Justin Masterson Is Just So Good

That's all you can say about today's game. Justin Masterson is just so good. Not only is he good at striking guys out (a new trick this year - he's known as a ground ball pitcher), and good at not giving up runs. I can't really say he's good at getting out of jams because he doesn't get in to them (except for today, where he did get into one and he did get out of it)!

Tonight was his 3rd 1-0 win of the season (first since Swindell in the 80s). In a game where he was going up against an All-Star pitcher with an under-3 ERA (who was only going to give up 3 hits to the Tribe), Masterson needed to be solid as a rock - and he was! He got 8 strikeouts, which is totally normal for him anymore. He only gave up 5 hits, which were spread out over 4 different innings. Just one walk! No runs, don't forget. Once again, he gave up no runs.

The thing he is best at is going long! Which is as good as not giving up any runs, with the way our bullpen works. Do you follow me? Masterson went 8 2/3 today, and Joe Smith came in and Beltrae hit one to the wall but PHEW! It was an out!

Chris Perez matched himself up with Masterson, managing not to mar the beautiful performance. He did it - another 1-2-3 inning which is becoming way more normal for him these days. Oy, Perez! I still like that guy. He got his 14th save, which is cool - he should pull out 20 by the end of this rocky season.

I miss him talking on Twitter and to the media, tho. Glad he's getting his job done at least.

Take a moment to think about, again, how good Justin Masterson has been for us this year! I'll wait.

Masterson has always been a dude we could count on for a nice tight game, but he had problems with run support and last year he wasn't ace-level good. This year he's getting the run support he needs and when he doesn't get it, he doesn't need it!

Speaking of run support - only one guy got to Yu Darvish today. It was Michael Bourn, of all people, who hit a home run in his first (and the team's first) at-bat. That's two homers for Bourn in one week! (Recall his recent grand slam)

Bourn had a good game altogether, going 1 for 2 with that homer and 2 walks. Think Yu is a little scared of him or something?!

Asdrubal went 1 for 4 and stole 2 bases. Brantley went 1 for 4 and stole a base! SANTANA walked and stole his second base of the year. Ha!

Props to Jason Giambi who gave the ball a ride twice in the 6th - one just foul and one just in play. He was about to make the game 4-0.

Isn't it fun that we can look forward to Justin pitching again in 5 days? Woohoo!

Tomorrow the series wraps up at 1:05. It'll be Ubaldo versus RHP 3.13. The Tribe needs to get back on the hit horse tomorrow for sure. Ubaldo is doing well too but more like 2- or 3-run well and the guys need to make up the difference! I could really use a nice Sunday win....

See you there!

Radio Chatter:
"I look like one of the guys from Dumb & Dumber when I wear my tux."
- Tom Hamilton

"This is like a little league game. The only guys for Texas involved are Yu Darvish and catcher Giovani Soto."
- Tom Hamilton

"This game has been everything it promised to be."
- Tom Hamilton

"Time for the keys to the game. There's one key - Justin Masterson."
- Tom Hamilton