Game #127 – Timely hitting and a five-out save equals a win

For a young team looking for anyway to win a game, Thursday night’s results were just what the doctor ordered for the Indians. Big hits when they needed them followed by a gutsy five-out save for a guy that should be the closer of the future spelled for a 3-2 win over the A’s at Progressive Field.
The win snaps a five-game losing streak for the Indians, and the 11,826 on hand with their dogs for “Puppypalozza” were treated to a night where they saw a good outing for Justin Masterson, and maybe even a better one for Chris Perez.
Let’s start with Masterson. He threw 6 innings, allowing two runs on five hits. He walked two and struck out three. The media continues to pepper Manny Acta with questions about the future for Masterson – on if he will be a starter or closer, but Acta keeps his answers always the same – he’s a starting pitcher now and for the future for the Indians.
Masterson moved to 5-12 with the win, a positive for a good guy who continues to do what he can to get better. On to Perez, who came in with one out in the 8th with the A’s having the tying run on second and go-ahead run on first thanks to two walks by Joe Smith.
Perez, pitching fearless as always, got a strikeout, then a soft groundout to first to end the inning. He allowed a hit in the 9th with one out, but got two strikeouts to end the game with a sigh of relief.
It was the 16th save for Perez, a guy that had to wait his turn for the team to finally trade bust Kerry Wood to the Yankees about a month ago.
As for the hitting, it was Matt LaPorta playing the role of hero, as with the Indians down 2-1 in the 6th he crushed an 0-0 pitch to left for his 8th homer of the season and the two-run shot was the difference as it gave the Indians a 3-2 lead.
LaPorta had been in the midst of a slump, but was able to get a hold of the Vin Mazzaro pitch and make sure it left the park to give the Tribe the one-run lead.
The Tribe are now 18-16 in one run games, and while they don’t win much when they score less than three runs (are just 10-53 in that department), they were able to do enough to get the win tonight.
They start a series with the Royals on Friday at Progressive Field.





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.