Player of the Game
With a score of 4.95, Russ Canzler has won his second straight Player of the Game award. Canzler hit another home run, then later doubled, singled and scored again. He also flashed a little leather while playing first base, before being removed from the game for Casey Kotchman.
Feathers Up
Because Lou Marson was not in the game to ground into a double play in front of Ezequiel Carrera, the Indians were able to score a couple more runs against Chicago today. In the fourth, Thomas Neal hit a ground ball with bases loaded and beat the return throw to first for a fielder’s choice. The Indians scored once on that play, again on a Carrera single and once more when Shin-Soo Choo singled. In this particular instance the difference between an absolutely useless player (Marson) and an almost absolutely useless player (the much faster Neal) was three runs.
Corey Kluber settled down after giving up home runs to A.J. Pierzynski and Dayan Viciedo, getting nine of the next ten batters out in order. Manny Acta definitely deserves some credit for making Kluber face Pierzynski and Viciedo a second time in the 7th. Kluber showed he learned something the last time and retired the batters in order.
Vinnie Pestano got some retribution for last night’s blown save as he struck out Adam Dunn to get himself another hold in tonight’s game.
Milestone Update: Shin-Soo Choo knocked in his 59th run of the season and his 364th as an Indians, placing him in a tie for 50th place all time in Indians history with All-Time Indian great Ray Chapman.
Also, Chris Perez‘s 37th save of the season ties him for 8th all time in a single season with Doug Jones’ 1988 season. If he can save two more games he will get into a tie for 6th place with both Mike Jackson and Jose Mesa.
Feathers Down
Corey Kluber looked so good through the first four innings (no runs, two hits and two walks allowed) that it was very disappointing to see him throw it away with back-to-back home runs in the fifth. Kluber did settle down and strike out the last two batters that inning, but going deeper into games while maintaining early success is something the Indians will really have to work on during the off season.
Play of the Game
Vinnie Pestano struck out Adam Dunn to end the 8th inning less than 24 hours after allowing a three run home run to the same hitter in the same inning yesterday.
Final Score: Cleveland Indians 4 – Chicage White Sox 3
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