Recap
Box Score
Win Probability Graph @ Fangraphs
Highest WPA:
Victor Martinez .307
Joe Borowski .174
Grady Sizemore .116
Lowest WPA:
Cliff Lee -.183
Trot Nixon -.112
Jhonny Peralta -.075
Four-run deficits aren't a big deal to this team nowadays; the way these guys are playing, I expected them to erase it in short order.
Cliff Lee pitched like you'd expect a pitcher making his season debut would, though he did surpass my expectations by pitching six full innings. His command was off within the strike zone, as evidenced by his hit totals. Hitters will generally tell you by their swings how good a pitcher is pitching, and Toronto's lineup hit Lee hard when he missed, pounding out 5 extra-base hits, including a Troy Glaus home run. It'll probably take a couple more starts for Cliff to really get settled in.
When Lee left the game, the score was tied at 5. The Indians' bullpen held the Jays hitless through the last three innings, giving the offense a chance to win the game. And the bats did just that in the eighth, when they got three consecutive base hits off of Jason Frasor. The culminating hit was a Grady Sizemore double to right center, plating Mike Rouse. Because Vernon Wells was sidelined with flu-like symptoms, Alex Rios, a very good right fielder, moved over to center, and Matt Stairs took over in right. I'm not sure whether Rios would have gotten to Sizemore's double, but it would have been a much closer play if he had been in right.
Joe Borowski set the Jays down in order the next inning to preserve the victory. Joe's now struck out 17 in 13 innings of work.
Next Up: The Indians travel to Baltimore to begin a 10-game road trip. Byrd vs. Bedard, 7:05 PM