GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: AL: BOSTON (1-3) at CLEVELAND (3-1)

AL: BOSTON (1-3) at CLEVELAND (3-1)

<h3>Indians one win away from the Fall Classic</h3>

<div class="pre">Boston at Cleveland 8:21 pm EDT</div><div class="pre">American League Championship Series Indians lead, 3-1</div>

CLEVELAND (Ticker) -- The Cleveland Indians are starring down thebig boys in the playoffs this season and rolling right onthrough.


The Indians host the Boston Red Sox in Game Five of the AmericanLeague Championship Series on Thursday, needing one more win toadvance to the World Series for the first time since 1997.

Cleveland (96-66) tied Boston for the best record in the majorleagues this season, but went into the AL Division Seriesagainst the New York Yankees as underdogs and came into thecurrent series the same way, despite dispatching the Yankees infour games.


New York - the top club in the majors in payroll - and Boston -a distant second in the category - have the luxury of adding topfree agent talent to their teams year after year, whilemid-market Cleveland has relied on scouting and development tobuild its talented young squad.


That talent has gelled at the right time, leaving the club onewin away from the Fall Classic after a convincing Game Fourvictory on Tuesday.


The Indians scored seven runs in the fifth inning to break opena scoreless contest and Paul Byrd held the Red Sox in check longenough to cruise to post a 7-3 win.


"We had the big inning, Byrdie gave us a chance to win theballgame, and the bullpen was able to finish it off," Clevelandmanager Eric Wedge said.


"It's an amazing feeling, I've never been closer (to the WorldSeries) in my career," Byrd said. "It was a magical night forme and the Indians' fans. We want to put the series away athome, but they're a good team so we're not taking anything forgranted."


After Boston took the opening game of the series by a 10-3 scorelast Friday, the Indians have put on a clinic in wearing downpitchers, knocking out Curt Schilling in Game Two, DaisukeMatsuzaka in Game Three and Tim Wakefield on Tuesday. All threepitchers lasted just 4 2/3 innings.


"They have all been one pitch away from getting out of it,"Boston catcher Jason Varitek said about his pitcher's struggles.

"We know where we are," Boston manager Terry Francona said. "Alot of these guys have been in this situation before. We can'tlook ahead, we just have to play the game ahead of us."

Only 10 times in postseason history has a team downthree-games-to-one rebounded to win the series. Boston, whichovercame a 3-0 deficit to the New York Yankees in 2004, was thelast.


The Indians will send ace C.C. Sabathia to the mound in theprospective clincher, hoping for a much better effort from thehefty lefthander than they have gotten so far this postseason.

Sabathia, who is a top contender for the AL Cy Young Award, hasnot pitched much like an ace this postseason, allowing 11 runsand 11 walks in 9 1/3 combined innings over two starts.

"Between this start right here, I just went into the bullpen andworked on trying to stay taller and throw the ball downhill,something that I hadn't done in Boston, and I had a pretty goodbullpen," Sabathia said. "It was command on both sides of theplate, opposite sides felt good. So I'm looking forward tobeing my normal self (Thursday) night."


He walked just 37 batters in 241 1/3 innings during the regularseason, but has struggled to find his command in October and wastouched up for eight runs against the Red Sox in Game One.

Josh Beckett will counter for Boston. The 27-year-oldrighthander, who is Sabathia's main competition for the CyYoung, has been lights out during the postseason.


He tossed a shutout in Game One of the ALDS against the LosAngeles Angels of Anaheim and followed that performance with atwo-run, four-hit effort over six innings in Game One of theALCS. He has yet to walk a batter in 15 innings thispostseason.


"I think that that's what I've done so well this year is I makeadjustments within at-bats," Beckett said. "It's all aboutmaking adjustments and executing your game plan. Thoseadjustments come pitch by pitch, and you make them and you dowell. If you don't, then you pitch like (junk)."


Beckett has posted three shutouts in eight career postseasonappearances, including seven starts, going 4-0 with a 1.87 ERA.

 

Re: AL: BOSTON (1-3) at CLEVELAND (3-1)

Come on BOSTON!!!</p>

Sox 11 - 5 Indians</p>

GO REDSOX!!!!!</p>

 

Re: AL: BOSTON (1-3) at CLEVELAND (3-1)

11 off of CC?</p>

YOkee.</p>

 

Re: AL: BOSTON (1-3) at CLEVELAND (3-1)

haha, this is the game where you'll see the real sox. </p>

 

Re: AL: BOSTON (1-3) at CLEVELAND (3-1)

CC at home. Common man.</p>

 

Re: AL: BOSTON (1-3) at CLEVELAND (3-1)

Ok 7 to 5. </p>

 

Re: AL: BOSTON (1-3) at CLEVELAND (3-1)

Boston wins 5-2. CC will do better than in game one but Beckett will continue to carry the Red Sox on his shoulders.</p>

 

Re: AL: BOSTON (1-3) at CLEVELAND (3-1)

We need other players to step up. Manny and Ortizcan only do so much. . Lowell did it all yr, but he needs to do something tonight.. And it would be nice if Drew to show up once.</p>

And whatever you do, do not put Gagne in. I gave him the benefit of the doubt for the longest time, but enough is enough.</p>

 

Re: AL: BOSTON (1-3) at CLEVELAND (3-1)

I know man, Gagne lost us game 2. It was all his fault.</p>

But yeah, Crisp, Drew, Pedroia need to step up.</p>

It's win or go home tonight.</p>

 

AL: BOSTON at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">BOSTON AT CLEVELAND -- LINEUPS

BOSTON CLEVELAND
AVG HR RBI AVG HR RBI
Dustin Pedroia 2B .188 0 0 Grady Sizemore CF .188 1 1
Kevin Youkilis 1B .400 1 1 Asdrubal Cabrera 2B .294 0 4
David Ortiz DH .385 1 1 Travis Hafner DH .200 1 2
Manny Ramirez LF .462 2 7 Victor Martinez C .333 0 2
Mike Lowell 3B .250 1 6 Ryan Garko 1B .333 0 1
Bobby Kielty RF .500 0 2 Jhonny Peralta SS .353 2 7
Jason Varitek C .200 1 4 Kenny Lofton LF .294 1 2
Coco Crisp CF .188 0 0 Franklin Gutierrez RF .167 1 4
Julio Lugo SS .143 0 0 Casey Blake 3B .313 1 2

Josh Beckett RHP (1-0, 3.00) C.C. Sabathia LHP (0-1, 16.62)</div>

 

AL: BOSTON at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">AL AT CLEVELAND
WARMUPS: BOS - JOSH BECKETT (1-0, 3.00)
CLE - C.C. SABATHIA (0-1, 16.62)

UMPIRES: HP - GARY CEDERSTROM
1B - DANA DEMUTH
2B - RANDY MARSH
3B - KERWIN DANLEY
LF - BRIAN GORMAN
RF - PAUL EMMEL

WEATHER: 75 Degrees, clear
WIND: 14 mph, out to center</div>

 

AL: BOSTON at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">AL AT CLEVELAND
STARTING BATS: BOS - JOSH BECKETT AND JASON VARITEK
CLE - C.C. SABATHIA AND VICTOR MARTINEZ

DUE UP FOR BOSTON: D PEDROIA (.188, 0 HR, 0 RBI)
K YOUKILIS (.400, 1 HR, 1 RBI)
D ORTIZ (.385, 1 HR, 1 RBI)</div>

 

AL: BOSTON at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">AL AT CLEVELAND - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY KEVIN YOUKILIS (2) TO LEFT WITH 1 OUT IN
THE 1ST OFF C.C. SABATHIA.
CURRENT SCORE: BOSTON 1, CLEVELAND 0

DUE UP FOR BOSTON: D ORTIZ (.385, 1 HR, 1 RBI)</div>

 

Re: AL: BOSTON (1-3) at CLEVELAND (3-1)

Yeahhhh, 1-0, top of 1st inning.</p>

Watch the game guys.</p>

 

AL: BOSTON at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">BOSTON (1) VS CLEVELAND (0) - MID 1ST - IN PROGRESS

BOSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
D Pedroia 2b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .176
K Youkilis 1b 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .438
D Ortiz dh 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .357
M Ramirez lf 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .500
M Lowell 3b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .294
B Kielty rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .500
J Varitek c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .200
C Crisp cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .188
J Lugo ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .143

Totals 5 1 3 1 0 1 0

BATTING: 2B - M Ramirez (1, C Sabathia). HR - K Youkilis (2, 1st inning off C
Sabathia 0 on, 1 Out). RBI - K Youkilis (2). Team LOB - 1.


CLEVELAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
G Sizemore cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .188
A Cabrera 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .294
T Hafner dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .200
V Martinez c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333
R Garko 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333
J Peralta ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .353
K Lofton lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .294
F Gutierrez rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .167
C Blake 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .313

Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

BATTING: Team LOB - 0.

FIELDING: Outfield assists - F Gutierrez (M Ramirez at Home).


----------------------------------------------------
BOSTON - 1 -- 1
CLEVELAND - -- 0
----------------------------------------------------

BOSTON ip h r er bb so hr era
J Beckett 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3.00

CLEVELAND ip h r er bb so hr era
C Sabathia 1 3 1 1 0 1 1 15.19

Pitches-strikes: C Sabathia 12-10. Ground balls-fly balls: C Sabathia 1-0.
Batters faced: C Sabathia 5.

UMPIRES: HP--Gary Cederstrom. 1B--Dana Demuth. 2B--Randy Marsh. 3B--Kerwin
Danley. LF--Brian Gorman. RF--Paul Emmel.

Weather: 69 degrees, clear. Wind: 14 mph, out to center.</div>

 

AL: BOSTON at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">AL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
BOSTON 1 1 3 0
CLEVELAND 0 0 0 (BOT 1)

CURRENT PITCHERS: BOS - JOSH BECKETT
CLE - C.C. SABATHIA

DUE UP FOR CLEVELAND: G SIZEMORE (.188, 1 HR, 1 RBI)
A CABRERA (.294, 0 HR, 4 RBI)
T HAFNER (.200, 1 HR, 2 RBI)</div>

 

AL: BOSTON at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">AL BOSTON AT CLEVELAND
NOTE: BOSTON LEFT FIELDER MANNY RAMIREZ DOUBLED IN THE
FIRST INNING TO EXTEND HIS LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES HITTING STREAK
TO 15 GAMES TO TIE THE ALL-TIME MARK SET BY PETE ROSE.</div>

 

AL: BOSTON at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">AL AT CLEVELAND
CONFIRMED STARTERS: BOS - JOSH BECKETT
CLE - C.C. SABATHIA</div>

 

AL: BOSTON at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">AL AT CLEVELAND - SCORING UPDATE
TRAVIS HAFNER HIT INTO DOUBLE PLAY SCORING GRADY SIZEMORE.

SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, NONE ON, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: BOSTON 1
CLEVELAND 1 BOTTOM, 1ST

DUE UP FOR CLEVELAND: V MARTINEZ (.333, 0 HR, 2 RBI)</div>

 

AL: BOSTON at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">AL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
BOSTON 1 1 3 0
CLEVELAND 1 1 3 0 (TOP 2)

CURRENT PITCHERS: BOS - JOSH BECKETT
CLE - C.C. SABATHIA

DUE UP FOR BOSTON: B KIELTY (.500, 0 HR, 2 RBI)
J VARITEK (.200, 1 HR, 4 RBI)
C CRISP (.188, 0 HR, 0 RBI)</div>