Recap
Box Score
Win Probability Added @ Fangraphs
Highest WPA:
CC Sabathia .763
Franklin Gutierrez .085
Victor Martinez .033
Lowest WPA:
Josh Barfield -.082
Grady Sizemore -.069
Jhonny Peralta -.057
In this case, the win says it all for Sabathia. CC went the distance, and pitched six innings with a one-run lead. There was no offense and no bullpen to help him. Nine innings, eight strikeouts, five hits, and zero walks is a dominant performance no matter how you slice it.
Jorge de la Rosa was a very impressive foil for Sabathia; he was a completely different pitcher from when the last time the Indians saw him. This time around, he could spot all three of his pitches for strikes, and made several good hitters look foolish at times. Methinks Cliff Lee should have taken some notes, as de la Rosa has a very similar repertoire: fastball, curve, and change.
The only run of the game came from an unexpected source: Franklin Gutierrez, making his second start since returning to Cleveland. Franklin's defense has never been an issue; he's so smooth in getting to a ball that you can understand how it might be construed as laziness. The question is whether, in an organization with Grady Sizemore, he can hit enough for a corner outfielder. The Indians need to find that out this year, and to do it, they need to play him.
Next Up: Byrd vs. Bannister, 7:05 PM