Consecutive HRs by Youkilis, Ortiz, and Manny to start the 6th answered Cleveland's 7-run 5th inning with a bang, a bada, and a boom, but it wasn't nearly enough. Final Score: Indians 7, Red Sox 3. The Indians now lead the series 3 games to 1.
A few post-game thoughts as prepare to live, somehow, without baseball for an entire day…
• Raphael Betancourt = A pitcher I’d really love to have. The guy is good, a strike-throwing machine who, unlike Paul Byrd, doesn’t have to worry if throwing strikes is such a good idea. With Duchscherer’s health issues and Shields’ second-half implosion, I think Betancourt has taken over the title of “best set-up man in the American League”.
• These teams I keep watching…Arizona, Colorado, Cleveland…What is it they have all in common? Oh yes, the fact that I’d trade three Crosbys to get their shortstop. Stephen Drew – I’ll take him, thank you very much. Jhonny Peralta – Exactly what Crosby was supposed to be. Troy Tulowitski – DROOL.
• What do 7-run innings and back-to-back-to-back HRs have in common? Rally killers, I’m telling you. Did you notice that Cleveland didn’t score after putting up that 7 spot, and that the Red Sox didn’t score after the back-to-back-to-back HRs? These teams should know better. And they should steal more bases.
And now, back to Jennifer’s basement, where alaska A’s cat’s muffled cries are finally being heard by a concerned neighbor…
