Tribe set for clincher
GATEHOUSE NEWS SERVICE
CLEVELAND — Win today. The concept has been hammered into the heads of Indians players all season long.
Don’t think about yesterday. Don’t think about tomorrow. Just win today.
Tonight, however, is a wee bit different than just another game against Kansas City in August. There is, in fact, no reason at all to look ahead or behind.
If the Indians “win today” this time, they will be playing in the World Series.
“I know, personally, I can taste the World Series more than I could a few days ago,” third baseman Casey Blake said.
The Indians have taken the last three games from Boston after having lost the opener of the American League Championship Series. A victory tonight at Jacobs Field would finish off the best-of-seven series and pit Cleveland against Colorado.
“I’ve thought about it since I was a little boy, growing up in Louisville, watching the Big Red Machine,” veteran right-hander Paul Byrd said. “It’s why I came here. It’d be an amazing thing if that could happen.”
There is, however, one small catch.
The Red Sox.
“That lineup is so potent, and they have some great pitching,” Byrd said. “We could very easily turn around and lose three if we’re not careful.”
Boston will send Cy Young Award candidate Josh Beckett to the mound tonight against another Cy Young candidate, Cleveland’s C.C. Sabathia. Beckett allowed two runs over six innings during Boston’s 10-3 Game 1 victory. Sabathia was knocked around for eight runs over 4 1/3 innings in that game.
“It’s going to be loud in here, it’s going to be fun,” Sabathia said. “Everybody is going to be excited. But, I’ve been doing a pretty good job of being able to keep my emotions under control, staying even-keel all year. I’ll look to stay calm and stay in control and not try to overthrow and do so much.”
“C.C. is very eager to get out there again,” Blake said.
Neither Sabathia nor Game 2 pitcher Fausto Carmona were at their best, but solid starts by Jake Westbrook and Byrd and opportunistic hitting have allowed the Indians to take command of the series.
“We’d love to do it here at home, but the heartbeat and the pace and the way we play needs to be the same as we’ve been doing all year,” Indians manager Eric Wedge said.
Boston’s pitchers haven’t pitched the way they have all year, perhaps the most surprising aspect of the series so far. Red Sox pitchers have a 6.75 ERA in the four games and the three starters since Beckett haven’t made it out of the fifth inning.
Seven-run innings in both Game 2 and Game 4 allowed the Indians to break open what had been tie games.
“It’s disappointing,” Boston manager Terry Francona said.
“That’s twice now we haven’t been able to put out the fire quickly enough.”
A Boston victory tonight would deprive Indians fans of what would surely be an unrestrained celebration in downtown Cleveland and send the series back to Boston for Game 6.
“This is what Cleveland needs,” right-handed reliever Tom Mastny said.
“People here haven’t had a lot to cheer for. When we win, it’ll give the town something to celebrate.”
“I don’t know if [winning at home] is hugely important,” Indians closer Joe Borowski said. “Would you love to? Of course. But you can’t get ahead of yourself. Let’s win today.”
Now, where have we heard that before?