The streak is dead at five. Though like last year’s meaningless 10 game post-all star break winning streak, it was fun while it lasted. A missed opportunity by relievers Joe Smith and Tony Sipp did them in, in the Angels 7-6 win.
UCLA product and California kid David Huff made his first start in his native state last night and looked as though he may come out a winner. Over 30 friends and family were there to cheer him on. After a 1-2-3 seventh and nearing 100 pitches, manager Eric Wedge sent Huff out for the eighth, nursing a 4-3 lead.
“I wanted David to get the first two guys in the eighth,” said Grind Master Flash. “Then it was set up for Joe Smith.”
Without Rafael Betancourt’s stability for the eighth inning role, sticking with Huff was probably Wedge’s best option. Leadoff man Erick Aybar reached on an infield single and Bobby Abreu walked. With righties Juan Rivera, Mike Napoli, and Howie Kendrick due up, the Grinder went to the inconsistent Smith. Rivera singled through the hole between short and third to tie the game at four.
The side-winder looked as though he may minimize the damage after inducing a 5-4-3 double play, leaving just Abreu at third. Angels manager Mike Scioscia sent up pinch hitter Maicer Izturis. a switch hitter, for Kendrick. Wedge countered with Sipp. Sipp gave Izturis the old un-intentional, intentional walk, to bring the .228 hitting lefty Gary Matthews Jr to the plate with the bases loaded. The move definitely favored the Tribe, but Matthews, who seemingly hasn’t had a big hit all year, cleared the bases with a double to deep left, putting the Angels on top for good 7-4.
“Some games you’ve got to bear down a little more, and tonight was one of those situations,” Sipp said. “I left a ball across the middle and walked two guys and put myself in a situation for failure.”
But the Wahoos followed the lead of their manager and “didn’t give into the fight.” Facing closer Brian Fuentes a night after touching him up for four in the ninth, the bats went back to work. Andy Marte walked to lead off the inning. Asdrubal Cabrera followed with a double and the rally looked like it would be on. Jamey Carroll, pinch hitting for Luis Valbuena, singled home Marte and put the tying run on base with nobody out at 7-5. Shin-Soo Choo walked to load the bases.
The Tribe was exactly where they wanted to be in this spot; the tying and winning runs on base with three shots to drive them in with your 4-5-6 hitters coming up. Scioscia yanked Fuentes for Jason Bulger. Vic the Stik stepped up to the plate. It was nail biting time.
In true 2009 Indians fashion, the worst case scenario happened. Martinez grounded into a double play that brought in AC. But now at 7-6, the uber-hot Jhonny Peralta had to come through with the big hit. He grounded to short to end the game and the five game winning streak.
“There’s never ever any quit in these guys,” Wedge said. “We’re facing one of the best closers in the game. We came back and were able to take it Monday night and we were in position again tonight.” We had the guy we wanted up there in that situation with the bases loaded, but they turned a hell of a double play. Then Jhonny hit the ball right on the nose, but right at the shortstop. But we had great at-bats prior to that and made them work for it. We just came up short.”
On a positive note, the return of Andy Marte was triumphant for at least one evening. He was 2-3 with a walk and a run scored in his season debut, playing first and hitting ninth. The offense continued its hot hitting with 11 hits, though they went just 1-7 with runners in scoring position. Ben Francisco, playing center field for a second straight night with Grady Sizemore battling the flu, had two hits including his 10th homer. Benny once again is showing his best when the lights are low.
While the numbers don’t look all that impressive, Huff again pitched into the eighth with a lead. Entering last night’s start. the Indians were 4-0 in games in which he pitched more than six innings. Had Smith and Sipp come through, they’d be 5-0 in such situations.
But at this point, its a learning experience for Wedge and Shapiro at who they can count in late inning situations. Don’t be surprised one bit when Jensen Lewis and Rafael Perez are back with the big club resuming the roles they failed in so miserably when the rosters expand September 1st. Both are dominating AAA right now. According to our own DP Diesel in yesterday’s Clip Show, Lewis now has 11 straight scoreless appearances, spanning 17.2 IP. Perez hasn’t allowed an earned run in 13 games and 17.1 IP.
The series finale goes down this afternoon at 3:35 EST, as Aaron Laffey toes the slab for the Tribe against the Angels John Lackey.
Author: TD
TD is a born and bred Clevelander who agrees with ESPN's Scott Van Pelt when he says ""Ranch Dressing makes everything better except for cereal and ice cream."TD has written 253 articles for Waiting for Next Year.
Uber-hot… that’s like, 700 degrees or something, right?
Ben likes to solve complicated math equations as a nighttime janitor at MIT.
Matt LaPorta also 2-3 with a double and two runs. Oh, and stole his first base for good measure.
Santana extends hitting streak to six-games with 2-4 night including RBI double as Aeros win again. Now batting .500 (9-18) with four homers and seven RBI in last six games.
Gator4Buddha!
Oh, and Lewis and Perez both pitched for Columbus last night, combining for three innings of scoreless ball.
Come on, Rock/Rick. You’re the only writers who aren’t active in this thread so far.
I disagree with your assessment that Huff was the best option to start the eighth.
Wedge did this same thing with Huff earlier this year against the Cardinals. Huff pitched a nice game — was near the pitch count limit tha you should have for young pitchers — had the lead and sent him out on the mound to pitch some more. Wedge was setting this kid up to fail.
You can’t ask for more then 7 plus innings with 3 or fewer runs from a rookie. Wedge should be trying to build this kid’s confidence, not trying to win what are now meaningless games in late July of a lost year. If the Tribe is to be competitive next year (and that’s a giant IF) then they should be building the confidence of the younger players.
So instead of leaving the game — probably getting a no-decision cause the bullpen stinks — he’s saddled with a loss and an inflated ERA – again thanks to the inherited runners allowed to score.
Good work Wedge
Whew… I was beginning to get a little worried there that the Indians might really try and become respectable.
Was at the game, near some of Huff’s friends, he pitched really well last night (till the eighth, when he shouldn’t have been out there)…too bad he ended up with the loss. Btw, the way the Tribe has played this year, still a lot of fans in the stands:)
It is funny to me that “nobody” Was at the game near some of Huff’s friends.
What I want to know is who would win in a fight – commenter Nobody, or commenter Ihatenames?
I’m no fan of Wedge, but you can’t blame him for this one. I think he made the right moves. We just got beat.
Here’s the good news:
Jhonny and Benny keep padding their meanlingless stats in no-pressure second half out of contention games; Wedgie will surely want to open with them in his 2010 lineup that will again slog out of the gates.
If Wedge survives this season… (I can’t bring myself to finish this sentence.)
Craig…….the question should be if SHAPIRO (and Antonetti) survive this season. If Shapiro stays….his man Wedge stays.
I don’t buy that. At some point I think Shapiro will feel let down by the lack of development of talent that he and his scouting staff believed in enough to bring here. At least that is what I am hoping. I don’t mind keeping Shapiro around for a bit longer, but I don’t believe in this coaching staff anymore.
I get the feeling from Shapiro that he is intelligent and willing to learn, adapt and change. Eric Wedge is never going to be anything but a grinder that can’t get his team to perform when it matters most.
Shapiro/Antonetti>Wedge/Datz>Pheralta/Franciso
It’s a chain without any breakable links. It’s up to the Dolan’s…………don’t hope too hard Craig.
You kill the snake at the head.
And, I don’t think Wedge (look at his disgust in the dugout as he brings in Shapiro’s relievers) would agree with you on the talent that he’s been given. (nor would many major league executives).
@ # 19 – We eat the pig, and together we burn!
PS I just bought Dirty Work on iTunes and needed to quote it.
Maybe Peralta is playing hard to boost his trade value so he escape the Wrath of the Grinder.