When Joe Borowski's string of consecutive saves ended at 13 in the top of the ninth when he gave up a tying run on two hits and a sacrifice fly, it set the stage for typical Tribe heroics in the bottom half.
Travis Hafner doubled with one out to extend his hitting streak to 11 games and was replaced by pinch-runner Mike Rouse. After Jhonny Peralta was intentionally walked, Garko lined the game-winning single to center.
"When Hafner doubled, it was like, 'Here we go,' " Garko said. "This team never panics. There's a never-say-die spirit and it comes from the manager."
The Indians have been playing inspired, exciting baseball all season, but for whatever reason, have participated in some rather unreal outcomes on Fridays.
Here's a look at what the Indians have done on Fridays thus far this season:
APRIL 6
The most memorable home opener that never was happened in a blizzard that eventually dumped 24 inches of snow on Jacobs Field. With Paul Byrd one out away from a five-inning no-hitter, the umps called it in a driving snowstorm. Maybe the inequity of it all is what has driven the Indians since.
APRIL 13
Well, sometimes it takes a little while to put good things into motion as the Indians lost at home to the Chicago White Sox, 6-4. Still, they tried to mount a comeback, scoring once and having the tying run at the plate in the ninth.
APRIL 20
Comeback wins, here we go. Hafner singles home Andy Marte in the top of the ninth for a 4-3 win at Tampa Bay.
APRIL 27
This one was seemingly put away by a five-run sixth inning, but the bullpen allows three in the top of the seventh and calls on Borowski to preserve a 5-4 lead at Jacobs Field against Baltimore. He does so in grand style, striking out the side. So it wasn't a comeback, but it was a one-run win at home with an exclamation point by the Indians at the end!
MAY 4
Sometimes the other team comes back to win at its ballpark, too. This time, Rafael Betancourt yields a tying run in the eighth, then Tom Mastny makes a critical error in the bottom of the 10th and yields a run to lose in Baltimore, 3-2. Not exactly the desired result, but a nail-biting finish again.
MAY 11
Another bad one as the bullpen coughs up seven runs in the final two innings to lose at Oakland, 8-2. Not a fun Friday.
MAY 18
All the runs are scored in the first three innings, giving Tribe fans plenty of time to do the wave and anticipate post-game fireworks after a 9-4 interleague win at Jacobs Field over Cincinnati.
MAY 25
Cleveland scores twice in the ninth to finally put away the rival Tigers in Detroit, 7-4. Hafner triples in one run and scores on a sacrifice fly in the final inning.
JUNE 2
Are you kidding? The same two teams a week later at Jacobs Field go toe-to-toe. The Tribe ties it, 5-5, with a four-run sixth, then yields four to the Tigers in the top of the seventh to trail, 9-5. Cleveland gets two back in the bottom of the eighth, but promptly gives up two more in the top of the ninth and all looks lost against dastardly Detroit.
Not so fast, Tiger breath. Victor Martinez hits a three-run homer in the bottom half to make it 11-10. With two outs, Josh Barfield singles home pinch-runner Mike Rouse to tie it at 11. David Dellucci follows with another RBI single and is mobbed by jubilant teammates.
JUNE 9
Another one-run game, though this one went to the host Cincinnati Reds, 4-3. Garko's pinch-hit homer in never-day-die mode in the ninth made it close.
JUNE 15
If it's Friday, it must be a one-run game. Yep. Casey Blake's homer breaks a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the eighth, but a tired C.C. Sabathia can't make it stand. The Tribe's ace lefty yields two runs in the top of the ninth to Atlanta, then former Cleveland closer Bob Wickman saves the Braves' 5-4 win -- NOT without a Tribe threat, however. Garko strikes out, but Barfield singles with one out and goes to second on a balk by Wickman. Sizemore strikes out, but Dellucci walks. Blake is back up with the game on the line, but he also fans on a wicked Wickman slider.
JUNE 22
The Indians' first game in Washington since 1971 is neither nail-biting nor memorable. The Nationals win, 4-1, though they use six pitchers to do it.
JUNE 29
Back to the magic. Ben Francisco, in his first major-league start, homers in the bottom of the ninth to beat Tampa Bay, 2-1.
JULY 6
Do games played outside of the country count? It goes as an 8-6 loss in Toronto -- though the Tribe did rally, just not enough, in the ninth. Pinch-hitter Jason Michaels leads off with a walk, goes to third on Blake's one-out double and scores on a sac fly by Martinez. Hafner comes to bat as the tying run, but grounds out. You can't win them all.
|