Saturday, June 28, 2008
C.C. Sabathia struck out 11 while Grady Sizemore hit his 18th home run.
CLEVELAND (AP) — C.C. Sabathia struck out 11 over eight strong innings, including his hero Ken Griffey Jr. three times, to help the Cleveland Indians beat the Cincinnati Reds 6-0 Friday night.
Grady Sizemore hit his 18th homer, drove in three runs and made a spectacular catch as Cleveland won for the first time in four meetings with its intrastate rival this season. The Indians lead the all-time series 30-25, and have won 11 of the last 15 at Progressive Field.
Sabathia (6-8) became the first Indians pitcher since Chuck Finley in 2000 to fan 10 or more in three consecutive starts. The reigning AL Cy Young winner retired 15 in a row between Norris Hopper’s two-out single in the second and Jeff Keppinger’s two-out single in the seventh.
Sabathia gave up four singles and two walks, getting Griffey on a called third strike with two on to end the eighth.
The left-hander is 3-0 with a 1.13 ERA over his last four starts. In 13 starts since April 22, the left-hander is 6-5 with a 1.96 ERA, 104 strikeouts and 18 walks.
Sabathia and Cliff Lee, who fanned 11 against the San Francisco Giants Thursday night, became the first two Indians to strike out 10 or more in consecutive games since Gaylord Perry and Dick Tidrow each struck out 10 Chicago White Sox on July 10-11, 1972.
Sizemore broke up a scoreless game by lining a 1-0 pitch from Daryl Thompson (0-1) over the wall in right with one out in the fifth.
Sizemore also robbed Adam Dunn of extra bases in the first. The Reds’ slugger hit a ball to the deepest part of the ballpark, but Cleveland’s Gold Glove center fielder raced back and, with his back to the infield, made a leaping catch an instant before crashing into the wall just to the left of the 400-foot marker.
Sabathia put both hands atop his head in amazement at the catch, which saved at least a run.
Sabathia walked Griffey and former Indian Brandon Phillips followed with a single to right that likely would have scored Dunn. Sabathia fanned Jay Bruce to end the threat.
Thompson allowed four runs, eight hits and one walk over five-plus innings in his second career start. He stranded runners at second base in each of the first three innings, but wasn’t as fortunate in a five-run sixth, when the first three Indians all reached base and scored.
Thompson walked Jhonny Peralta, who moved up on a single by Shin-Soo Choo and scored on a single by Casey Blake. Kelly Shoppach’s bases-loaded sacrifice fly off Gary Majewski later scored Choo.
Sizemore doubled home two more and scored on Jamey Carroll’s single for a 6-0 lead.