Josh Bard and Franklin Gutierrez probably wishing they could face this guy every night.

8-2 now...

Sore wrist: Outfielder Michael Brantley is not expected to play until Friday as he continues to be hampered by a sore right wrist. If Ezequiel Carrera had reached base in the ninth inning in Monday's 3-2 loss to Seattle, Brantley, the next batter, would not have been able to bat.
Finally: The Indians optioned Luis Valbuena to Class AAA Columbus between games of Tuesday's doubleheader to make room for Zach McAllister, who started the second game. ... Shelley Duncan rejoined the Indians after being put on the Family Medical Emergency list. Josh Judy was optioned to make room.

I guess we should give up on this game. Acta certainly has.

Big fail for McCallister. New pitcher=

I guess Acta was just waiting for McAllister to get his ERA well over 10 before taking him out.

10-2 now...

The MLB tracker on game day showed that Herrmann threw 7 straight 94mph 4 seam fastballs to Pena on that at bat.

Now which team was it we had a big comeback against a decade ago?

Well, we had the bases loaded with one out, down by 5, but couldn't score. This team has gone to the dogs...

Couple of funny lines from Hamilton during the afternoon broadcast:
After reading the plug for "puppypalooza" tonight, he quipped, "Hamster day tomorrow!"
Then followed up with, "I'm just glad they didn't combine Puppypaloooza with dollar dog night!"

Detroit just won another 1 run ballgame. Coke threw over 50 pitches in under 2 innings of work. The Rays had runners on second and third with two out. Zobrist ended it with a 10 pitch at bat. 2-1 Tigers in regulation.

Of course every game of our final 36 is a near must win for those who harbor hopes of a Cleveland Indians 2011 post season.


We have Seattle, Kansas City and Oakland in our next 11 and have a healthy chance of ringing up more wins that Detroit over the span.


And then, we host Detroit for three.


And have three more against Detroit to end the season.

We control our destiny.

One day at a time, but I sure hope we move forward tomorrow.

GAME AT 12:05 TODAY

Hernandez, Tomlin to lock horns in finale

For an Indians team battling for position in the American League Central race, playing an inferior Seattle squad might seem like a simple task.

But it's not all that easy to face a team that is already out of the playoff race and is giving young prospects opportunities. Just ask Cleveland reliever Chad Durbin about the Mariners, who have won two of the first three tilts in this four-game set against the Indians.

"It's hard to face a bunch of hitters that don't have a long track record. You're trying to figure out the scouting report," Durbin said. "Kids make adjustments in two days when you're trying to figure out who they are. You've got scouts telling you, 'He's got this type of swing.' Well, he's changing day in and day out, just like some of our young guys, so they're hard to pitch to.

"They're trying to win spots and they're in survival mode, trying to impress Eric Wedge or their particular team's staff, so this is their playoffs, this run right here when you're in contention."

The Mariners' youth corps did some major damage in Tuesday's day-night doubleheader, putting up 12 runs in the nightcap. Manager Eric Wedge, who likes his team's recent productivity at the plate, said that the younger players are setting the tone.

"That's kind of a dangerous question, but you know what? Yeah, I think they are," Wedge said. "The politically correct answer would be no. But the right answer is yes."

Cleveland is in the midst of an 11-game homestand against sub-.500 teams like Seattle, Kansas City and Oakland.

Mariners: King Felix to start finale
Seattle will try to secure a series win behind the arm of ace righty Felix Hernandez, who was stellar on Friday at Tampa Bay, despite taking a loss.

If Hernandez pitches anything like he did then, the Mariners have to like their chances.

The defending AL Cy Young Award winner gave up just one hit through seven innings against the Rays before surrendering two crucial runs in the eighth frame that proved to be the difference.

But early on, this night was promising for Hernandez.

"It was going to be something special," Hernandez said. "It's part of baseball. It's weird, huh?"

Friday's loss marked Hernandez's fourth complete game this season. He is 11-11 with a 3.38 ERA.

Indians: Tomlin to take ball for Tribe
• Josh Tomlin will take the mound for the Indians in the finale. Wednesday's start marks Tomlin's 26th this season, as the righty is 12-6 with a 4.03 ERA this year. He's coming off a loss on Friday at Detroit, where he gave up four runs on six hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Tomlin is the only pitcher in Major League Baseball since 1919 to last at least 5 innings in each of his first 37 career appearances.

• The occupants of the press box and upper deck at Progressive Field felt Tuesday's earthquake, a tremor of a magnitude 5.8 that sent shockwaves along the East Coast and in parts of the Midwest.

While the boxes shook for about 30 seconds, the players and coaches on the field didn't feel a thing.

"We just thought that it was our fans jumping up and down," Indians manager Manny Acta joked.

Worth noting
• Shin-Soo Choo and his wife welcomed their third child on Tuesday morning. Choo arrived at Progressive Field less than two hours before the first game, then belted a game-winning, three-run home run in the ninth inning to cap a highly emotional day for the Indians rightfielder.

Choo added a solo shot in a losing cause in the nightcap.

• The Mariners have won 11 of their past 17 games in Cleveland and have posted a winning record there for three consecutive seasons.

Chooooooo is not in the lineup today. He hurt his lower back on a check swing?!?