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Crowd still gives starter big ovation in final home appearance of season
By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Thursday, Sep 18, 2008
CLEVELAND: In the seventh inning, the fans at Progressive Field stood as one and clapped their hands as Cliff Lee walked to the home dugout for the last time this season, the applause continuing until Edward Mujica had taken half of his warm-up pitches.
Whether it was the longest standing ovation in baseball history for a pitcher who had just allowed two runs and lost the lead cannot be known. The only certainty is that the ace of the Indians' staff deserved the crowd's acclaim.
He was far from his best Wednesday night, giving up four runs (three earned) in 61/3 innings, but that was hardly the point. Lee has delivered far more than anyone could have expected, one of the great seasons in modern baseball history.
Moreover, even after the Minnesota Twins tied the score against Lee, the Tribe regained the advantage and earned a 6-4 victory, sweeping the three-game series and forcing the visitors into desperation mode in their quest for the Central Division championship.
The Twins had a chance to gain on the division leading Chicago White Sox, who lead by 21/2 games with the schedule dwindling down to a
precious few contests.
Lee was attempting to become a 23-game winner and trying to avoid becoming a three-game loser. He succeeded in the latter goal, but missed on the former. However, he has two more scheduled starts, one in Boston, one in Chicago on the last day of the season.
''That's probably as hard as Cliff has worked all year,'' manager Eric Wedge said. ''A game like that says more about him than one where he gets locked in and runs right through it.''
Lee foreshadowed his tough night when he walked the first batter of the game, coming within two-tenths of a walk of his season average (1.2 per nine innings). He eventually walked the shocking total of three and gave up 10 hits.
''I just wasn't as sharp as I have been,'' Lee said. ''They took quite a few pitches and made me work. I could tell I didn't have good stuff early. I wasn't commanding the ball like I should.''
No wonder Lee didn't emerge from the dugout to acknowledge his thousands of admirers. If anyone was undeserving of adoration it was him, at least in Lee's mind.
''I was so focused on what just happened, I didn't really hear anything,'' he said. ''I was frustrated about the way things went and totally concentrating on what had happened.''
Lee was told that the crowd wanted him to come out and take a bow.
''If that's the case, I apologize,'' he said.
Of the ovation, Wedge said: ''It was something very deserving. As locked in as Cliff was, I'm sure he didn't hear the way everybody else did.''
Not once did Lee retire the side in order, yet until the seventh he gave up only single runs in the first and fourth, when Carlos Gomez homered with two outs.
Moreover, the seventh inning might not have been his undoing if not for an error by Jamey Carroll, who couldn't handle a smash to third by Alexi Casilla. The object, of course, is to win the game, whether Cliff Lee or someone else gets the credit. On this night, it was the offense that made the difference.
Facing Scott Baker, who in three previous starts against the Tribe gave up one, one and three runs in 19 total innings, prospects looked bleak. But Jhonny Peralta hit his 22nd home run of the year with one out in the fifth and Travis Hafner hit his fifth homer 430 feet with two outs to tie the score 2-2.
''That does mean something,'' Wedge said, referring to the distance of Hafner's home run. ''He hit the ball the way he's capable of hitting.''
Hafner was out for more than three months with a weak right rotator cuff.
At some point in the game, it is now almost expected that Shin-Soo Choo will make some sort of impact. It happened in the fifth, when he doubled home two runs with two outs to give the Indians a 4-2 lead.
Baker left after Choo's hit, having permitted four runs in 42/3 innings, but it was Twins relievers Jose Mijares and Matt Guerrier who gave it up in the seventh. Grady Sizemore started the two-run rally with an infield hit, Peralta's double scored one run and Victor Martinez's double drove in the other.
The Tribe's much maligned bullpen picked up Lee, as Edward Mujica worked two-thirds of an inning cleanly and Rafael Perez worked a scoreless eighth. Working his fourth consecutive day — and pitching two innings Tuesday night — Jensen Lewis was summoned to protect the lead in the ninth and earned his 10th save.
''I definitely pleaded my case to be able to go out there tonight,'' Lewis said of a pre-game conversation with Wedge.
Sheldon Ocker can be reached at socker@thebeaconjournal.com.
CLEVELAND: In the seventh inning, the fans at Progressive Field stood as one and clapped their hands as Cliff Lee walked to the home dugout for the last time this season, the applause continuing until Edward Mujica had taken half of his warm-up pitches.
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Comments
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Port Saint Lucie, Fl
Posted 12:36 PM, 09/18/2008
Maybe if Pittsburgh played us in Baseball and Basketball it would ease the sting of the Steelers dominence over the Brownies.Overall,though,the Indians had a pretty good year considering the funk they were in for 3mos.or so and the trade of Sabathia.They could be a force in 09 if they shore up their bullpen. Kenneth Price Port St.Lucie,Fl.
San Antonio, TX
Posted 12:58 PM, 09/18/2008
The Tribe is probably the one team none of the contenders want to play at this time. I am sure the Rays is another team no one wants to play until the play offs. I think the Indians played well and lost a bunch of one run games and a bunch of walk off losses. The talent is there even with the injuries. We discovered that we have a great back up catcher who can hit. I think if there is any pressure on a player its Hafner. Martinez just might be right for the DH or first. First base guy had a good year huh. Any how lets cheer for a 500% record or better. It is within our reach. GO TRIBE GO !!
