| |
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME LOG
CLEVELAND (AP) -- A few weeks ago, Jim Thome's daring dash home
might have ended with him being called out at the plate. Or injured
and carried off the field on a stretcher to join Cleveland's
standing room only disabled list.
But things are getting better for the Indians, who are creeping
back into the playoff race.
|  | | Bill Haselman appears to tag the Indians' Jim Thome out at the plate in the seventh, but Thome was called safe by umpire Brian Runge. |
Thome, one of Cleveland's slowest runners, scored on Travis
Fryman's sacrifice fly in the seventh, and Steve Woodard and four
relievers combined on a five-hitter as the Indians extended their
winning streak to six with a 2-0 victory over the Texas Rangers on
Monday night.
"We're starting to come on," Indians manager Charlie Manuel
said. "We're playing better and we're getting some breaks. When
our pitching is good, then we've got a chance."
Woodard, thrust into a starting assignment on just two days'
rest, pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings, and Tom Martin, Steve Reed,
Steve Karsay and Bob Wickman pitched hitless ball the rest of the
way as Cleveland recorded its first shutout since May 11.
Woodard was moved up in the rotation when scheduled starter Dave
Burba had to be pushed back until Wednesday because of a finger
blister.
Acquired July 28 in a six-player deal with Milwaukee, Woodard
was sharp in his first outing for the Indians, but lasted just
three innings in his last start Friday night against Anaheim.
Manuel said before the game he didn't know what to expect.
What Manuel and the Indians got was Woodard's best outing this
season.
"I'm glad I got the opportunity to go back out there," Woodard
said. "I had a chance to redeem myself and I did. This is a great
feeling."
Cleveland, which hadn't won six in a row since April 7-12, moved
within 2½ games of Oakland, which leads the AL wild-card race. The
Indians are 7-3 since making a flurry of trading deadline moves.
Reed (2-0) and three other relievers combined for 3 1/3 hitless
innings, with Wickman, who also came over from the Brewers,
pitching the ninth for his third save. During the winning streak,
Cleveland's pitchers have a 2.67 ERA and have not allowed a run in
16 innings.
"I've been saying for two weeks that for us to get back in the
wild-card race, we need to win seven, eight, nine games in a row,"
Thome said. "This team believes in itself."
Gabe Kapler extended his hitting streak to 21 games for the
Rangers, who left the bases loaded in the fifth and sixth while
wasting a strong performance from starter Rick Helling (13-8).
"I pitched well enough to win," said Helling, who allowed four
hits in seven innings but lost for the first time in seven
decisions.
Helling retired 12 straight before his first and only walk -- to
Thome -- opened the seventh. One out later, a perfectly executed
hit-and-run single by Wil Cordero sent Thome to third.
Fryman then hit a fly ball to medium right where Chad Curtis was
in perfect position to make a strong throw home. He fired to the
plate on the fly, but it was a little high, giving Thome the chance
to slap the plate as he slid by.
TV replays appeared to show that catcher Bill Haselman actually
tagged Thome on the left shoulder, but plate umpire Brian Runge
ruled Thome safe.
"I didn't want to go and take another look at it," Manuel
said. "The guy called him safe and that was good enough for me."
Rangers manager Johnny Oates refused to give his take on the
call.
"Go ask the umpire," was all Oates would offer. "He is the
only one who has the final say."
In the eighth against Mike Venafro, Thome slapped an
opposite-field RBI single to left, scoring Omar Vizquel from
second.
Woodard got out of trouble in the fourth by snaring a line drive
by Rusty Greer to start an inning-ending double play. Then in the
fifth, after the Rangers put two on with none out, left fielder
Cordero made a leaping catch at the wall to rob Ricky Ledee of
extra bases.
Woodard then struck out Haselman and walked Michael Lamb before
fanning Royce Clayton on a 3-2 pitch.
After struggling all season with the Brewers, Woodard feels like
he's gotten a second chance to make something of this season.
"It's been a very, very good change and I'm happy with the ways
things have worked out," he said.
Game notes
Texas and Cleveland met for the first time since swapping
Ledee and David Segui on July 28. Ledee went 0-for-2 before being
lifted for a pinch-hitter in the sixth. Segui went 0-for-4. ...
Greer's double in the sixth was his 1,000th career hit. He is the
sixth player in Texas history to reach the plateau. ... Ledee, now
with his third team -- Yankees, Indians and Rangers -- this season,
is also wearing his fourth number. He wore No. 17 in New York, Nos.
22 and 23 with Cleveland, and has No. 12 with Texas. ... Helling
has thrown an AL-high 2,800 pitches this season, an average of 112
per start
| |
ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Texas Clubhouse
Cleveland Clubhouse
RECAPS
Seattle 8
NY Yankees 5
Cleveland 2
Texas 0
Baltimore 4
Detroit 3
Minnesota 4
Tampa Bay 2
Kansas City 8
Toronto 7
Anaheim 4
Boston 1
Cincinnati 3
Atlanta 2
San Diego 6
Philadelphia 4
NY Mets 6
Houston 5
St. Louis 2
Florida 1
Pittsburgh 8
Colorado 7
Arizona 5
Montreal 2
Chicago Cubs 7
Los Angeles 3
San Francisco 8
Milwaukee 1
|
