Comeback kings crown Cleveland in 9th again

Sox 5, Cleveland 3
WP: Aardsma (1-1)
LP: Lewis (0-1)
SV: Okajima (1)
HRs: BOS-Tek (3)

SUMMARY:
Jason Varitek slammed a pinch hit home in the 9th inning off Jensen Lewis to break a 3-3 tie, and Boston tacked on an insurance run to continue its streak of come-from-behind wins against Cleveland, dating back to last year's American League Championship Series.

**On a side note, my mom called me with the news that my sister had to be taken in for an emergency C-section just as Tek's homer was sailing over the fence. She and the baby are fine now, so I know her and Paul will take the timing as a sign that little Luke is destined to be a slugger for the Sox someday. Be well Sis and I love you.**

Superstar: Tek 1-1, R, BI, HR
This distinction could have gone to a number of players, such as rookie Jed Lowrie, who had three ribbies in his ML debut, but when the team captain comes off the bench to hit a game-winning homer, well the honor is all his.

The Biggest Loser: Lewis 1.2IP, 5H, 2ER, 2BB, HR
With Cleveland placing closer and yesterday's Loser Joe Borowski on the DL today, it's nice to see they have someone capable of filling his shoes.

It's to be expected though, because the only thing worse than a guy with two first names is a dude with two LAST names.

RECAP:
Wow, are these Indians expert chokers or what?

First the Tribe blew a 3-1 series lead in last year's ALCS by getting bludgeoned in the final 3 contests by a combined score of 30-5, permanently etching their names in the All Time Chokers almanac.

Then yesterday the misery trickled into this season as Cleveland gagged away a late 4-1 lead and lost when Boston scored three times in the 9th, highlighted by a 2-run homer by Manny Ramirez.

And then came tonight's game.

If the playoff losses were gut punches, and last night's was a sucker shot, then this one must have been the kick to the groin.

You know how the song goes: kick 'em when they're up, kick 'em when they're down.

But for a little while it looked as if Cleveland was going to exact a small measure of revenge for all these demoralizing losses Boston has inflicted on them the last 7 months.

They grabbed a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth, on a 2-run single by Victor Martinez off Tim Wakefield (6IP, 7H, 2ER, 4BB, 4K), which came just minutes after the Sox scored the first run of the game on a fielder's choice groundout by callup Jed Lowrie.

Then after Lowrie (1-4, 3BI) drove in a couple more runs the conventional way with a soild single past the shortstop to score Youk and Ellsbury, who had both been walked by reliever Jorge Julio (0IP, 2H, 2ER, 2BB) in the 7th, Cleveland tied the game right up in the bottom of the inning, thanks to another awful relief effort by Manny Delcarmen.

People, Cleveland announcers included, love to point out that Delcarmen has "closer's stuff", but might not have the mental makeup to perform well in that high pressure role. Games like tonight, and most of his appearances this year, are proving that axiom to be true.

After Javier Lopez got the first two outs in relief of Wake to start the 7th, he allowed a pair of base runners on a single and hit by pitch, and Delcarmen was called in to put out the fire and keep the lead at 3-2.

Fat chance.

He promptly walked Jhonny Peralta on 5 pitches to load the bases, then hit Ryan Garko on the hand on a 1-0 count to force in the tying run. He got the next batter to end the threat, but the damage was done, and at that point it seemed like momentum had swung in Cleveland's favor.

Maybe, just maybe, this would be their night to stage a miraculous comeback.

Yeah, right.

Boston nearly staged the comeback as they loaded the bases in the 8th when Manny was hit by a pitch (anyone say 'payback'?), Youk (2-4, R, BI, 2B, BB) doubled and Jacoby Ellsbury was intentionally walked. But Jensen got Julio Lugo, who was 3-3 up to this point, to ground into a soul-killing double play, and the stage was set for Cleveland to pull it out.

Except Delcarmen and David Aardsma kept the Tribe off the board in the bottom of the inning, setting the stage for Tek's heroics in the 9th.

As is the captain's homer wasn't enough of a back-breaker, Boston padded the lead when Coco singled to center, Pedroia followed with a double that was misplayed by rightfielder Franklin Guiterriez, and two batter later Youk singled in Coco for a totally unnecessary insurance run.

Didn't even matter that Pedroia got tagged out at the plate, because Hideki Okajima set the Tribe down in order in the 9th, two by strikeout, and the Sox have a 4 game winning streak heading into the 2-game set with the Stanks tomorrow.

If only they could play Cleveland every night.

NOTES:
-Big Jed: how sweet it must have been for the kid who was called up to replace injured World Series MVP Mike Lowell to get his first hit and RBI (3, in fact) in his first major league start?

-Big Papi: he's not completely back yet, as evidenced by his GIDP in the first, but he did add another hit to his season total and drove a ball deep to the warning track in the 8th. His average is now up to .113 (6-53). Baby steps.

-Lineup changes: with Wake pitching Kevin Cash got the start, and with JD Drew getting the night off, Ellsbury moved to righfield and batted 6th with Lugo hitting 7th. Ellsbury reached base 3 times (2BB, 2B) and scored twice, while Lugo went 3-4 to raise his average to .280

-Payback: anyone who doesn't think Manny being hit with no outs in the 8th is crazy. The Indians have been pissed at him since he Cadillac'd on that meaningless homer in Game 4 of the ALCS, and with two Indians batters getting plunked the previous inning, payback was in order. Manny knew it, too, and smiled it off, as usual.

RECORD: 9-6
STREAK: W4
AL EAST: Up 1/2 game
UP NEXT: Wed @ NYY 7PM, ESPN Buchholz vs. Wang