Big Ben Comes Through!
Ben Francisco, pictured above, is one reason why the Indians are doing so well.
Teams|1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|R|H|E
Milwaukee
|0|0|0|0|0|1|1|2|0|4|11|2
Cleveland
|0|1|0|0|0|0|0|4|X|5|9|0
AP - Cleveland, OH - If you try to measure the success of the Cleveland Indians, based on stats, based on players, based on performance, something doesn't compute. While the Indians are currently one of the better teams in baseball, they struggle where it matters most, while they're fourth in the league in RBI's they're 30th in home runs, and stolen bases, a big part of that having to do with the lack of speed on the bases, that and Grady Sizemore still has a month of rehab.
No, to measure the Indians success this year you have to look at the "X-Factor", Factor. The Indians win and lose nightly on these x-factors. Ben Francisco, happens to be one of the X-Factors. Ben, started in left field at the beginning of the season. When the news was announced that Grady Sizemore was going to be out for 1-2 months, Ben stepped into center field. He has been one of the better defensive players on this time, rarely does a ball pass him up, or does he not make that extra effort to run a base hit down.
Ben is only one of many x-factors on this team. When one of the X-factors step up like Ben did in the eighth inning. It makes you wonder if the Indians can make a playoff run, on X-factors alone? Big Ben was up to bat, runners on first and second with one out. He was the tying run. When he blasted a ball onto the Pepsi home-run porch. The Tribe celebrated at the plate as they tied it up in the eighth. A couple of batters later they avenge a one run loss with a one run win, in their favor.
The Tribe so far have split the series with the Brew Crew. Cliff Lee pitched five innings of shut-out baseball and continues to work out of his slump. Had it not been for Ben, Lee would've left the game the losing pitcher. He continues to pitch well though, and things are starting to look up, if he can get a dominating one or two games in Lee might, just might, look good enough to stay on as a piece to a playoff team. Carl Pavano takes the mound for the Tribe in the rubber match, tomorrow night.
Lineup:
2B Weeks 3-4 |
C Rivera 3-4 | 1K
LF Braun 0-4 | 2K
1B Fielder 0-4 | 2K
SS Hardy 1-3 | 2K
RF Hart 1-4 |
CF Cameron 2-4 |
3B Hall 0-4 | 2K
DH Kendall 1-4 |
Batting:
2B:
M. Cameron (12), J. Kendall (4), M. Rivera (5), R. Weeks (12)
HR:
C. Hart (10)
RBI:
C. Hart (42), M. Rivera (15), R. Weeks (17)
GIDP:
R. Braun
Fielding:
E:
M. Rivera (4), R. Weeks (6)
Base Running:
CS:
M. Cameron (1)
Pitching:
Suppan | 2.1IP | 3H | 1R | 1ER | 2SO | 5.43 ERA |
Villanueva | 4.2IP | 1H | 1SO | 2.83 ERA |
McClung (L, 1-4) | 0.2IP | 5H | 4R | 4 ER | 1SO | 5.79 ERA |
Coffey | 0.1IP | 5.59 ERA |
Lineup:
DH Carroll 1-4 |
CF Francisco 1-4 | 2K
3B DeRosa 0-3 |
3B Cabrera 1-1 |
C Martinez 1-4 |
LF Willingham 1-4 | 1K
1B Garko 1-4 |
RF Pena 0-4 |
SS Peralta 2-3 |
2B Barfield 1-3 | 1K
Batting:
2B:
A. Cabrera (7), R. Garko (15)
HR:
B. Francisco (6)
RBI:
J. Willingham (47), J. Peralta (39), B. Francisco 3 (32)
Base Running:
CS:
J. Barfield (1)
Pitching:
Lee | 7.0IP | 9H | 3R | 3ER | 6SO | 5.27 ERA |
Perez (W, 2-1) | 1.1IP | 2H | 1R | 1ER | 1BB | 2SO | 4.28 ERA |
Wood (S, 23) | 0.2IP | 1SO | 2.45 ERA |
Player of the Game:
B. Francisco
1 for 4 - HR, 3 RBI
Next Game:
June 17th, 2009
(36-29) @
(38-29)