Windians!

I'm not even going to TELL you again how awesome Asdrubal Cabrera is. You MUST know by now, right?

I hope you're not sitting around thinking "boy, if only our 'star' players were in the lineup then we could have a shot at beating the Red Sox..." BUT NOW YOU KNOW! Our star players are already here! Tell your friends!

Some numbers for Asdrubal just for tonight: 10th home run, 10th double, 33rd and 34th RBI, 8 hits in his last 9 at-bats, .312 batting average,  2 stolen bases in the last 2 games.

The Indians have beat the Red Sox 4 out of 4 this year. The Red Sox are the "hottest team in America" coming in to tonight, winning 8 of their last 9. They moved from last place to 2nd since we last saw them in April to 2nd.

The Indians, at 30-15, are the best team in baseball. The only team in the AL with a winning percentage over .600.

What do we think about all this, Lillian D. from Washington D.C.?

Wahooooooo!

Michael Brantley, what a STUD! (Still nicknamed Dr. Smooth...) How much do we love this guy batting first? Yes, we still love Grady with ALL OUR HEARTS! But he is not here and Brantley is and Brantley is getting hits when it matters. Almost half of his hits have come with two outs, cleaning up after the end of the order and also getting on for Asdrubal and Choo to get him in. And if he's down in the 6- or 7-spot when Grady comes back? Just as valuable.

Man that'll be great when we get Grady back, and Hafner back.


Kearns is getting back into a groove like I said he would. Just needed some more at-bats. He's got 8 hits in the last 10 games. Exactly what we need to see from guys filling in.

How's this for a cool call? Acta got tossed out of the game for arguing a call in the 8th. In the bottom of the 8th, after Hannahan got a hit, replacement-manager-and-bench-coach Tim Tolman put Everett in to pinch run. Everett is slightly faster than Hannahan. Everett comes around to score - barely. Slightly faster than Hannahan would. Even our COACHING lineup is deep!

Justin Masterson! Gave us 7.2 innings, three strikeouts, a fancy-assed catch on the mound and even was involved in a controversial play at first (that got Acta tossed).

Nice group pitching effort in the 8th. Masterson, Raffi and Smith combined to get the Red Sox 1-5 hitters. Smith got the W.

Chris Perez, and his beard, got Carl Crawford to ground in to a DP to end the game in the 9th. Carl Crawford is a speedy mofo and has not grounded into a double play in 180 at bats. Save #13 for Perez.

That double play was a great one by Dos Cabreras. Orlando looked spectacular again tonight. Everyone doing their part...

Even the great crowd out there tonight, honest. It truly sounded like a Tribe game instead of an away game like it usually is when Boston is in town. And sitting in the rain? YOU GUYS ROCK! Obviously I did not make it to the game...I'm sort of stuck here with my dog when there's a storm. The dog did great tonight during the storm, by the way. She must be inspired by good baseball! Perhaps Hammy and Hegan soothe her? Or, I finally got the Xanax dosed correctly.

I knew it was going to be a good night when I felt a drop of rain the minute I was done mowing the lawn. It was serendipity.

Oh hey, did you know the game was on national TV tonight, on ESPN2? (Blacked out in CLE, of course). Yeah...basically everyone on the east coast now knows how serious we are. SERIOUS AS A HEART ATTACK!

Tomorrow is going to be dicey, facing Josh. Beckett. But we're on fire, we've got the wind at our backs. If we win tomorrow it will be a thing of beauty. I can't WAIT!!! It's supposed to be rainy but think good thoughts. Too bad ESPN2 won't be there again - I have a feeling they played a part in keeping this one going.

See you tomorrow!

Radio Chatter:
"He is having an MVP-type season."
- Tom Hamilton after Asdrubal's 6th hit in a row

"It's amazing how much velocity Asdrubal Cabrera gets on a throw with both feet off the ground."
- Tom Hamilton

"Clay Buchholz tonight acts like he gets paid by the hour."
- Tom Hamilton on the Red Sox pitcher's slowness

"How about that? If Jack stays on the bag, it's a tie ballgame."
- Mike Hegan after Hannahan caught stealing and Kearns' double in the 5th

"One of the Boston folks was saying tonight that the Red Sox would give anything to get Justin Masterson back."
- Tom Hamilton

"We've not seen Manny Acta this upset in all his time with the Indians."
- Tom Hamilton after Acta got thrown out in the 8th

"What a job by Masterson. He gets a standing ovation and he should."
- Tom Hamilton on Masterson's exit

"That wind, howling out towards right field. That makes everyone a home-run-hitter if you hit it out to right field."
- Tom Hamilton

"Welp, no such thing as a routine 9th inning."
- Tom Hamilton