The Cleveland Indians got a good game out of their starter Ubaldo Jimenez, although Jimenez didn't get the win, he shut down one of the biggest hitters in baseball.Jimenez faced Miguel Cabrera three times and three times he was able to shut him down. The Indians got off to an early lead when Johnny Damon hit a single that would drive in Santana in the second inning.
The Indians were on top 1-0 over the first place Tigers and you could already start to see the dejection on Jim Leyland's face. The Tigers were 1-5 on the season coming into Cleveland tonight and they would exit Progressive filed with a 1-6 record after facing the best set up man in ll of baseball and Perez came in to get save number 28.
The Indians would take a 2-0 lead in the fourth when the man who is coming out of his slump Carlos Santana drove in Kipnis. Then the Tigers were able to to tie it at two when Miguel Cabrera hit a 2 run shot off Tribe reliever Joe Smith. The Indians were able to retake the lead with a Aaron Cunningham hit that would see Lou Marson score who was pinch running for Hafner who hit a triple. It has been years since the Indians fans seen Travis Hafner run that far that fast. Acta had no choice other than inserting Marson to run for Hafner, heck they may need to cart Hafner to his car with a club cart after those legs moved that fast.
The Indians battled tonight folks, they showed that this team with these players have what it take to go into battle and come out victorious. What this Cleveland Indians team needs is the kind of excitement we saw them play with tonight every night.
Vinnie Pestano and Chris Perez did what they have done all season, they came in and did an excellent job of shutting down the Detroit run making machine to take game one of the series 3-2. It is going to be a great couple of days of baseball in Cleveland, don't forget Thursday night is dollar dog night and Verlander will face off against the Indians Zach McAllister.
Larry Glicken is the owner of www.clevelandsports360.com and the host of the Cleveland Sports 360 Show, an online streaming sports video show at www.streamingsportstalk.com
