| | CLEVELAND -- The location of Bret Saberhagen's pitches
wasn't the only thing that was off. So was his timing.
|  | | Bret Saberhagen watches from the dugout after getting knocked out early. |
He picked a terrible time to lose his control -- in the second
game of the best-of-5 first-round series against Cleveland -- and
the Indians took advantage Thursday.
Saberhagen had walked just 11 batters in 119 innings this
season. But he walked three in the third inning, when the Indians
scored six runs in an 11-1 win over the Boston Red Sox that gave
them a 2-0 lead in the series.
"I worked very hard to take pride in games like this,"
Saberhagen said. "I think I was trying maybe too hard, maybe too
much adrenaline going."
Saberhagen, who has a tender right shoulder, had three stints on
the disabled list this season. Still, he was 10-6 with a 2.95 ERA
and walked more than one batter in just two of his 22 starts.
"I felt very good today and I think maybe the one thing that I
didn't do enough was make my pitches," he said. "I just didn't do
it when I had to."
"He wasn't missing by much," Boston catcher Jason Varitek
said. "They made him get the ball over the plate."
Saberhagen lasted just 2 2/3 innings, striking out two, walking
three and allowing six runs and five hits. The biggest blow was
Harold Baines' three-run homer.
"We had hoped to come here and do a lot better than what we've
done," Saberhagen said. "At times, we played very well against
them. So I think we've got to remind ourselves of that."
| |
ALSO SEE
Red Sox vs. Indians series page
Pedro leaves with back strain as Indians win 3-2
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Red Sox ace Pedro Martinez is frustrated by his injury.
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