#192---CHA @ BOS, 7/21/2007

I don’t remember BoSox lefty Kason Gabbard, but he has a World Series ring for this season and probably remembers this day when he shut out the ChiSox for seven innings with just one strikeout. The Red Sox had built a 4-0 lead off John Danks through six, but blew it open in the seventh. With two outs and a runner at second, Ehren Wassermann intentionally passed Manny Ramirez then walked Kevin Youkilis. Boone Logan was summoned and walked JD Drew on four straight. Then another ill-remembered pitcher (at least by me), Dewon Day, walked Mike Lowell and Jason Varitek. Five straight walks, then back-to-back two run hits from Coco Crisp and Eric Hinske (who led off the inning as a pinch-hitter with a single and capped it with a triple).

#191---LAA @ CLE, 6/3/2006

We’re establishing a mini-theme here for #190-192; close games that get out of hand late. Grady Sizemore scored twice early (including a homer) to give Cleveland the lead, but Los Angeles tied it with a two-out sixth inning rally, leaving the bases loaded after a long Kendrys Morales at bat.

In the bottom of the inning, the Indians had runners at second and third with two outs when Ronnie Belliard flied to right. But Vladimir Guerrero couldn’t handle it, resulting in a two-base error. Aaron Boone doubled in Belliard, Sizemore was intentionally walked, and Jason Michaels unintentionally, driving Kelvim Escobar from the game. Then Orlando Cabrera booted a groundball to make it 6-2 and leave the bases loaded for Travis Hafner, who clubbed a grand slam. Lee and Fausto Carmona would set down the last nine Angel hitters, while the first four Indians all reached and scored in the eighth to make it a 14-2 rout.

#190---CIN @ HOU, 5/30/2005

Roger Clemens pitched very well, striking out seven and yielding one walk over eight innings, but the two-run homer Joe Randa launched in the second was all that Aaron Harang would need. Harang struck out two in each of the first four innings, winding up with ten Ks and one walk over seven shutout innings.

Do you remember that John Franco was an Astro? If not, it’s probably because of performances like this. He gave up singles to load the bases to all three batters he faced relieving the Rocket in the ninth, and Russ Springer gave up three baserunners of his own and then a three-run shot to Ryan Freel. Chad Qualls had to come in to induce two 43s to mercifully end the inning.

#189---CIN @ CLE, 6/11/2004

I don’t post a lot of extra innings games here, although I love long game and mourn their endangered status due to the runner on second to start the inning rule. But posting scoresheets of extra innings games just means twice the work, since all my sheets are designed for nine innings and I use a whole new sheet for the extra frames.

The Indians rallied for two runs after two were out in the seventh (the runs pushed across on Belliard’s double), then loaded the bases with none out in the eighth. But Jody Gerut grounded to D’Angelo Jimenez, who threw home and started a double play, and Casey Blake struck out looking. Both sides were retired with little trouble in the ninth, and so it was extra innings. Nothing much happened (other than David Riske fanning five of seven Reds he faced) until there were two outs in the bottom of the eleventh, when Casey Blake singled off Phil Norton and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Presumably, Norton pitched especially carefully to Travis Hafner after the wild pitch, and walked him. But then he walked Ronnie Belliard on four straight. Lou Merloni pinch-hit against the lefty; down in the count 1-2, he coaxed three straight balls for a walkoff walk.