Game One: 69 Indians 2, 09 Indians 1
WP: McDowell (1-0)
LP: C Lee (0-1)
HR: K Harrelson (1)
Game Two: 69 Indians 1, 09 Indians 0
WP: Tiant (1-0)
LP: Masterson (0-1)
Game Three: 09 Indians 4, 69 Indians 3
WP: Carmona (1-0)
LP: Ellsworth (0-1)
Save: Wood (1)
HR: G Sizemore (1)
Game Four: 09 Indians 10, 69 Indians 3
WP: Laffey (1-0)
LP: Hargan (0-1)
HR: Fuller (1), G Sizemore (2)
Game Five: 69 Indians 5, 09 Indians 1
WP: McDowell (2-0)
LP: C Lee (0-1)
HR: Choo (1), Hinton (1)
Game Six: 09 Indians 8, 69 Indians 3
WP: Lewis (1-0)
LP: Tiant (1-1)
HR: Garko (1)
Game Seven: 09 Indians 5, 69 Indians 4
WP: Sipp (1-0)
LP: S Williams (0-1)
HR: Choo (2), Baker (1)
Save: Wood (2)
The 2009 Cleveland Indians lost the first two games of the series -- at home, no less -- but still managed to advance.
Sudden Sam McDowell overpowered the 09 Tribe in the opener, The home team scratched out a first inning run on two singles and a grounder, but McDowell went the distance on a five-hitter, walking two and fanning nine. Hawk Harrelson homered for one run and singled home the other.
Luis Tiant outdueled Justin Masterson in a classic Game Two. The sole run came in the third inning. Larry Brown reached on an error by Luis Valbuena to lead off the frame. Jose Cardenal singled Brown to third. Masterson induced a double-play grounder from Lou Klimchock, with Brown scoring. And that was it; El Tiante scattered nine hits in another complete game, this one a shutout.
The series shifted to 1969 and the "Mistake by the Lake," Municipal Stadium, for Game Three. The two teams traded first inning runs -- Grady Sizemore homering, Klimchock tripling and scoring on Tony Horton's sac fly -- but the 09 Tribe scored twice in the second off Dick Ellsworth and were never caught. Russ Snyder doubled home a run with two outs in the sixth inning, but Sizemore threw out Duke Sims at the plate in a pivotal play.
Game Four was the first blowout. The 09 Indians scored twice in the first inning and three more in the third, on three doubles (two from Asdrubal Cabrera), a triple, two singles, a walk, a stolen base and an error. Steve Hargan retired 10 in a row after that for the 69ers, but it was too big a deficit. Sizemore hit a grand slam in the eighth off Mike Paul. Mickey Brantley and Cabrera had two RBIs apiece. Vern Fuller had three hits, two runs and two RBIs for the 1969 team, including a homer.
With the series tied, McDowell came through again for the 1969 Indians. This time he went eight innings of one-run ball, allowing six hits. Shin-Soo Choo reached him for a solo homer in the sixth. McDowell's teammates scored four runs off Cliff Lee, with most of the damage coming from the bottom of the order. Max Alvis scored twice, Fuller had three singles and Brown doubled home a run. Snyder had a pinch-hit homer off Joe Smith in the eighth.
Tiant appeared to have the 1969 team headed to the second round early in Game Six. Masterson wild-pitched runs home in the second and third innings, but the visitors left four men in scoring position in both innings. Tiant held a 3-1 lead going into the bottom of the sixth. Choo led off with a double. One out later, Ryan Garko homered to tie the score. An out later, Andy Marte doubled. Snyder committed a one-base error on Kelly Stoppach's ball, and Sizemore put the home team ahead with a base hit. Valbuena doubled home two more runs in the seventh as the 09ers pulled away.
The two teams exchanged solo homers in the second inning of Game Seven -- Frank Baker for the 69ers, Choo for the 09ers -- and the home team strung together four singles and a walk for two runs in the third. Fuller doubled for two runs and a tie in the top of the sixth, while Horacio Pina tossed 3.1 shutout innings in relief of Ellsworth to keep the 1969 team in the contest,
Stan Williams relieved Pina to start the bottom of the eighth. Mark DeRosa led off with an infield single that Klimchock compounded with a two-base error. Brantley singled DeRosa home for the lead, then stole second and scored on Jamie Carroll's base hit. The 09 team needed that second run, as Sims singled home Jose Cardenal in the top of the ninth off Kerry Wood, but Wood fanned Harrelson to wrap up the contest.
Player of the series: I'll give it to McDowell for his two brilliant starts in a losing cause.
Player availability: Travis Hafner is injured, If active for the second round, he can't play until Game Six. Masteron cannot pitch until Game Three.
Projected rotation: Lee-Laffey-Masterson-Jeremy Sowers-(Lee)-(Laffey)-(Masterson)
