning. "It was good to see them support us like that," said Coco Crisp.
The six-run outburst set the tone and sent the Indians (74-58) to their 10th victory in 12 games. They trailed the Yankees (73-56) by a half-game in the chase for a wild card playoff spot and were seven behind Chicago in the Central Division. The Yankees played at Seattle later Monday night.
This was a game in which the Tribe had to overcome a second straight shaky start by Scott Elarton, who was ripped for seven runs on six hits in three innings.
They did it with pop throughout the lineup and with the relief pitching of Fernando Cabrera, Rafael Betancourt, Bob Howry and Bob Wickman. The relief corps combined to give up one run on six hits over the last six innings.
Cabrera (2-0, 1.40 ERA) gave up one run in 2 2/3 innings to pick up the victory.
Wickman got his American League-leading 35th save. As usual, he made it interesting - putting two on in the ninth - but retired Craig Monroe on a close fielder's choice play to end it.
Casey Blake had three hits to knock in one run, but it was Crisp, Ben Broussard and Jhonny Peralta who drove in two apiece with two hits each. Broussard homered - his 14th - and tripled.
The Indians are 46-2 when scoring six or more times.
Source: http://www.cleveland.com
