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It's always something. If it isn't the offense, it's the bullpen. If it isn't the bullpen, it's still the bullpen. Then again, sometimes it's both.
The sins of the Indians' relief corps have been well documented, but until Saturday
the variety of the bullpen's misdeeds had been underestimated.
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Take the Tribe's 5-2 loss to the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Please.
Chad Durbin entered with one out in the ninth inning and Fernando Vina on first,
the score tied 2-2. Before Durbin threw a pitch, he unleashed a throw to first
that rolled far down right field on the wrong side of the foul line.
By the time Jody Gerut recovered the ball, Vina stood safely on third, altering
the course of the game in a lethal way for the Wahoos.
"I was trying to keep the throw at his (Ben Broussard's) chest," Durbin
said. "I guess it got away."
That wasn't the only thing. The game was next.
Durbin was told to walk dangerous Ivan Rodriguez, giving the Tribe a chance
for a double play. But Rondell White ruined the strategy by hitting a 2-and-2
pitch into the seats in left for a three-run homer that won the game.
"It was my best pitch (changeup), and I didn't throw it to the right location,"
Durbin said. "It lacked execution."
This was not the first time White has gotten the best of Durbin. In five at-bats
against him, White has two home runs and a double.
"Usually, I don't play that good against them," White said.
Duh. For his career, White is batting .356 with five homers and 24 RBI in 90
at-bats against the Indians. This year, his numbers are: .393, two homers, 10
RBI, 28 at-bats.
Durbin didn't get much sympathy from Indians manager Eric Wedge for the errant
pickoff throw.
"That can't happen," Wedge said. "With a tie game and one out
in the ninth, you are really up against it."
Because of the way Indians relievers have been throwing away games -- one way
or another -- maybe Durbin was trying just a little too hard.
"I think you try to stick to the game plan and not let any of that in,"
Durbin said, refusing to use the added pressure as an excuse. "Every team
falls into a run like this. We're just having ours early."
One indication of the desperation the Indians might be feeling relates to a
play Omar Vizquel tried in the top of the ninth.
With one out against closer Ugueth Urbina, the Tribe loaded the bases on two
walks and a hit batter. Vizquel was on third when Matt Lawton lifted a pop fly
30 feet into the grass behind the shortstop hole.
Carlos Guillen retreated for the ball, his momentum carrying him farther into
the outfield when he made the catch. Vizquel delayed for an instant then broke
for the plate, his slide almost beating the high throw to Rodriguez.
"I hesitated to make him double clutch, then I went," Vizquel said
of Guillen. "Those are the chances you take when it's a close game. You
try to be creative.
"It was pretty close. I thought I beat the throw at first, because he tagged
me on the shoulder. It's a tough play for the shortstop, because he is still
going back."
Wedge did not criticize Vizquel for trying to steal a run.
"Omar was just trying to catch them back on their heels," the manager
said. "It was an aggressive play. I have no problem with it. I trust Omar.
He has a great feel for things out there."
Maybe the game was lost long before the misadventures of Vizquel and Durbin
in the ninth inning. The Indians had only six hits against starter Nate Robertson
and his successors, but Detroit pitchers issued eight walks and hit a batter.
One or two hits with runners in scoring position would have given the Tribe
the advantage, maybe for good. As it was, the Indians stranded 12 and were 2-for-13
with runners in scoring position.
"That was the difference in the ballgame," Wedge said. "We had
the bases loaded three times with people up there we felt pretty good about.
But we still couldn't get it done."
Actually, the Indians loaded the bases four times (twice in the fifth inning)
but scored only two runs, one on a ground out, the other on Vizquel's infield
single.
Cliff Lee started and gave up two runs in six innings after a shaky first inning,
when he walked two and hit a batter.
"I walked in a run, and that wasn't good," he said.
Walks have been an overriding theme in this series. In the first two games,
the teams combined for 30.