Indians Boot One Away To Angels

It's Hall of Fame weekend at Progressive Field, but the Indians keep playing like they're going to the hall of shame. Four errors contributed to a 4-3 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. It came after former star players Mike Hargrove and the late Joe Gordon were inducted into the Indians Hall of Fame. Both enshrinees also managed the club and would not have liked their teams playing such sloppy ball.

"It was pretty ugly early," Indians manager Eric Wedge said tersely. "I don't think you can play worse than we did early on.

A fielding error by shortstop Jhonny Peralta helped the Angels push across a first-inning run against Fausto Carmona.

The Indians' right-hander added to the mess, mishandling a roller in front of the mound for another error and uncorking two wild pitches.

Peralta's error put Chone Figgins at second base. Carmona's first wild pitch sent him to third, and Figgins scored on a groundout by Vladimir Guerrero.

In the third, Carmona yielded a one-out single to Erick Aybar, who set off for third when Mark Teixeira singled to right. Ben Francisco's throw looked like it had a chance to get Aybar at third -- until third baseman Andy Marte let it skip past for an error. That scored Aybar and sent Teixeira all the way to third.

Marte then fielded a grounder by Guerrero, but threw it down the right-field line for an error, scoring Teixeira. Guerrero went to second on the play and scored from there, advancing on another wild pitch by Carmona.

David Dellucci hit a solo homer in the first inning and Ryan Garko a two-run shot in the fourth to get Cleveland within 4-3.

Then the offense bumbled away an opportunity to take the lead in the seventh.

Ben Francisco walked, went to third on a single by Peralta and Shin-Soo Choo walked to load the bases with none out.

But Kelly Shoppach struck out for the 18th time in his last 34 at-bats, Garko was robbed of a hit by Aybar at short, and pinch-hitter Jamey Carroll bounced back to pitcher Darren Oliver to end the threat.

"As bad as we played, we still had an opportunity and we didn't take advantage," Wedge said. "You've got to push across at least a run there."

Aybar took a hit away from Garko, racing to the grass in short left and making a leaping catch of a blooper that looked like it would fall.

In the ninth, the Indians threatened against Francisco Rodriguez. With pinch-runner Franklin Gutierrez on second and two outs, Garko lined a shot down the left-field line that was just inches foul. He then struck out on a 3-2 pitch to end the game as Rodriguez got his 47th save.


Mike Hargrove acknowledges the cheers as he is inducted into the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame.