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August 11. 2012 9:35PM
Lillibridge victimizes Sox in 5-2 Indians win
CLEVELAND -- Brent Lillibridge and Zach McAllister, neither of whom were on Cleveland's roster on opening day, were both in the starting lineup and played key roles Saturday night as the Indians beat the Boston Red Sox 5-2.
Lillibridge -- acquired in a trade with Boston on July 24 -- had three of the Indians' six hits, including a double and a home run, drove in two of their runs and scored two runs.
McAllister, who started the season at Triple-A Columbus, held the Red Sox to two runs on three hits in a career-high eight innings, to improve his record to 5-4.
After getting just two hits in a 3-2 loss Friday night, the Indians were held to six hits on Saturday, but that was enough.
Lillibridge belted a solo home run off Boston starter Franklin Morales in the third inning and added an RBI single in the fifth.
The Indians broke a 2-2 tie in the sixth inning. Asdrubal Cabrera drew a one-out walk and Morales hit Shin-Soo Choo with a pitch. Choo and Cabrera then executed a double steal that set up a sacrifice fly by Michael Brantley that gave Cleveland a 3-2 lead.
The Indians made it 4-2 in the seventh inning in a rally started by Lillibridge, who led off the inning with a double off reliever Mark Melancon.
Lillibridge went to third on a groundout by Casey Kotchman, and then Lillibridge scored on a perfectly executed squeeze bunt by Lou Marson to make it 4-2.
The Indians added an insurance run in the ninth inning, when Carlos Santa doubled and scored on a two-out single by Ezequiel Carrera off Craig Breslow.
McAllister, in the best of his 13 starts for the Indians this year, faced the minimum three batters in seven of the eight innings he pitched. He struck out four and didn't walk a batter, the sixth time in his 13 starts he has walked one or no batters.
Chris Perez pitched the ninth to earn his 31st save.
McAllister sailed through the first three innings, retiring all nine batters he faced, but two infield misplays in the fourth inning led to two Boston runs.
Jacoby Ellsbury led off the fourth inning by lining a double into the gap in left-center field. Carl Crawford then laid down a sacrifice bunt between the pitcher's mound and the third-base line.
McAllister fielded it and initially looked to make a throw to third, but third baseman Lillibridge also came in on the ball. With nobody to throw to at third, McAllister wheeled and threw to first, but not in time to get the speedy Crawford.
Dustin Pedroia then hit a soft grounder to Lillibridge, on the infield grass. Ellsbury, who advanced to third on Crawford's ball, strayed part way down the third-base line. Lillibridge froze, started toward Ellsbury, then had no play anywhere as Ellsbury quickly got back to third.
With the bases loaded, Adrian Gonzalez bounced a double off the left-field wall, scoring Ellsbury and Crawford and giving Boston a 2-1 lead.
The Indians, however, tied it in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single by Lillibridge.
Notes: Middlebrooks to DL
Boston third baseman Will Middlebrooks was placed on the disabled list Saturday after suffering a broken bone in his right hand in Friday's game. Middlebrooks was hit in the hand in the ninth inning by a pitch from Esmil Rogers. Third baseman Danny Valencia, acquired recently in a trade with Minnesota, was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket to replace Middlebrooks on the roster. Valencia didn't make it to Cleveland by game time so Pedro Ciriaco started at third base. ... Cleveland manager Manny Acta confirmed that pitcher Roberto Hernandez will be activated and make his first start for the Indians on Wednesday vs. the Angels in Anaheim. Hernandez has finished serving a three-week suspension from Major League Baseball, the result of him being arrested for identity theft in his native Dominican Republic during the offseason. ... Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis missed his third consecutive game with a stiff neck. Acta said Kipnis will also not play Sunday.
Lillibridge -- acquired in a trade with Boston on July 24 -- had three of the Indians' six hits, including a double and a home run, drove in two of their runs and scored two runs.
McAllister, who started the season at Triple-A Columbus, held the Red Sox to two runs on three hits in a career-high eight innings, to improve his record to 5-4.
After getting just two hits in a 3-2 loss Friday night, the Indians were held to six hits on Saturday, but that was enough.
Lillibridge belted a solo home run off Boston starter Franklin Morales in the third inning and added an RBI single in the fifth.
The Indians broke a 2-2 tie in the sixth inning. Asdrubal Cabrera drew a one-out walk and Morales hit Shin-Soo Choo with a pitch. Choo and Cabrera then executed a double steal that set up a sacrifice fly by Michael Brantley that gave Cleveland a 3-2 lead.
The Indians made it 4-2 in the seventh inning in a rally started by Lillibridge, who led off the inning with a double off reliever Mark Melancon.
Lillibridge went to third on a groundout by Casey Kotchman, and then Lillibridge scored on a perfectly executed squeeze bunt by Lou Marson to make it 4-2.
The Indians added an insurance run in the ninth inning, when Carlos Santa doubled and scored on a two-out single by Ezequiel Carrera off Craig Breslow.
McAllister, in the best of his 13 starts for the Indians this year, faced the minimum three batters in seven of the eight innings he pitched. He struck out four and didn't walk a batter, the sixth time in his 13 starts he has walked one or no batters.
Chris Perez pitched the ninth to earn his 31st save.
McAllister sailed through the first three innings, retiring all nine batters he faced, but two infield misplays in the fourth inning led to two Boston runs.
Jacoby Ellsbury led off the fourth inning by lining a double into the gap in left-center field. Carl Crawford then laid down a sacrifice bunt between the pitcher's mound and the third-base line.
McAllister fielded it and initially looked to make a throw to third, but third baseman Lillibridge also came in on the ball. With nobody to throw to at third, McAllister wheeled and threw to first, but not in time to get the speedy Crawford.
Dustin Pedroia then hit a soft grounder to Lillibridge, on the infield grass. Ellsbury, who advanced to third on Crawford's ball, strayed part way down the third-base line. Lillibridge froze, started toward Ellsbury, then had no play anywhere as Ellsbury quickly got back to third.
With the bases loaded, Adrian Gonzalez bounced a double off the left-field wall, scoring Ellsbury and Crawford and giving Boston a 2-1 lead.
The Indians, however, tied it in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single by Lillibridge.
Notes: Middlebrooks to DL
Boston third baseman Will Middlebrooks was placed on the disabled list Saturday after suffering a broken bone in his right hand in Friday's game. Middlebrooks was hit in the hand in the ninth inning by a pitch from Esmil Rogers. Third baseman Danny Valencia, acquired recently in a trade with Minnesota, was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket to replace Middlebrooks on the roster. Valencia didn't make it to Cleveland by game time so Pedro Ciriaco started at third base. ... Cleveland manager Manny Acta confirmed that pitcher Roberto Hernandez will be activated and make his first start for the Indians on Wednesday vs. the Angels in Anaheim. Hernandez has finished serving a three-week suspension from Major League Baseball, the result of him being arrested for identity theft in his native Dominican Republic during the offseason. ... Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis missed his third consecutive game with a stiff neck. Acta said Kipnis will also not play Sunday.
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