|
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME LOG
CLEVELAND (AP) – The toughest thing for the Cleveland Indians
these days is deciding whose turn it is to hit the big home run,
strike out the side or make a dazzling catch.
|  | | Marty Cordova went 1-for-4 and kept his average above .400. |
"It's like guys are looking around and saying, 'Who's going to
be the hero today?"' reliever Paul Shuey said. "It's just
momentum. Once you get momentum, you can roll. And we're rolling."
The Indians extended their longest winning streak in seven years
to 10 games Wednesday night as rookie C.C. Sabathia got his fourth
win in a 5-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals.
Sabathia (4-1) took a shutout into the sixth inning before
Indians manager Charlie Manuel turned to his bullpen to keep the
majors' longest winning streak this season alive.
Russell Branyan hit a three-run homer off Dan Reichert (3-3) and
Ellis Burks had a solo shot for the Indians, whose 10-game streak
is their best since June 11-20, 1994. Cleveland moved within three
of matching the team record set in 1942 and '51.
"I don't even want to talk about that," said Indians manager
Charlie Manuel. "I don't want to jinx us."
The Indians, who moved into a tie atop the AL Central with
Minnesota, may not lose for awhile. They have one game left against
the Royals and three against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, who the
Indians swept last weekend. Then it's Texas, Anaheim and Detroit –
all sub. 500 teams – before the Indians finally play the New York
Yankees on May 25.
"It's very frustrating for us right now to keep facing a team
like that," said Royals first baseman Mike Sweeney.
Cleveland is now 19-4 since opening the year 3-5, and improved
to 60-30 since Aug. 2 last season.
The Indians have outscored their opponents 86-33 during the
10-game streak, but their relief pitching and defense helped get it
into double digits.
Steve Reed and Paul Shuey pitched through the eighth and Bob
Wickman closed it out. First baseman Jim Thome made a diving catch
to end the seventh, saving at least one run.
Sabathia, who had never pitched above Double-A ball before this
season, had another solid outing and the 20-year-old appears to get
more confident with every outing.
"It's gone better than probably anyone expected," Sabathia
said.
Sabathia allowed one run and five hits in 5 2-3 innings, and was
able to blow his 95 mph fastball past a few Royals while getting a
season-high five strikeouts.
"He pitched," said Manuel. "He used all of his pitches.
That's the best I've seen him for five innings. He got in a groove
and had a good idea of what he wanted to do."
Sabathia gave up just two hits before allowing three in a row to
open the sixth. However, he caught a break when Carlos Beltran
doubled but got hit on the foot by Rey Sanchez's grounder.
Manuel didn't let Sabathia get in any deeper trouble, pulling
him after Joe Randa's sacrifice fly.
Branyan, who tries to pull everything, shortened his swing this
season to reduce his strikeouts. But he still came in second in the
AL with 38 Ks in 99 at-bats.
Before the game, Manuel praised Branyan for being more selective
and hitting to the opposite field, and that's just what he did in
the fourth to make it 3-0.
Reichert walked Thome and Burks to open the inning, and one out
later, Branyan drove an 1-0 pitch over the wall left-center for his
eighth homer.
Before Burks connected for his fifth homer leading off the
eighth, six of Cleveland's last nine homers were three-run shots.
Game notes
Cleveland has gotten at least 10 hits in 11 straight games. ... The Royals are 0-5 against the Indians after going 7-5 against
them last year and winning the season series for the first time
since '94. ... Indians DH Marty Cordova extended his hitting streak
to 14 with a leadoff single in the sixth but was thrown out trying
for a double. ... After going just 21-30 against the AL Central
last season, the Indians are 11-5 in the division. ... Indians 3B
Travis Fryman has had no setbacks in his throwing program as he
continues to rehab a torn ligament in his right elbow. Fryman, who
has been on the DL since the start of the season, took grounders
and batting practice on Wednesday. He's not expected to be back
until early June.
 Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
| |
OTHER GAMES
Baseball Scoreboard
Kansas City Clubhouse
Cleveland Clubhouse
RECAPS
Seattle 10
Boston 5
Cleveland 5
Kansas City 1
Detroit 3
Texas 2
NY Yankees 2
Minnesota 0
Oakland 8
Toronto 5
Baltimore 8
Tampa Bay 6
Chi. White Sox 6
Anaheim 5
Houston 7
Philadelphia 6
Chicago Cubs 6
Milwaukee 3
St. Louis 6
Pittsburgh 2
Colorado 6
NY Mets 0
Arizona 5
Cincinnati 2
Atlanta 3
San Diego 0
Los Angeles 3
Florida 2
Montreal 8
San Francisco 0
|
