Cavaliers Discussion Points
April 3, 2011Blues Roll Over Jackets 6-1 After Not Much Fight At All
April 3, 2011The Indians got their first win of the season Sunday afternoon at Progressive Field. It was a well-played game all around for the Tribe – timely hitting, small ball execution, and superb pitching from Justin Masterson and the bullpen.
Masterson had his sinker ball working all afternoon in what was one of his best starts in his time with the Indians. He did not have a strike out but he induced 16 ground outs off the sinker in a clean and efficient 7 innings pitched. With the Tribe already trailing 1-0, Masterson was in a jam in the fourth but was instantly picked up by his first baseman for the afternoon, Carlos Santana. White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez attempted to lay a bunt down the first base line but got the bat under the ball, popping it up. Santana made a diving stop on the line (later ruled a foul out), and then converted a 3-4-6 triple play with the brothers Cabrera.
The Indians took their first lead of the season in the 6th inning when Orlando Cabrera roped a homer to left just over the railing and into the home run porch. Danks had previously given up a line drive single right over his head on a mistake pitch to Travis Hafner. Cabrera knocked him in on the homer and the Indians had a 2-1 lead – all Masterson needed.
Insurance would be added, however, in the 7th and 8th innings. Lou Marson saw his first action of the season and responded with a 2 for 3 afternoon. He hit a double off the wall over Carlos Quentin’s head in right to bring home Jack Hannahan. Marson would come home through perfect execution of small ball – Michael Brantley put down a beautiful bunt getting Marson to 3rd, and Asdrubal hit a high and deep sac fly to center to get him in. The Indians would add 3 more in the 8th, thanks in large part to a 2 RBI single from pinch hitting ace Shelley Duncan.
Tony Sipp would clean up in the 8th, striking out 2 of 3 White Sox batters. He threw only 9 pitches in a quick appearance for the lefty. Chris Perez, the Tribe’s bullpen leader, was anxious to see some action after the first two games provided no opportunity for the man known as Pure Rage. Acta brought him in to pitch the top of the 9th in a non-save situation. Perez needed and wanted the work and he looked sharp, wiping out the Sox in 1-2-3 fashion.
It was a great win for the Tribe with great pitching and a triple play – and the worst of the rain held off. Unfortunately, a record low saw it live and in person. For the second straight day, the crowd broke the low attendance record at Progressive Field, an announced 8,726. On TV, it appeared to be far fewer than that – maybe 5,000. with even most of the lower level around home plate empty.
The attendance record-setting trend will likely stop this week but for all the wrong reasons. The Red Sox come to town on Tuesday for a 3 game series and that means their insufferable fans will fill Progressive Field.
On a positive note, it’s good to get on the board and in such an all-around impressive fashion. Josh Tomlin will face Josh Beckett Tuesday night as the Tribe look to make it two in a row against the other Sox.
(AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
13 Comments
Good win today. now we need to show up to the next series against the Red Sox. Im afraid it will be 2-1 Sox fans at the games. Go Tribe!
Great game. Santana is the real deal baby! Lets hope Masterson has finally figured it out.
I really just can’t get into the solid red caps. Wish they kept a navy blue home alternate cap with a red C, perhaps with a red brim too, as opposed to these monstrosities. Have the Indians ever had solid red hats before?
I think the red caps would look a lot better if the C had a silver outline. However, I am very happy that they got rid of the miserable script I, as that looked like garbage no matter what they did with it.
I get why they’re going away from Chief Wahoo, but they’re still keeping him on the alternates. If that’s the case, can they please at least make him the regular, full-sized Chief again? The mini-Chief looks stupid as all get out
I hated those red hats when they were announced, and I hate them still. The only way they would look good is if they were a darker shade of red and had some piping around the “C”.
Tuned in late and was a little stunned at the shot from the centerfield camera. Presume all those seats right behind home plate are season tix and sold, but just a few scattered people within camera view. Hope they had been there and already went home. Surreal. Looked like batting practice.
Seeing Santana playing 1B just is another similarity to Victor Martinez.
Correction to the article: The Foul-out was eventually overruled to a pop bunt out, as it should have been. Also, the crowdlessness is tearing me apart. Get out there, people! Please, PLEASE shut up the Bostonians more than they were already shut up by the sweep in Texas. Tomlin needs to dominate and we need to shove it in that punk tool Beckett’s face.
Bring back the blue “Block C” cap, I actually think the red is cool looking, but it just doesnt mesh with the rest of the uniform. Maybe it would work with a red jersey.
Ok I just realized they are still using the Navy Blue “Block C” cap, just with the new road uniform, which is pretty cool if you ask me.
http://media.cleveland.com/startingblocks/photo/indians-uniforms-2011jpg-43fb74b7e5571269.jpg
I wasn’t able to watch this one living in a different state and not wanting to spend the money for an MLB package. Was Masterson mixing in some off-speed pitches with the sinker as well? We’ve always said on this site that he needs 3 solid pitches to be a starter, and the last couple of years he has really only had 2. At any rate, I’m really hoping we see more of this version of Justin Masterson.
A win is a win…the difference between 1-2 and 2-1 is NOTHING at this point in the season. I believe Fausto was waaay too keyed up to be the ace for opening day at home! That’s over now! Santana is a stud, the guys WILL be better this year…no matter what Aaron Goldhammer says on wknr. Somebody needs to insert a bar of “old school” Lifebuoy bar soap (like in the classic scene out of A Christmas Story where little Ralphie gets the treatment for swearing by hi Mommy – same for little Aaron) into his pie-hole every time he bashes a Cleveland or OSU team just for the fun of it. Same goes for all the unneccesary hanging up on callers or the droning on and on about Denver. Go Tribe!!!
Just let Goldhammer say what he wants. To quote Bob Uecker “nobody is listening anyways”