Hafner’s walkoff home run starts new streak for Tribe

Associated Press

Cleveland

Disgusted with himself, Travis Hafner complained to anyone who would listen that he was tired of hitting infield singles, bloops and dribblers.

After a powerless month, Hafner needed a home run — badly.

The Indians needed one, too.

Hafner’s two-out, two-run homer in the ninth inning off Seattle closer Brandon League sent Cleveland to its latest dramatic win, a 5-4 victory on Friday night over the Mariners, the newest victim of the Indians’ late-winning, walk-off ways.

“We’re having a blast,” Hafner said. “This is fun.”

Hafner, who hadn’t homered since April 17, belted an 0-1 pitch from League (0-4) over the center-field fence, sending a crowd of 33,774 fans — the Indians’ second-largest at home this season — into a feverish frenzy. After being mobbed near home plate by his teammates, Hafner leaped into second baseman Orlando Cabrera’s arms and the crowd screamed lyrics to “Cleveland Rocks” as fireworks exploded.

It was Cleveland’s ninth last at-bat win in a season growing more special by the day.

The Indians are an AL-best 24-13, have the majors’ best home mark at 15-4, and their last five wins at Progressive Field have all come in their final swing. The win snapped a two-game losing streak.

Long after the crowd had dispersed, and the ballpark darkened, the giant scoreboard remained lit with this season’s slogan: “What If?”

Tony Sipp (2-0) pitched a perfect 11/3 innings for the win, which came after the Indians dropped two straight to Tampa Bay.

“This felt like a big win,” Hafner said. “After losing the last two games, it was important to get it going again.”

Hafner’s homer spoiled Seattle manager Eric Wedge’s homecoming in Cleveland and was yet another punch-in-the-gut loss for the Mariners, who have lost three of their last four on walk-off hits.

League has been the loser in each of them, and following the game, the right-hander sat and stared into his locker.

“It’s been a tough stretch,” Wedge said. “League was one pitch from finishing it off. You have to handle it and be strong, but that doesn’t make it hurt any less.”