Game #9: Tribe Salvages One From KC; Top Royals 5-4

04.15.2009 by Matt Loede in 2009 Game Recaps, Aaron Laffey, C.C Sabathia, Cliff Lee, Jensen Lewis, Kerry Wood, Travis Hafner

85135037_NL008
For the second straight series, the Indians looked rather ugly in losing the first two games of a series, only to then rebound and win the finale. They did that same thing again earlier today as they topped the KC Royals 5-4 in Kansas City to move to 2-7 on the season.

The win didn’t come easy by any means, as it was Travis Hafner that had a huge double that keyed a three-run 7th inning that got the Tribe the lead which led to the win. Hafner, who I think has been a bright spot during the early part of what’s been an ulgy start, had two doubles in the game, went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk, and is hitting .286 on the season.

The team got enough from spot starter Aaron Laffey, who was called up from AAA Columbus earlier in the day for Josh Barfield. While he didn’t earn the win (Jensen Lewis 1-0 got that), he did go 5.1 innings, allowing two runs on three hits with three walks and five strikeouts.

Laffey, who didn’t have a good spring, now has a chance to make an impact, as this is sort of his second lease on life as a guy that can make and stay in the rotation. I thought Scott Lewis was going to be able to have a good season, but he’s already on the DL, and you know that Laffey will get another start at the big league level in this stretch, and it’ll be at home next week vs the Royals.

Joe Smith, Lewis and Rafel Betancourt held the fort down till the 9th, when Kerry Wood came in and got his first save of the season with a solid inning. The offense, which I thought has been downright awful at points in the first 8 games, looked good on Wednesday. They had 10 hits, 5 doubles and struck out just 6 times, which is a vast improvement from the first 8 games.

Now the hoopla of having to head to New York and the opening of the new Yankee Stadium is upon the team. They get a shot at C.C. Sabathia tomorrow, and I think they can steal one since we all know how C.C. pitches when the pressure is on. If Cliff Lee can follow up the last few innings of his outing from Saturday, the Tribe I think can steal a win in NYC on Thursday.