#175---STL @ CIN, 4/10/2015

The highlight of this sheet is the pair of two-run homers launched by Joey Votto in his first two trips to the plate against John Lackey. He would later add a steal in an interesting spot, taking second with one out in the ninth and the go-ahead run already on third in the form of Billy Hamilton. Hamilton drew a pair of walks and created havoc while on base, scoring twice after taking bases via balk, steal, and wild pitch.

#174---CLE @ MIN, 7/21/2014

This game was decided on Josh Willingham’s eighth inning homer off Bryan Shaw after the Indians had slowly clawed back from a 3-1 deficit. One thing to note on the scoresheet is the note on top of a challenge. If you follow the boxed C you will see that it occurred during Chris Colabello’s second inning PA. The note means that on pitch A (which would become just an ordinary foul), what had been a triple down the left field line was overturned. In the early days of replay I felt compelled to note every review and what the original call/call sought by the challenging team was. It’s exhausting and clutters the sheet – now I try to exercise patience when a call appears close, only writing down the final outcome and only noting the situation if it is crucial to the outcome of the game or otherwise interesting.

#173---NYN @ CLE, 9/8/2013

This late season 2-1 game lasted 3:43 as twelve pitchers worked, and Daisuke Matsuzaka needed 103 pitches to go 5 2/3 despite only allowing 6 baserunners true to his form. His opposite number Danny Salazar needed 80 to go four, allowing a homer to Justin Turner.  The Indians reliever parade kept the Mets off the board until closer Chris Perez yielded a run in the ninth. David Murphy was on base five times for the Mets.

The Indians only run came on a bases loaded hit batter to cap a two-out sixth inning rally. In the ninth, Jason Giambi led off against LaTroy Hawkins with a single. Mike Aviles pinch-ran, and after Lonnie Chisenhall flied to right, he attempted to steal on a 1-0 pitch to Drew Stubbs. He was called out, leading to his ejection. Stubbs struck out swinging to complete his golden sombrero and bring the game to an end.

#172---NYA @ NYN, 7/23/2012

For eight innings of this game, the Yankees managed just two hits and two walks off of their subway series rivals. Alas, the seventh was a quick but decisive blow for the Bronx Bombers. Mark Teixeira saw seven pitches coaxing a leadoff walk from Chris Young, but then Nick Swisher collected his 1000th career hit on a double and Raul Ibanez tied the game by pulling a homer down the right field on the next two pitches. In came Jon Rauch, and after striking out Russell Martin, he got up in the count 0-2 on pinch-hitter Eric Chavez before the latter homered down the left field line. A committee of Yankee relievers would make it hold up (including Rafael Soriano with the save; this was the year that Mariano Rivera tore his ACL).

Note that right before the carnage, Chris Young had made Ivan Nova and the Yankees pay; he lined a first pitch single to right after Josh Thole was intentionally walked with two outs and a man on third in the bottom of the sixth. Also, Lucas Duda in right field was a thing?

#171---DET @ CLE, 5/1/2011

Ahh, those heady spring days of 2011, when the Indians were winning enough games to delude their front office into believing they could challenge the Tigers for the division crown. Although to be fair, looking at the Detroit lineup on this day, it’s hard to imagine that this would be a 95 win team: Will Rhymes, Ramon Santiago, and Don Kelly batting in front of Miguel Cabrera? It would look a lot better with regulars Victor Martinez and Jhonny Peralta in the lineup for sure.

After each team put up an early two spot, there wouldn’t be many scoring threats in the third-seventh as only twice did Cleveland get a runner into scoring position with less than two outs, while Detroit only managed it once. In the eighth, the Tigers chased Justin Masterson by getting their first two hitters aboard, coaxing a sac fly off of Rafael Perez to take a 3-2 lead. But Joaquin Benoit did not have it on this day, yielding three runs to the Tribe. Chris Perez made it interesting in the ninth, but got Brennan Boesch to fly out on the first pitch with runners at the corner to “save” the game.