After a tough series earlier this week against the Yankees, the Indians needed a little relief and they got it with a series win over the Devil Rays. Fortunately, nobody in the AL Central is pushing away so even at 8-7, the Indians site just a game and a half back of first and once they start playing within the division, they can make that up in a hurry.
C.C Sabathia did his job on Friday and while he didn’t pick up the win, he kept the Indians in the game long enough for the hitters to do their work. He gave up three runs on seven hits and a walk with eight strikeouts in seven innings of work. Roberto Hernandez picked up the win with a shutout eighth and Joe Borowski bounced back after that tough outing against the Yankees and he picked up the save. Travis Hafner was the hitting star and he he drove in three of the Indians four runs in the 4-3 win. Grady Sizemore finished with two runs and Hafner had three hits and a homerun.
Saturday was the loss. The Indians were down 5-2 but Travis Hafner hit a three run shot to tie it. Unfortunately, Paul Byrd gave up a sixth run in the sixth inning and that ended up being the difference maker in the 6-5 loss. Byrd gave up the six runs on eleven hits with two strikeouts in six innings.
Then yesterday, the Indians scored four runs in the ninth as they pulled off what the Yankees did to them earlier in the week. Victor Martinez drove in the first run in the ninth and then Ryan Garko came up huge with a three run shot that turned into the game winner in the 6-4 win. Jhonny Peralta also went yard with a two run homer and Tom Mastny picked up the win. Jake Westbrook was roughed up for four runs on four hits and two walks with three strikeouts.
Next up is two against the Twins in Minnesota. Jeremy Sowers will get the start in the opener against Carlos Silva.
