Player of the Game
Jason Kipnis scored 4.71 Player of the Game points on his way to winning tonight’s award. Kipnis walked three times (who didn’t), stole two bases (including number 30 on the year), scored a run and knocked in two more with a single. Kipnis also had a great play in the 8th inning to steal a hit from Alexei Ramirez.
Feathers Up
Russ Canzler had another RBI hit in the first inning tonight, giving him a hitting streak of four and an RBI streak of three. This gives him hits in 16 of his 21 games with the team, making him the best firstbaseman currently on the roster. While September numbers need to be discounted slightly, the fact is that he is playing in the same situations as every other player on the team and hitting better than just about every other member of the Tribe.
The White Sox tried to steal a win by bumping Jake Peavy back to face the Rays and using what might as well have been an anonymous left handed starter against the Tribe. What they didn’t count on was the Indians patience and the timly hitting of Canzler and Jason Kipnis that knocked Hector Santiago from the game in the fourth inning. This forced Chicago to use their bullpen for 5.2 innings, burning out 6 relief pitchers.
The series win is the Indians first since their first full series of the month against Detroit. It is still better than last month when the Indians didn’t win a single series. Through the end of July the Indians had went 15-15-1 in series (W-L-T), but since then, they have went 2-14-1. The Indians have two series left, against the Royals and White Sox.
This was the last road game for the Indians of 2012. They will be able to go home for the last six of the season to play in front of the droves of fans awaiting an end to this torture.
Feathers Down
Ubaldo Jimenez hurt his ankle a couple starts back and has been announced out for the season. Jeanmar Gomez will be added back into the rotation in his place.
Asdrubal Cabrera was pulled from the game after just a single at bat in the top of the first inning and replaced in the field by Brent Lillibridge. He was diagnosed with a mid-back strain and is day-to-day.
Travis Hafner played in tonight’s game, giving him just two more games to play this year according to Manny Acta’s original plan. Hopefully the Indians will go against this and allow Pronk to play at least four games in Cleveland since they very probably could be his last games in an Indians uniform.
Justin Masterson walked in a run in the first inning and had trouble controlling his fast ball all night. He was pulled after two outs in the fifth inning when he walked A.J. Pierzynski (his fourth of the game) and allowed him to score on a double.
This game featured 18 walks and a combined 389 pitches. The Indians came out on top in the walk count with three different players tallying three a piece (Kipnis, Lou Marson and Carlos Santana).
Play of the Game
In the sixth inning Carlos Santana walked with the bases loaded to tie the game. In a game like this, the Play of the Game has to be a walk.
Final Score: Cleveland Indians 6 – Chicago White Sox 4
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