Game #129 – Cabrera sends em home happy in 4-3 win

While it’s a far cry from the glory days of 1995, it’s always nice when an Indians player can send the home crowd home happy. Such was the case on Saturday night at Progressive Field as Asdrubal Cabrera blasted a solo homer in the 10th inning as the Tribe topped the Royals 4-3 for their 3rd straight win.
The Indians had built a 3-0 lead early off of Royals ace Zack Grienke, but couldn’t take advantage of some situations which is why the game stayed in doubt as long as it did.
Kansas City got back in it off Indians starter Jeanmar Gomez when Wilson Betemit hit a 2-run homer in the 6th to close it to 3-2. KC then tied it when the bullpen couldn’t hold a one-run lead with Joe Smith getting charged the run after a walk, and Rafael Perez also in on the act not finding the strike zone till too late.
The Indians won a game they don’t normally win, as they were outhit 10-9, and are now just 5-57 when they get outhit. They are 3-2 on the 9-game homestand, overcoming the 0-2 start in losing the first two games to win the last three.
Cabrera hit his first career walk off homer right down the right field line, and knew it once it left the bat, as he put his fist in the air, confident it would stay fair and leave the park, and both wishes came true.
Another hot-hitting Indian remains Michael Brantley, who was 2-for-5 with an RBI, and he is now hitting .313 since his call back from Triple-A. He also has hit safely in his last 8 games, going 11-for-35 in that stretch.
Gomez rebounded off a bad start in Detroit to go 5.2 innings, allowing the two runs on 6 hits with two walks and four K’s. Manny Acta continues to be impressed with Gomez, who probably under normal circumstances wouldn’t be here till the first of September.
Chris Perez pitched a scoreless 10th inning to get the win to move to 3-2 on the season. The three games with the Royals wraps up Sunday at 1:05pm, before the team plays the last three of the homestand starting Monday with Chicago.



Matt has covered Major League Baseball and the "other two" Pro teams in Cleveland since 1994. He has been on the beat of the Indians in full-time mode since 1996, working for various raido and print networks around the country.