Tribe falters in ninth, foiled by double play

By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
CLEVELAND -- Just before the top of the seventh inning of Monday's game, the Jacobs Field cameramen scanned the crowd with a device called the "Flex Cam."
It took awhile before Tribe fans realized they were supposed to flex their muscles. The Tribe batters had the same problem.
"We had a chance," said Indians outfielder Coco Crisp. "That's all you can ask for."
Of course, if the Indians had a few more hits on Monday, they probably would have had a few more chances. As it was, Ronnie Belliard's inning-ending double play in the ninth cost Cleveland the game -- a 5-4 defeat to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays -- and a chance to make ground on the Chicago White Sox.
"We're not treating these last few games any different than we did at the beginning of the year," said Crisp, who went 1-for-4 with a run scored. "It's been a must-win situation since the first day. It might take a little more time to brush off the losses now, but I'm already more at ease [in the locker room] than I was after the game."
Will need to persevere
The Indians have majored in big wins and got a minor in recovering from tough losses over the past two months, going an American League-best 38-14 over that span. They'll need to do it again.
Cleveland lost back-to-back games for the first time since Sept. 3-4 (against the Twins) and, combined with Chicago's loss on Monday, they are still only two games back in the AL Central race. (Thanks to losses by Boston and New York, Cleveland stayed tied for the wild card lead.)
"The White Sox lost?" Crisp said after the game. "Well, if we lose, we definitely want them to lose. We've just got to come back tomorrow and get somebody."
Tampa Bay ace Scott Kazmir baffled the Tribe hitters for six innings on Monday, giving up just one run on four hits, striking out seven and walking five.
"We just weren't able to get to Kazmir tonight," said Indians manager Eric Wedge. "I thought he was outstanding."
Elarton struggles
Tribe starter Scott Elarton wasn't outstanding. He wasn't even mediocre. He came into Monday's game with a 0.80 ERA in the month of September. He also came in with an 0-2 record and a 14.85 ERA against the Devil Rays this season.
The Tampa tradition won out. Elarton gave up five runs on 10 hits in five innings. The big blow came in the fourth inning when gave up a three-run homer to Julio Lugo to make it 4-0.
"I wish I had the answer," Elarton said of his struggles against the Devil Rays. "Even on the home run, I felt it was the right pitch. I'd probably throw it again.
"For whatever reason, I just have a hard time against these guys."
Trailing 5-1 in the eighth, the Indians scored twice in the eighth (on RBI doubles by Ben Broussard and Casey Blake) and gave themselves a chance to win in the ninth.
How's this for drama: Tampa closer Danys Baez leads the American League in blown saves with eight and the Indians lead the league in come-from-behind victories with 45.
Belliard had his chance
Crisp led off the ninth with a double, Jhonny Peralta walked and Travis Hafner hit into a fielder's choice, leaving runners on first and third. Victor Martinez hit an RBI single to score Crisp, Franklin Gutierrez (who was running for Hafner) moved to third and Belliard had a chance to be a hero.
Instead, he hit into a game-ending double play, sucking the energy out of the crowd of 23,794.
"We did a great job of battling back, we just came up short," said Elarton. "But we're going to battle tomorrow."
The Indians play two more against Tampa Bay before this weekend's crucial season-ending, three-game series against the White Sox.
Tuesday's loss wasn't reason for panic, but worrying seems appropriate. Just don't tell that to the Indians.
"It's another loss, but we never put pressure on ourselves," said Martinez. "We just try to play hard and have fun."
scalzo@vindy.com