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Game Thirty-Nine: Indians 9, Reds 4

Recap
Box Score
Win Probability Added @ Fangraphs

Highest WPA:

Lebron James .428
Grady Sizemore .243
Ryan Garko .216

Lowest WPA:

Cliff Lee -.177
Victor Martinez -.061
Trot Nixon -.029

About that second inning.

Lee started off rocky, hitting the leadoff batter and giving up a bunt single.  Garko then turned what should have been the first out into bases-loaded-no-outs for the Reds.  Don't overlook this next part:  Lee struck out the next batter on four pitches -- an impressive moment of poise that tends to be forgotten when your next act is giving up a bases-clearing triple.

A sac-fly scored a fourth run for the Reds, and it looked like our man might be getting chased.  But remember, the bases got loaded on a HBP, a bunt single and an error -- not because Lee was giving up legit hits or walks.  So while it may have seemed like a miracle when Lee shut down the Reds for the next four innings -- facing the minimum 12 -- Lee was never really that out of it.  He hit a guy, he gave up a triple.  The rest was bad luck.

The bottom of the second, however, was not about bad luck, it was about a slew of hard-hit balls -- two doubles, three outfield singles, a home run and a sac fly -- six runs in all, as the Indians chased yet another starter into a trainwreck, starting yet another series with an early strike into a soft bullpen.

There were eight other innings in this game, in which the Indians outscored the Reds 3-0.  Sizemore scored the first, sixth and ninth runs; he drove in the fifth, eighth and ninth.  Roberto Hernandez dominated with four K's in two perfect innings.

Also, the Cavs are going to the finals.