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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
CLEVELAND (AP) – C.C. Sabathia was just two batters into his big
league debut when he thought, "Uh oh, I'm not in Kinston
anymore."
|  | | David Segui tags Jacob Cruz after Cruz was caught napping off of first. |
Sabathia, who had never pitched in a game above the Double-A
level before Sunday, lived up to the hype and overcame a shaky
first inning as the Cleveland Indians rallied for a 4-3 victory
over the Baltimore Orioles.
Sabathia, 20, handled everyone in Baltimore's lineup except Jeff
Conine and got a no-decision when the Indians rallied from a 3-0
deficit to win on Juan Gonzalez's two-run single in the seventh.
"It's about what I expected," Sabathia said. "It's a big
relief. Now I can just concentrate on pitching. It's old now. My
next one is going to be a lot easier."
Facing a weak-hitting Orioles squad batting just .176 coming in,
Sabathia allowed three runs and three hits in 5 2-3 innings, walked
two and struck out three.
But after giving up Conine's homer, the 6-foot-7, 260-pound
Sabathia held the Orioles to just one hit over the next 5 1/3
scoreless innings and retired 16 of the last 18.
"He's in the wrong business," said Baltimore starter Chuck
McElroy. "He should be playing tackle somewhere. As long as he
stays composed, he's going to be devastating. He was throwing 99
(mph) with no effort."
Sabathia admitted he peaked at the radar gun scoreboard in the
first when he threw 28 straight fastballs. He gave up a one-out
double to Mike Bordick and walked Delino DeShields before Conine
hit a three-run homer – Baltimore's first this season.
Sabathia said Conine's shot didn't rattle him as much as
Bordick's double off the wall in right. And it was only then the
unflappable lefty realized he was pitching to big-leaguers and not
one of the Batavia Muckdogs.
"I was 0-2, he took a pitch and then doubled off the wall,"
said Sabathia. "And I was like, 'God, dang. That was up and
out."'
Sabathia's debut created quite a stir in Cleveland as most fans
had only heard about the organization's No. 1 draft pick in 1998.
He didn't disappoint the Indians, who are rolling the dice that
he's ready, or a Jacobs Field crowd of 40,754.
"C.C did exactly what we wanted him to do," Indians manager
Charlie Manuel said. "He was probably cooler than I was."
Ellis Burks and Russell Branyan hit solo homers for the Indians.
Justin Speier (1-0) pitched 1 1/3 hitless innings, Paul Shuey
worked the eighth and Bob Wickman completed the combined
three-hitter for his second save as Cleveland took two of three in
the series.
Following Conine's homer, the Orioles went a combined 1-for-26.
Gonzalez, off to a nice start in his first season with
Cleveland, drove in two runs in the seventh with a single that
snapped an 0-for-26 slump for the Indians with runners in scoring
position.
"I didn't think we were ever going to score again unless it was
a homer," Manuel joked. "I think we're a little confused with the
strike zone."
With the Indians trailing 3-2, Einar Diaz doubled to open the
seventh off Calvin Maduro (0-1) and Omar Vizquel drew a one-out
walk. With two outs, Willis Roberts came in to face Gonzalez, who
lined his single.
Orioles manager Mike Hargrove said he chose to pitch to Gonzalez
instead of walking him to get to Burks, who had six of Cleveland's
19 hits in the series.
"You pick your poison there," Hargrove said. "It's tough to
do something with a 94 mph, but Gonzalez did. That's good
hitting."
As he walked to the Indians dugout from the bullpen, Sabathia
got a warm ovation from the crowd. Then, on his way to the mound,
he said he made eye contact with his mother, Margie, who was flown
in from California by the Indians so she could see her son pitch.
"When I looked into the stands and saw her, that was my
proudest moment," Sabathia said. "She's always more nervous than
I am. I could see it in her eyes this morning."
Once he got through his 33-pitch first inning, Sabathia settled
down and retired 10 straight before Brook Fordyce doubled in the
fourth.
"He was throwing 98 in the first and looked effortless doing
it," Brady Anderson said. "His control seems good. He got through
the first and shut us down. He has a nasty fastball and shouldn't
be afraid to use it. No need to throw the other stuff when you're
that good."
Burks homered with one out in the second off McElroy to bring
Cleveland within 2-1, and Branyan made it 3-2 in the fifth with a
towering homer, his third, to straightaway center.
McElroy, a career reliever now in the rotation, allowed two runs
four hits in five innings.
Game notes
By the way, C.C. is short for Carsten Charles and it's
pronounced (sah-BATH-ee-ah). ... McElroy had 603 appearances – all
in relief – before making his first of two starts last September.
... Indians RHP Jaret Wright, whose debut with the Indians in '97
had as much interest as Sabathia's, threw a pain-free 75 pitches in
an extended spring training game Saturday. Wright is making a
comeback from shoulder surgery. RHP Charles Nagy, trying to return
from elbow surgery, will pitch Monday in Florida. ... The Orioles
have played four one-run games.
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RECAPS
Boston 3
Tampa Bay 0
Cleveland 4
Baltimore 3
NY Yankees 16
Toronto 5
Detroit 5
Chi. White Sox 3
Kansas City 15
Minnesota 4
Texas 5
Seattle 4
Anaheim 6
Oakland 4
Florida 6
Atlanta 1
Montreal 5
NY Mets 2
Philadelphia 3
Chicago Cubs 1
Milwaukee 8
Cincinnati 4
Pittsburgh 9
Houston 3
San Diego 11
Colorado 3
St. Louis 9
Arizona 4
San Francisco 8
Los Angeles 3
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