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Redemption: Red Sox Roll to Game 7
Red Sox right fielder J.D. Drew celebrates his first inning grand slam, a four-run blast that set the tone for Boston's Game 6 rout of the Indians. The teams play tonight in an ALCS-deciding Game 7.
(Shaun Best - Reuters)
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"I told [DeMuth] he missed a lot of pitches that really changed the game," Martinez said. "The first pitch [to Drew] was huge. That pitch was right there, and unfortunately we didn't get the call."
[an error occurred while processing this directive]All of a sudden, the Indians have seen many of their most dependable players disappear. In the regular season, Sabathia and Carmona combined to go 38-15 with a 3.14 ERA. In a combined six starts this postseason, however, they are 1-3 with an 8.01 ERA. Designated hitter Travis Hafner has gone from a feared slugger to a lost soul who went 15 straight plate appearances without hitting a ball out of the infield before flying out in the ninth.
Worse, they suffered a defensive breakdown Saturday night during an ugly third inning in which they made two errors, botched a rundown and set the stage for Carmona's exit -- which came after an RBI single by Drew. Three batters later, Lugo ripped a two-run double off reliever Rafael Perez, and the Red Sox were on their way to a six-run inning that broke the game open.
"It just has to stop," Indians Manager Eric Wedge said, "and it has to stop tonight. They need to go to bed tonight with clear heads, and think good thoughts, and come here [Sunday] expecting to win."
Drew strode to the plate in the first inning with the bases loaded and two outs. Already labeled a failure in Boston less than one year into the five-year, $70 million deal, he had been benched twice in this series. Nobody needed a big hit more than him. And on a 3-1 pitch from Carmona, Drew hit a rocket to deep center field. As the ball cleared the 18-foot-high fence, Drew, often criticized for the emotionless, robotic way in which he plays the game, made the subtlest of gestures, a clenched fist, held in front of his chest for no more than a second as he rounded the bases.
There would be eight more innings, but Game 7 already was coming into view, and Sunday night it will be here. Kevin Millar, 2004 stalwart and current Baltimore Oriole, will throw out the first pitch. (Apparently, Johnny Damon was not available.) There will be dog-tired starting pitchers in the bullpen begging to pitch.
There will be champagne sprayed, a league champion crowned.
"We go home, or they go home," Lugo said late Saturday night. "And we're not expecting to go home."
