Cavs 96, Bulls 94: Cavs Closeout Chicago, Jubilation Subdued
April 28, 2010Cavs vs Bulls in Pictures
April 28, 2010A night after the Indians stranded 14 runners and lost 5-2 in Anaheim, they came right back out and stranded 13. The difference in this one was a nine-run, 18 hit attack, and a man named Austin Kearns.
I called the offense Jekyll and Hyde on Monday. On Wednesday, the gloss has been confirmed. One night they can’t score a run to save their lives, and the next they score nine. I fully expect a shutout in tonight’s series finally. Regardless, Tribe manager Manny Acta had to like what he saw against Angels lefty Joe Saunders. He loaded up his lineup with right-handed bats and sat the likes of Travis Hafner and Russell Branyan. It went over well to say the least.
I don’t know what Austin Kearns is drinking, but he needs to share it with the rest of the team. The veteran outfielder, who made the team out of spring training on a minor league deal, has transformed into the right-handed stick the brass can only hope Matt LaPorta can turn into. A night after going 3-4 with a home run, Kearns exploded for with three hits and five RBIs, including a solo blast and an eighth-inning, bases loaded double off of reliever Matt Palmer that broke the game open and put the Tribe ahead 7-1. “I was looking to get a pitch to hit and hopefully not miss it,” Kearns said. “You go up there trying to get a mistake and not pop it up.”
Acta, who managed Kearns in Washington the last two plus years, is thrilled to have his old friend with him in Cleveland.
“This was the first time in the last five or six years where he had to come to spring training having to make a ballclub,” Acta said. “I just told him, ‘Hey, this is uncharted territory for you, but you have to battle because nothing’s going to be given to you. I know what you can do, so just get out there and play.’ He handled it very well, won a spot, and here he is.”
It wasn’t just Kearns who did the damage on this night. Shin-Soo Choo (2-5, now hitting .329) got the Tribe on the board with an RBI double in the third. He also chipped in a second RBI single in the sixth to stretch the Tribe lead to 4-1. Not to be lost in the shuffle is Choo rifle-armed throw out of Hideki Matsui for the third out in the fourth.
The 9-2 win should have and could have been an even bigger blow out if not for the Wahoos hittting into three inning ending double plays with at least two men on base in three of the first four innings.
This was plenty of room for the new Tribe “stopper” Mitch Talbot. “The Fury” won his third consecutive start, scattering six hits, allowing just one earned run. He was removed after throwing 100 pitches in the seventh. He pitched his way out of a bases loaded one out jam in the sixth, and turned things over to Aaron Laffey in the seventh, who retired Brandon Wood and Bobby Abreu to end the threat.
Talbot is now 3-1 and sports a 2.05 ERA. I defy you to find me anyone who knew that a month into this season Mitch Talbot would have three wins and an ERA just above two. The offense seems to light up when they see Talbot on the mound. They are averaging 6.25 runs in his four starts.
“I’ve had a lot of help,” Talbot said. “It’s always a comfort when guys are scoring runs behind you.”
Another good sign last night were the two hit nights from slumping Matt LaPorta, Jhonny Peralta, and Lou Marson. The bottom of the order – Mark Grudzielanek, Andy Marte, LaPorta, and Marson, combined for seven hits. Marson reached base three times, scoring all three times, but it still couldn’t overshadow his 1-2-3 second inning double play with the bases loaded and one out for me.
Can the Tribe (9-11) string a few good offensive games together? We shall see what happens in tonight’s series finale in the Pacific Coast twilight. Its a local 4:05 start which should benefit Indians starter Jake Westbrook (0-2, 5.82) who seeks his first win in two years. He will face-off with the Angels Ervin Santana (1-2, 4.73).
I called for a 4-5 record on this nine-game road trip, and the Indians have gone 3-5 thus far. One thing we have seen over the last eight games; Manny Acta is riding the Austin Kearns express and will continue to do so. The stats tell the story – .386/2 HR/10 RBI/1.085 OPS.
Travis Hackner – you taking notes?
8 Comments
Apparently, this is an organizational thing. The Clippers had been scoring just under 4 runs a game for the last 14 games, and then dropped 12 on Charlotte in the first three innings. Pretty sure the mascot got in and got a couple of hits for them last night.
will Austin ride the pine tonight? seeing as im sure acta needs to stick to the “plan” (aka what shapiro is telling him to do)
Guy cut from the worst team in the NL last year is outhitting the top salary guy whose only job is to hit.
Awesome!
With the Cavs excitement and the Browns draft, it turns out that the schedule-makers picked a great time to put the Tribe out of sight and definitely out of mind.
We need to win our next two to avoid the dreaded losing record in April.
the Tribe dropped 2of3 to the A’s when they really needed to win that series for this particularly tough stretch of games.
so, it would only make sense for them to take 2of3 from the Angels.
and we’re hovering right around .500…so far, so good for the young’uns playing ball this year.
@5 A win tonight would be awesome. If the offense can get a little momentum coming home, this 4-gamer with the Twins could make for a fun start to May.
The resurgence of Kearns – and likewise, the emergence of some right-handed bats – could be the spark to get this lineup to where it was SUPPOSED to be.
Now if only our star #2 hitter would step it up…
Eh hem…3 gamer with the Twins. Didn’t realize we had an off day tomorrow.
I’m glad that “The Fury” has stuck!