Pitching woes continue in loss

Boston battled back from a 4-2 deficit to win, 8-6.
By ERIC HAMILTON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
CLEVELAND -- During the Cleveland Indians' eight-game homestand, promotional giveaways will include Grady Sizemore bobbleheads, umbrellas and scratch-off lottery tickets.
If Tuesday's game against the Boston Red Sox is any indication, the Indians might give away a few victories as well.
Cleveland's pitching woes continued as Jake Westbrook labored through five innings and the injury-riddled bullpen blew another lead and Boston rallied for an 8-6 victory at Jacobs Field.
Falling behind 4-2 after three, Boston battered four Cleveland relievers for six runs, including a three-run homer by Manny Ramirez in the eighth inning to put the Red Sox ahead to stay at 8-5.
Came up short
Cleveland rallied for a run in the eighth to make it 8-6, but Sizemore struck out with two runners on to thwart the comeback bid.
"They are a good hitting ball club over there," Cleveland manager Eric Wedge said. "We had the lead in the seventh inning but Ortiz tied the game with a solo shot and then Manny got something he could drive and it got out of here."
The bullpen implosion began in the sixth as Jason Davis surrendered a Kevin Youkilis sacrifice fly as Boston got to within 4-3.
Scott Sauerbeck came on in relief in the seventh, but didn't stick around long. Ortiz greeted him with a solo home run to right-center on the first pitch to tie the game at 4-4.
After the blast, Sauerbeck was lifted in favor of Guillermo Mota. The righthander allowed two singles and a walk as Boston seized a 5-4 lead on an RBI-single by Mike Lowell.
The Indians had tied the game at 5-5 in the bottom of the seventh inning on Casey Blake's leadoff double and Grady Sizemore's RBI-single.
But Youkilis ripped a one-out single and stole second to get Boston started again. After a flyout, Mota intentionally walked David Ortiz to set up a force play.
Tribe pays
The move didn't pay off as Ramirez slammed a 1-0 pitch over the wall in right-center field to put the Red Sox in front 8-5.
"Ortiz hit the solo shot and we had the base open, so we figured we'd let Guillermo go after Manny," said Wedge on his decision in the eighth inning. "He was just able to pull it the opposite way."
Westbrook fought through five innings, allowing two runs on six hits and tied a career-high with six walks. Despite struggling with his control, he surrendered just the two runs and stranded seven Red Sox runners. He gave way to Davis in the sixth with a 4-2 lead.
Boston took advantage of two Westbrook walks in the second, as Mark Loretta ripped a two-out single up the middle to score Jason Varitek and Willie Harris, giving the Red Sox a 2-0 advantage.
"I was pretty erratic in the beginning, but I think I made some big pitches when I needed to and only gave up two runs," Westbrook said. "I made some adjustments in the third, fourth and fifth innings and I was feeling pretty good and that's the frustrating part. We just have to put the day behind us and come out again tomorrow."
Ben Broussard tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the second with a two-run homer to right center field, driving in Victor Martinez who reached on a walk.
Thanks to a Boston base-running blunder, Westbrook got out of the third unscathed. After Ramirez and Varitek singled, Ramirez was caught in a rundown between second and third. During the rundown, Jason Varitek was tagged out at second trying to steal for the first out and Ramirez was gunned down at third to complete the double play and end the inning.
Early runs
The Indians took their first lead of the game in the home half of the third. Sizemore ripped Cleveland's first triple of the season to right-center field with one out. Jason Michaels followed with an RBI-single to right to give the home team a 3-2 advantage.
Travis Hafner padded the advantage to 4-2, driving home Michaels with a double on an 0-2 pitch.
"We had the lead going into the seventh inning, but they are a good hitting ball club and they did what they had to do," Wedge said. "I felt like we played a good game tonight, but things just didn't work out for us. We have to work on finishing things off."