Come Back Get Away Day

Notes on a baseball game from the notepad beside my score card.

Toronto Blue Jays @ Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Ohio, Wednesday, May 5th 2010
12:05 PM 23 C 73 F. Wind W at 27 km/h 17 mp/h.


Game 3 of 3 -- for the sweep!

OK, OK. I won't tell a lie; I forgot the Jays were on at Noon today.

So, while I'm solving the fundamental questions of physics - towards an understanding of the universe and everything - I remembered - get away day!!

I ditched the solution (42), and tuned in just in time to see John Buck coming to the plate to pinch hit for José Molina in the top of the ninth, down 2-4 to the Cleveland Indians. Buck grounds out 5-3 for the 2nd out.

Luckily for me (and you), this is exactly when the fun begins!

Fred Lewis batting with 2 outs and the game on the line slams the ball down the right field line - just fair - and it bounces around in the corner for a 2BH.

Hope springs eternal, and a smile magically appears upon my face. Aron Hill is up. Have I mentioned I like Hill's approach at the plate?

On a 1-2 pitch Aron Hill hits a skittering grounder right at shortstop Luis Adan Valbuena. I'm thinking, that's it, it's over, that is an easy feed to the 2nd baseman Grudzielanek for the FC. Game over. Valbuena moves slightly to his left and surrounds the ball, as he stoops to gather it in ... It shoots right under his glove!

Fred Lewis is running on contact and because the ball is hit behind him he continues to third -- but he's expecting to saunter towards the dugout and then to the showers. At that point he notices 3rd base coach Brian Butterfield is frantically waving his arm and pointing: home! home! -- So he does; and we Do. (3-4)

Now it's a one run game with Hill on first and number three hitter, Adam Lind is up.

Most people say you bat your best hitter 3rd in the American League, and your best power hitter right behind him. Lind hit 35 HR's with a .305 BA last year - and he's hot right now -- so I'm thinking, maybe he'll pop one, and if not just get on base because Vernon Wells is up next -- and he's hot right now too -- our chances seem pretty good.

This Blue Jays team is full of 20 HR guys, it doesn't matter what position in the batting order is up to bat, the potential for a HR is quite good. Toronto leads the American League in home runs with 42; 5 more than next best, Boston Red Sox, 10 more the the Yankees:

Screen shot: Baseball-Reference.


Knowing these things, Adam Lind hit the ball over the left field wall. Jay's win! Jay's win! (after Jason Frasor(Win) works the bottom of the ninth.)


Last night I mentioned I thought a Jays Dam Burst was imminent between these two teams. As a way of gauging how good the Jays are this year, I thought this young Indians team might be over matched against the Jays. That 'Dam Bursty-ness' showed I think, in the ninth this afternoon.

After Lind's HR, Vernon Wells hit a line drive right at SS Luis Valbuena and once again, he made an error. Then with Wells on first, pitcher Chris Perez threw a pass ball that was a little wild and wide - the catcher maybe should have corralled - it was wide by a lot - but not in the dirt. (Wells was credited with a SB??) At that moment it appeared that more bad things were about to happen for the young Indians when a long fly out by Mike McCoy in his first at-bat of the game, ended the threat.

Jays sweep the Indians 5-1, 8-5, 5-4



Photo of Fred Lewis swinging: 2ksports.com

Thanks as usual to ESPN for the box score image and the stats.

Thanks Baseball-Reference for all the wacky stat manipulating widgets over there.



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