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Indians rally late to end tough week
Photo
The Indians’ Nick Swisher celebrates his two-run home run off Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Jerome Williams in the sixth inning of Sunday’s game in Cleveland. The Indians edged the Angels, 6-5, to avoid the sweep.
Associated Press
CLEVELAND
Leave it to Nick Swisher, a man of many words, to come up with the best explanation after the Cleveland Indians broke their six-game losing streak with a 6-5 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday.
“It didn’t matter how we got it,” he said, shaking his head. “That’s a much-needed win, not only for us but for our fans. It’s crazy how this game works.”
No one would disagree with Swisher’s assessment.
The comeback from a five-run deficit helped the Indians avoid their first 0-7 homestand since Aug. 27-Sept. 2, 1990, and took some of the sting out of what had been a disastrous week.
Cleveland lost the first six games on its biggest homestand of the season and appeared well on its way to No. 7.
“It’s been a rough week,” Swisher said. “This is huge for us.”
Michael Bourn drove in the go-ahead run with a seventh-inning single.
The Indians, held to one hit through five innings, got back in the game in the sixth on two-run homers by Swisher and Mike Aviles, who entered the game in the third after shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera was ejected.
Carlos Santana’s leadoff homer in the seventh off J.C. Gutierrez (0-3) tied the game. Lonnie Chisenhall drew a one-out walk and moved to second on Drew Stubbs’ single. Nick Maronde relieved, but Bourn lined his first pitch to left field, giving Cleveland the lead.
“I can’t really explain it to you,” Bourn said of the comeback. “We never gave up.”
For five innings, it looked as if the Indians were about to go winless on the homestand. Justin Masterson allowed five runs in 41/3 innings and Cleveland’s hitters were completely baffled by Angels starter Jerome Williams.
“The one thing we did was we kept playing,” manager Terry Francona said. “That’s the kind of team we have to be.”
Matt Albers (3-1) pitched 12/3 innings and Chris Perez recorded his 18th save as the Indians’ bullpen threw 42/3 scoreless innings.
Perez, who allowed four runs in the ninth to blow a save against Detroit in the first game of the homestand Monday, retired the side in order in the ninth.
The Indians had won 10 of 11 and were only three games behind Detroit in the American League Central when the week began, but were swept in a four-game series against the Tigers and lost the first two games to the Angels.
The Indians, who were outscored 42-21 on the homestand, trail Detroit by seven games as they begin a nine-game road trip that takes them to Minnesota, Oakland and Anaheim, Calif.
Francona admitted he had a meeting with his players following Saturday night’s 7-2 loss, a game in which the Indians committed a season-high four errors. His message centered on the proper way to deal with frustration when things are going poorly.
“We can’t just show up,” Francona said. “We have to find a way to be better than the other team and play nine innings.”
The Indians looked sloppy and frustrated in the early going. Cabrera, who failed to make two plays in the second, was ejected in the bottom of the inning for arguing a strike call. Aviles replaced Cabrera at shortstop and made a throwing error in the fourth.
Josh Hamilton’s RBI single and Mark Trumbo’s run-scoring groundout in first gave the Angels a 2-0 lead. Mike Trout drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single in the second for the Angels, who came into town with a four-game losing streak.
Williams was in complete control going into the sixth. He retired 10 in a row before Bourn singled with two outs. Swisher’s drive cleared the wall in left and cut the lead to 5-2. After Jason Kipnis walked, Aviles homered into the bleachers in left, which finished Williams.