Cleveland Indians score eight in ninth to beat Baltimore Orioles

Written by: admin on 16th May 2010

Related News

No Related Post

The Indians, on the verge of wasting a fine outing by rookie Mitch Talbot, rally for eight runs in the ninth to beat Baltimore, 8-2.

Ann Heisenfelt / Associated PressAustin Kearns, who hit a three-run homer as part of the Tribe’s eight-run ninth, slaps hands with Asdrubal Cabrera after an 8-2 victory over the Orioles in Baltimore.Baltimore — Austin Kearns felt lost. In his first four at-bats Saturday night he struck out twice, grounded out and flied out to right field. He did not look like the guy who carried the Indians’ offense, such as it is, through the first month and a half of the season.

Then came an 0-2 pitch from Alfred Simon in the ninth inning. He wasn’t sure what it was, a change- up or a splitter. It really didn’t matter because Kearns hit it 415 feet into the left-field seats for a three-run homer as the Indians scored eight runs in their biggest inning of the year to beat Baltimore, 8-2, at Camden Yards.

“The first four at-bats, I was all over the place,” said Kearns. “I didn’t feel comfortable. I just told myself to calm down and make it as simple as possible.”

The Indians entered the ninth trailing, 2-0. Left-hander Brian Matusz threw seven scoreless innings against them. They looked overmatched even though they stranded 11 runners in eight innings.

Ann Heisenfelt / Associated PressIndians starter Mitch Talbot gave up two runs in eight innings, but was headed toward defeat until the Tribe’s ninth-inning rally lifted his record to 5-2.In the process, they were about to waste another sterling performance by rookie right-hander Mitch Talbot.

In eight innings, he allowed two solo homers to Ty Wigginton, one in the second and one in the seventh, to all but guarantee defeat.

“In my last start I gave up four runs in five innings and won,” said Talbot. “I figured things were just evening out.”

Simon started the ninth by retiring Trevor Crowe, but Asdrubal Cabrera singled and Mark Grudzielanek walked. Shin-Soo Choo singled home Cabrera to make it 2-1 and bring Kearns to the plate.

“He’s been a blessing to us,” said manager Manny Acta. “He’s done so much for this club over the first month and a half of the season. They beat him all night, but he never put his head down. . . . The homer was just huge for us.”

Mike Redmond and Trevor Crowe completed the beating. Redmond hit a two-run double and Crowe hit a two-run homer over the right-field scoreboard. The Indians’ biggest inning before Saturday night was a five-run inning against Detroit on April 11.

“That’s the way baseball goes,” said Acta. “It’s 27 outs and you have to play them hard, every single one of them, and things like this can happen.”

Talbot (5-2, 3.23) was in the dugout for the ninth-inning rally.

“They could have saved me a few gray hairs if they had done this in the fourth or fifth inning,” said Talbot, “but I’ll take it. I was just saying, ‘Keep it going guys.’ ”

Talbot allowed two runs on five hits in eight innings. He struck out three walked two and in throwing 103 pitches.

“The guy pitches,” said Acta. “He’s not a strikeout guy, he just makes pitches. He’s tough on lefties. He throws that cutter right in on their hands. He really competes.”

As for the eight-run ninth, Acta felt much the same as Talbot.

“I was wondering, ‘Why do you have to make me wait this long?’ ” said Acta.

Wigginton’s second homer of the night gave the Orioles a 2-0 lead in the seventh. Wigginton hit Talbot’s 2-0 pitch over the wall in right for his 12th of the year. The Indians have hit 20 homers as a team.

He put the Orioles ahead, 1-0, with a one-out homer in the second.

“The first one was a change-up,” said Talbot. “The second was a cutter. I hung them both.”

Matusz struck out six, walked four and allowed seven hits, but the Indians couldn’t score against him.

Lou Marson and Crowe, called up from Class AAA Columbus before the game, opened the seventh with walks. Cabrera advanced them with a bunt, but Matusz retired Grudzielanek and Choo. He also stranded two runners in the third and fourth innings.

“For his age he shows a lot of poise out there,” said Acta. “He changed his pattern a lot on our guys. He established his fastball early in the game. The he went to his change-up. The third time around he was dropping that good breaking ball on them.”

Simon (0-1, 4.32) took the loss. He’s the Orioles emergency closer with Mike Gonzalez and Jim Johnson on the disabled list. Simon allowed four runs on three hits in one-third of an inning.

Share and Enjoy: