#163---LA @ CLE, 6/15/2003

The more I looked at this scoresheet, the more little things I found that made it one of my favorites that I had posted. There was a lot of silly stuff going on this game, and some silly connections that one can make looking at the names:

* Dave Roberts leading off for his former team for the team he would later manage to two pennants

* Adrian Beltre batting seventh behind Mike Kinkade and Ron Coomer

* Both teams were running the bases with some reckless abandon. In the sixth, with one out and runners at the corners, the Dodgers tried a double steal that ended with Paul LoDuca getting thrown out 2-4. This is a place where the scoring leaves out a little detail – how did Brandon Phillips get involved? Was he covering third for some reason as LoDuca tried to go back, maybe in a rundown? Or something crazier?

The Indians trumped this failed play, though. The bases were loaded with one out in the bottom of the eighth with LA leading 4-2. Future Dodger Milton Bradley, facing former Indian Tom Martin, singled through former Indian Jolbert Cabrera at second. Jhonny Peralta scored, and Matt Lawton tried to, but was gunned out at the plate 6-5-2. For some reason Coco Crisp tried to get to third, and LoDuca threw back to Beltre at third to tag him out. Instead of ending up with a 4-3 game, bases loaded 1 out,  or with runners at first and second 2 out, the Indians ran into a double play to end the inning and take their chances in the ninth against Eric Gagne at the height of his dominance. After yielding a leadoff hit to Ben Broussard, and a one-out walk to Josh Bard, he fanned Brandon Phillips and pinch-hitter Shane Spencer to end it.