Boston Meltdown: Tribe Crumble in Game 6

Cleveland Indians pitcher Fausto Carmona stands on the mound after walking Boston Red Sox's Mike Lowell in the third inning of Game 6 of the American League Championship baseball series Saturday, Oct. 20, 2007, at Fenway Park in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) (Charles Krupa - AP)

That's one Boston landmark the Indians didn't want to see this weekend.

Westbrook, who beat the Red Sox in Game 3, has a chance to make this Game 6 disaster disappear.

"It's going to be a challenge and definitely a lot of emotions," Westbrook said. "I'm excited about the opportunity."

Carmona's night was over early.

The right-hander gave up J.D. Drew's grand slam in the first, a tone-setting shot that came after the Red Sox loaded the bases on two infield singles and a walk to David Ortiz. Carmona nearly worked out of trouble, striking out Manny Ramirez and getting Mike Lowell to fly to right.

But Carmona, who felt his first pitch to Drew was a strike _ plate umpire Dana DeMuth called it a ball _ grooved a 3-1 fastball to Drew, whose homer barely cleared the towering wall in center to make it 4-0 and raised Red Sox Nation's feverish pitch. From all corners of the famed "yahd" came the mocking chants of "Faust-o! Faust-o!"

Indians manager Eric Wedge wasn't about to complain about DeMuth's calls. If anything was tight, it was the Indians.

"We weren't exactly pounding the zone," he said.

Carmona's two-plus innings was his shortest outing since June 27 _ 19 starts and countless pitches ago. The Indians would never admit it, but Carmona, who dominated the New York Yankees in the opening round, could be gassed.

He has pitched 230 innings, almost 60 more than the 23-year-old has ever thrown before.

"He almost worked through that (first) inning," Wedge said, "and J.D. got him. Then things just sort of dominoed on him from there."

Victor Martinez's leadoff homer in the second off Curt Schilling cut it to 4-1 and could have sparked the Indians, but Carmona and his teammates came unglued during a comical third inning when the Red Sox scored six times.

Carmona walked Ramirez and Lowell to open the inning and it wasn't long before the Red Sox looked like they were playing a game of "running bases" in the backyard.

At one point, the Indians had Kevin Youkilis hung up in a rundown but rookie second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera bonked the ball of the Boston first baseman's helmet as a run scored. On the next play, first baseman Ryan Garko fielded a grounder but threw wildly to second for another miscue.

Down nine, the Indians sat in their cramped dugout wishing the night would end.

By then, Game 6 was history and unless they can win Game 7, they will be, too.

"We have to bounce back," Martinez said, "or we'll take our suitcases and go home."