#435---DET @ CLE, 3/11/2008

 This is one of the harder to read scoresheets I’ve posted, as for this spring training game I squeezed in the tenth inning in the first unused scorebox for each lineup slot. The top of the tenth appears in boxes 5-1 through 9-1, 1-3, and 2-2 through 3-2. The bottom of the tenth is in 8-1 through 9-1 and 1-2 through 2-2.

The Indians got their two runs early as Grady Sizemore homered in his first two at bats. The Tigers tied it with single tallies in the seventh and the eighth and scored two in the tenth to win.

#434---NYN @ STL, 4/1/2007

 

Getting hollow revenge for Game 7 of the previous season’s NLCS, the Mets got two-out, two-run hits from Carlos Delgado in the third and Paul LoDuca in the fourth to stake Tom Glavine to a 5-0 lead. Glavine allowed a run in the sixth and ducked out of a bases loaded jam to close his night.

#433---NYA @ OAK, 4/3/2006

 Randy Johnson’s Yankee career didn’t leave up to Cy Young expectations, but at least his Opening Day starts were excellent as evidenced in the last two scoresheets. Here his only blemish over seven innings was a homer by fellow future Hall of Famer Frank Thomas, although he only recorded three Ks, all coming in the first two frames. Barry Zito meanwhile was rocked for seven runs in the second, capped by an Alex Rodriguez grand slam. Hideki Matsui added a three-run shot of Kirk Saarloos in the fourth and it was all Bronx Bombers, 15-2. Leading off in his New York debut, Johnny Damon got a whopping seven plate appearances and reached three times. Both teams had young #9 hitters destined for better things in Robinson Cano and Nick Swisher. 

#432---BOS @ NYA, 4/3/2005

 

A number of oddities stand out at the jump for this major league season opener. The defending world champion Red Sox. Randy Johnson pitching for the Yankees. David Wells pitching for the Red Sox. Rueben Sierra batting cleanup for the Yankees. 

New York got four runs in 4 2/3 innings off Wells while Johnson started his Yankee career looking like he might still be in Cy Young form, going six innings and allowing one run on five hits, two walks, and six strikeouts. Hideki Matsui was the game’s standout hitter, going 3-5 with a homer and three runs scored and driven in (one of those runs scored coming on a Wells balk in the third). 

#431---CLE @ CIN, 3/27/2004

This is a Grapefruit League Indians/Reds matchup, something much less common than their frequent Cactus League tilts as co-tenants. The Tribe did not take many regulars to Sarasota and were knocked around 10-2, the worst element being an Ernie Young throwing error that turned Wily Mo Pena’s pinch-hit triple into a little league homer.  

#430---CLE @ KC, 4/4/2003

 

The Royals got four runs off Jason Davis in the third and another tally in the fourth, which was all they would need. The Indians bullpen (Billy Traber, three innings in his MLB debut and Chad Paranto, two innings) shut out the Royals, whose offense consisted of eight singles and five walks. The Indians were stymied by Chris George for 6 2/3 innings, and didn’t do much against their bullpen either, although Matt Lawton did double for the game’s only extra-base hit.

#429---CLE @ DET, 4/7/2002

CC Sabathia took a no-hit bid into the eighth, but Randall Simon lined the first pitch of the inning into center and later scored on an Andre Torres single, Detroit’s only run of the game. They did load the bases with one out in the ninth to bring the tying run to the plate, but Bob Wickman was summoned and got Simon to ground into a double play.

There were four total triples into the spacious Comerica gaps, with the Indians getting them from Matt Lawton, Milton Bradley, and the unlikely Jim Thome.

#428---BAL @ CLE, 4/7/2001

Bartolo Colon (8 IP, 2 R, 7 H, 3 W, 5 K, 101 pitches) and Pat Hentgen (8 IP, 2 R, 6 H, 0 W, 3 K, 107 pitches) were both in fine early season form, and this game went to extras knotted at two. Both teams had chances in the tenth, as Baltimore loaded the bases with two outs before David Segui hit into a fielder’s choice. Cleveland used two walks and a Jerry Hairston error to load them with one out, but Ellis Burks was gunned out at the plate trying to make Jolbert Cabrera’s fly a game-winning sacrifice. In the tenth, Greg Myers doubled home two with a grounder down the right field line off Steve Reed. Obscure Baltimore reliever Ryan Kohlmeier issued two walks to bring Ellis Burks to the plate as the winning run. Burks to this point was 3-3 with a walk (his two run homer had provided the only Tribe tallies), but he struck out to end it.

#427---Harrisburg @ Akron, 9/4/2000

This was a one-game playoff in the Eastern League. There were not many future big leaguers on the field with Aeros starter Danys Baez the most notable. Akron scored a run in the first but it was bad news for the home team from there, with Harrisburg getting two in the third and fourth to knock Baez out. They would make it five straight innings with runs in the fifth-seventh and roll 8-1.

#426---ANA @ CLE, 8/31/1999

 This was wild late ‘90s baseball at its best (childish “Do You Believe in Miracles” scrawling aside). Troy Glaus hit two two-run homers and Tim Salmon one to help stake Anaheim to a 7-4 lead entering the eighth inning. Sean DePaula entered for Cleveland in the eighth making his major league debut and walked three of the five hitters he faced, allowing four runs. The Angels added another and had a seemingly comfortable 12-4 lead, enough so the Indians threw up the white flag by batting Alex Ramirez for Manny Ramirez.

But they did score 1,000 runs on the season. Mark Petkovsek was greeted with five straight hits, making it 12-6 and leaving bases loaded, nobody out for Shigetoshi Hasegawa. He induced two quick popouts but Omar Vizquel singled to make it 12-7. Bases still loaded, two outs, closer Troy Percival in. Robbie Alomar singled in two more to make it 12-9 and stole second on the first pitch to Harold Baines, pinch-hitting for pinch-hitter Alex Ramirez. He singled home two. Jim Thome was walked, likely pitched around. Percival got ahead of Richie Sexson 0-2, then threw a wild pitch to put go ahead run in scoring position. Sexson blasted the next pitch over the wall in left. 14-12 Tribe.

Percival drilled David Justice in the ribs on an 0-1 pitch, leading to Justice charging the mound and throwing his helmet at Percival. They were ejected along with Anaheim skipper Terry Collins. In the ninth, the Angels got two singles with two outs to get the tying runs on base, but Paul Shuey induced Todd Greene (pinch-hitting for Trent Durrington, of whom I have no recollection) to bounce into a fielder’s choice at third.