Dellucci's Homer Dooms Yanks

Score: Indians 5 Yankees 3


Turning Point: After walking Grady Sizemore and Jhonny Peralta, the Indians elected to pinch hit for Franklin Gutierrez with David Dellucci with two outs in the eighth inning. Dellucci responded by taking a Joba Chamberlain fastball to the short porch in left field. That would give the Indians the lead, and send them on the way to a win.


Analysis: The lineup isn’t cured, but the team to a big step in the right direction tonight. The key is to stay on this path. The Tribe bats finally got key hits with runners on. Grant it, both were big flies, but they were hits the Indians have not seen since last Wednesday, when they downed Seattle 8-3. Fausto Carmona struggled early, but he settled into a little bit of a groove. He had some great defense back him up too. In the fourth inning, after Carmona had already given up two runs and runners on first and second, Grady Sizemore made a spectacular catch in the left center field gap to rob Johnny Damon of a hit. Then, Franklin Gutierrez threw out Bobby Abreu at third base in a crucial fifth inning. If Abreu makes it to third, he would’ve scored another Yankee run. Rafael Perez was electric tonight. Perez, who got the victory, pitched two scoreless innings giving up one hit, a walk, and striking out three. Jensen Lewis pitched the eighth and shut down the Yankees. Rafael Betancourt worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his third save.


MVP: David Dellucci
It was beginning to look like another tough luck loss for Fausto Carmona, until David Dellucci came to the rescue with his three run pinch hit home run. It was the tenth pinch hit home run of Dellucci’s career, which ties him for third among active players.


Extras:

- The Indians didn’t hit the cover off the ball, and they were still out hit by the Yankees. But they started producing with runners on base. The team appeared more patient at the plate tonight, trying to work their way into hitter’s counts. Now the trend needs to continue.

- Victor Martinez, arguably the clubs best hitter right now, was sidelined tonight. Martinez sat out with a stiff neck. He is listed as day to day,

- Dellucci’s blast off Joba Chamberlain was the first runs Chamberlain has given up since April 24th, when he took a loss to the Chicago White Sox. His ERA ballooned from 1.48 to 3.38 tonight.

- Ben Francisco, who was recently called up to spark the Indians offense, did get the start in left field tonight. He went 1-4 with a strike out.


Next Up: Fans are in store for a pitcher’s duel tomorrow night, as two of the American League’s hottest pitchers square off at 7:05 in the “House that Ruth Built.” Cliff Lee, the reigning AL Pitcher of the Month, will look to build on his hot start against the Pinstripes. Lee is 5-0 with a 0.96 ERA. The Bombers will hand the ball over to Chien-Ming Wang. Folks might remember the last time Wang faced the Indians he shut them down for seven innings, in a 1-0 Yankee win. Wang is 6-0 with a 3.00 ERA. In his last three starts, Wang has only given up a total of four runs.