To our 9th to face Ichiro, Smoak and Seager.


Chris Perez is now on the mound and throws a first pitch strike to Ichiro.


Kotchman runs to 1st with the grounder to get Ichiro for Out #1

K of Smoak for Out #2.

And pop up for out #3!



We win.

SUPER nice win.

We get a W when Fernandez was masterful.

We take the series, and we gain a game on every team in our division today.

Great win! Tomlin pitched really well.

Sole possession of 2nd place, and 4th best record in the AL. Early yes, but better than many prior starts over the years.

I'll be at our games in Oakland tomorrow night and Saturday night.

Gametime temps in the mid to low 60's, with moderate winds of 5-6 mph blowing out to left. Should be among the warmer trips The Tribe has made to Oakland in recent years. Many prior games for The Indians here have featured heaters in the bullpen area.

I'm front row by the bullpen for both games. I'll be the closest fan to Jimenez when he's doing his bullpen warmup tomorrow night.

I don't always wear Tribe apparel for game attendance....though I do wear the colors. I will have my blue hat, red block "C" tomorrow night, and I'll have a Tribe sweatshirt or jacket should it be needed.

I'm glad I get to see Gomez go for us on Saturday.

Saturday is free Cache Creek casino scratcher night. First 5,000 fans over the age of 18 get a card. One year I won $50, and another I won a pair of tix to a future A's game. Saturday is also Rollie Fingers bobble head night. I guess I'll take one, though I do not collect bobble heads. And Saturday is also a celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the 1972 A's World Series Championship. Many '72 A's will be in attendance. I am actually looking forward to seeing that one.

Tribe Fan in SC/Cali wrote:Choo's reputation and our defense saved us a run in the 2nd tonight. The runner on 2nd decided not to challenge Choo's arm on the follow up single, stopping at 3rd. Choo had to make a turn after fielding the ball and I think the runner would have scored easily had he tried.

Next batter Jack Hannahan vacuumed up a grounder cutting off the shortstop's ball and the quick relay throw (from) 2nd (to first) ended the inning with the Seattle runner stranded.

Nod to the front office, this is a game that our D they've assembled (at most positions) won.....in support of a super effort by Tomlin.

The Donald to Kotchman superb play saved yet another run early.

Kipnis short circuited on his errant throw home, but he'll be fine.

Good D can beat ace performances like Felix Hernandez had going tonight. Seattle could have won that game 3-2, instead of losing it 2-1.

Who has the last laugh now Shapiro. You have crowed about this deal for a decade. Yet of the guys you got for colon-Sizemore is washed up. Phillips was phillipsed and Lee was traded for a sore armed high schooler. Great trade.

kenm, I think it's time to get your medications adjusted.

I eventually watched the first game of the series and mostly came away with these impressions:

Montero does not look like much of a catcher.

Kotchman does not look like much of a hitter.

..............WE WIN!!!

Gotta like Hafner's usage of the opposite field. No more Hafner shift if he continues to go the opposite way. I remember getting "hazed" here last season when I posted that I thought it was a good thing. I know we pay Hafner to hit homers as I was reminded, but opening up the right side of the infield hitting to right field opens up a lot of avenues for Hafner (and the team).

By the way.......anyone know who designed/initiated the "shift" and against whom?

I'm guessing it was no later than Ted Williams.

I've always wondered whether Hafner would be better off with a slightly heavier bat. And Casey Kotchman with a lighter one.

You have the against whom correct, VT'r. Who was the mastermind that came up with that shift?

Do any batters still "choke up" on a bat?

I'd have to watch a Red Sox game, but I think Pedroia might.

The name "Boudreau" popped into my head as well (since the the shift is sometimes named for him) but I wasn't sure the two were connected until I wikipedia'ed it a few minutes ago.

I don't have any evidence that Boudreau was the first to employ such a shift, though. Is he credited with having invented it?

Boudreau is correct!