Indians Keep Rolling 7s: Big Inning Carries Cleveland to 3-1 Lead

Oct 17, 07:57 AM

Current Headlines: By Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune

Oct. 17--CLEVELAND -- Cleveland starter Paul Byrd was engaged in a scoreless duel with Tim Wakefield in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series on Tuesday, knowing the slightest mistake could cost him the game.

But Cleveland suddenly broke through with a seven-run fifth inning off Wakefield and reliever Manny Delcarman, vaulting the Indians to a 7-3 win over Boston and a commanding 3-1 lead in the series.

In the blink of an eye, the Indians were one win away from a World Series matchup against Colorado.

Casey Blake's leadoff homer started off the fateful fifth, and Jhonny Peralta added a three-run shot to make it 6-0, leaving Byrd in a state of shock on the Indians' bench.

"I wasn't expecting many runs," Byrd said. "And the next thing you know, we have seven."

It was the second time in three games that Boston pitchers had given up seven runs in an inning, proving that Cleveland's quick-strike offense can click any time, anywhere.

"Once the runs started going, it kept going," Kenny Lofton said. "And we just kept pouring it on."

The Red Sox will send Josh Beckett up against C.C. Sabathia in Game 5 on Thursday, hoping to stave off elimination. The last time Beckett started an elimination game, with Florida trailing the Cubs 3-1 in Game 5 of the 2003 NLCS, he dominated from the outset and sparked a memorable comeback that resulted in a seven-game series win and an eventual world championship for the Marlins.

If Boston is to pull off a miracle, Beckett will have to repeat his '03 heroics.

Wakefield was in control through the first four innings, pitching on the fourth anniversary of one of his most notorious appearances, Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS. That was the night he served up the game-winning home run to the Yankees' Aaron Boone in the 11th inning, ending the Red Sox's season.

Wakefield's knuckler was dancing and dipping with elan in the early going on Tuesday. He struck out four hitters through the first two innings, and held the Indians hitless until Peralta doubled with two outs in the fourth.

But when Blake led off the fifth with a home run to left, it started an avalanche of runs.

With runners on the corners and one out, it appeared as though Wakefield might escape further damage when he induced Asdrubal Cabrera to pop up into foul territory behind first base.

But Kevin Youkilis dropped the ball after a brief juggling act, and Cabrera followed with a soft liner that glanced off Wakefield's outstretched glove for an infield hit, scoring the second run.

Wakefield said he thought he could catch the liner and start a double play, while second baseman Dustin Pedroia felt that if Wakefield had let it go, he could've started a double play on his own.

That one play started a nightmare for the Red Sox.

Victor Martinez's two-out, RBI single made it 3-0, before Delcarmen entered and gave up a three-run home run to Peralta.

The Indians added one more run in a 48-pitch inning, sending 12 batters to the plate and tying the franchise record for most runs in an inning in a postseason game, set on Saturday night in the 11th inning of Game 2, a 13-6 win at Fenway Park.

After Byrd spent 35 minutes in the dugout during the rally, he served up back-to-back home runs to Youkilis and David Ortiz, then Jensen Lewis made it a trifecta, giving up a long homer to Manny Ramirez.

But Lewis and Rafel Betancourt shut down the Red Sox thereafter, and the Indians were one win from their first World Series since 1997.

"The thing about the Indians is it's not just one guy," center fielder Grady Sizemore said. "There's a bunch of core guys in here that are working together.

"They've done a good job of bringing guys up from the farm system, guys that have played together and gone through the rough times together, and now it's paying off."

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psullivan@tribune.com

GAME 5: 7:21 p.m. Thursday, WFLD-Ch. 32

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