In was a long road to the world series for both the Cleveland Indians
and the Houston Astros. Both teams climbed from the bottom of their
divisions in 2006 to win 100+ plus games in 2008. Yet both squads
were outscored in one of their respective playoff series (Houston by
LA, Cleveland by MIN) and had each already played 12 games in the
postseason. Were the players tiring? Was the pressure getting to the
front offices? When all was said and done, fans were treated to an
unbelievable series filled with tight games and non-stop drama.
The scoring in Game 1 began early, as Houston strung together 3 hits
and a walk in the bottom of the first to scratch a run off of Dustin
McGowan. The lead did not last long, though, as Cleveland began with
a trend that would remain for them throughout the series: hitting
bombs. Brad Hawpe and Jeff Kent homered back to back off of Derek
Lowe to take a 2-1 lead, but Matt Stairs answered for Houston with a 3-
run shot off McGowan. The game remained 4-2 'Stros through the 6th,
though Lowe was working in and out of trouble (10 runners allowed to
that point). The Derek Lowe face appeared quickly in the 7th, as the
first 3 hitters reached base and a Kent sac fly closed the deficit to
1. Joe Beimeil entered and allowed a 2-run double to Prince Fielder,
putting Cleveland ahead. A hit and a muffed DP by Houston later, the
Tribe was ahead 6-4. This would prove all they would need, though
Cleveland tacked on 3 more runs in the 8th and 9th before closing out
game 1 with a 9-4 victory. Cleveland's bullpen was dominant, allowing
just a one walk and one hit after replacing McGowan to start the
5th.
10/20/2008, Cle08-Hou08, Minute Maid Park
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
2008 Indians 0 0 2 0 0 0 4 2 1 9 15 0 8 1
2008 Astros 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 6 0 7 2
Indians AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB
Reyes ss 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 4 3 0 0
Hawpe rf 4 3 3 3 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .750 3 0 0 0
Kent 2b 3 1 2 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .667 0 2 0 0
Fuentes p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Riske p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Fielder 1b 5 2 2 3 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .400 5 0 0 0
Diaz,M lf 5 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .400 2 0 0 0
Saltalamacchia c 5 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .400 9 1 0 0
Blake 3b 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 .200 1 0 0 0
McGowan p 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Infante ph 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 0 0 0 0
Seanez p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Pena ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Lewis p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 1 0 0
Abreu ph 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 .500 1 0 0 0
Crisp cf 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 2 0 0 0
39 9 15 9 2 0 4 4 9 1 0 0 0 0 1 27 7 0 0
Astros AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB
Lofton cf 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 .250 1 0 0 0
Hudson 2b 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 2 4 0 0
Perez lf 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 2 0 0 0
Lowell 3b 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 1 0 0
Stairs 1b 3 1 1 3 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 8 0 0 0
Hart rf 3 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 0 0 0 0
Napoli c 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 9 1 0 0
Paulino ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 1 0 0 0
Greene ss 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 4 5 0 0
Floyd ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Lowe p 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 .500 0 0 0 0
Beimel p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Chulk p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Fultz p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Hoey p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Rios ph 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 0 0 0 0
30 4 6 4 0 0 1 7 8 0 1 0 0 1 0 27 11 0 0
Indians INN H R ER BB K PCH STR BF HR IW HP WP DP ERA
McGowan 4.0 5 4 4 6 1 84 42 21 1 0 0 1 1 9.00
Seanez 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 14 8 3 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
Lewis W 1-0 2.0 0 0 0 1 1 22 15 7 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
Fuentes 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 12 7 3 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
Riske 1.0 1 0 0 0 2 11 10 4 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
9.0 6 4 4 7 8 143 82 38 1 0 0 1 1
Astros INN H R ER BB K PCH STR BF HR IW HP WP DP ERA
Lowe L 0-1 6.1 9 5 5 4 6 100 58 30 2 0 0 0 2 7.11
Beimel BS 1 0.0 1 1 1 0 0 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 99.00
Chulk 1.1 2 1 1 0 2 19 13 6 0 0 0 0 0 6.75
Fultz 0.1 2 2 2 0 0 6 4 3 2 0 0 0 0 54.00
Hoey 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 12 7 4 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
9.0 15 9 9 4 9 140 84 44 4 0 0 0 2
Cle: Infante batted for McGowan in the 5th
Pena batted for Seanez in the 6th
Abreu batted for Lewis in the 8th
Abreu moved to 2b in the 8th
Hou: Paulino batted for Napoli in the 8th
Paulino moved to c in the 9th
Floyd batted for Greene in the 9th
Rios batted for Hoey in the 9th
GWRBI: Fielder
Weather: 92, clear, wind in from left at 11 mph.
10/20/2008, Cle08-Hou08, Minute Maid Park
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
2008 Indians 0 0 2 0 0 0 4 2 1 9 15 0 8 1
2008 Astros 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 6 0 7 2
Indians -----A------ -----B------ -----C------ -----D------ -----E------
Reyes ss 1>23 2/fl W S.1-2 3/L
Hawpe rf S HR note 1 W.2-3;1-2 Fultz
HR.2-H
Kent 2b S.1-2 HR W.1-2 note 2 43
Fuentes p
Riske p
Fielder 1b note 3 3/g k Beimel 9>HR
D.3-H;1-H
Diaz,M lf k 4>53 6>S Chulk Hoey
S.2-3 63
Saltalamacchia c 2>S k 463/gdp note 4 S
Blake 3b 63/gdp k S k k
McGowan p k
Infante ph 5>D
Seanez p
Pena ph 7
Lewis p
Abreu ph 8>S 46/f
Crisp cf 3>8 k 7>W SB2
k
1: 46/f.2-3;B-1 2: 7/SF.3-H;2-3 3: 64/f.2-3;B-1 4: 64/f.3-H;1x2;B-1
Astros -----A------ -----B------ -----C------ -----D------ -----E------
Lofton cf 1>S W 3 9 64/f.B-1
Hudson 2b S.1-2 CS2(26) W.1-2 7>8 k
3>W
Perez lf 9.2-3 6/f.B-1 463/gdp 7
Lowell 3b k wp.1-2 5>Seanez 2/fl
W 9
Stairs 1b W.1-2 HR.2-H;1-H k 8>Fuentes
k
Hart rf note 1 W k 6
Napoli c 8 7 6>Lewis
k
Paulino ph k
Greene ss 2>63 43 W 9>Riske
Floyd ph k
Lowe p 5/fl 4>S 13/SH.1-2
Beimel p
Chulk p
Fultz p
Hoey p
Rios ph S
1: S.3-H;2-3;1-2
Indians IN OUT ER Astros IN OUT ER
McGowan A1 C3 4 Lowe A1 D3 5 L 0-1
Seanez C4 C6 0 Beimel D4 D4 1 BS 1
Lewis C7 D4 0 W 1-0 Chulk D5 E1 1
Fuentes D5 D7 0 Fultz E2 E4 2
Riske D8 E2 0 Hoey E5 E8 0
10/20/2008, Cle08-Hou08, Minute Maid Park
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
2008 Indians 0 0 2 0 0 0 4 2 1 9 15 0 8 1
2008 Astros 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 6 0 7 2
Score O Rnr BS Event
----- - --- -- -----
************** Top 1st, Indians up
0-0 0 --- 22 Reyes groundout to c (FbSBBX)
0-0 1 --- 21 Hawpe lined a single to right center (BBCX)
0-0 1 1-- 02 Kent grounded a single between 1b and 2b, Hawpe to
second (CFX)
0-0 1 12- 20 Fielder grounded to ss, forcing Kent at 2b, Hawpe
to third, Fielder to first (BBX)
0-0 2 1-3 12 Diaz,M strikeout (BSFS)
************** Bottom 1st, Astros up
0-0 0 --- 11 Lofton lined a single to shallow left (SBX)
0-0 0 1-- 32 Hudson lined a single to shallow right, Lofton to second
(BSBSFBFX)
0-0 0 12- 31 Perez flyout to rf, Lofton to third (BCBBX)
0-0 1 1-3 22 Lowell strikeout (BBCFS)
0-0 2 1-3 32 Stairs walked, Hudson to second (BBFBS>B)
0-0 2 123 10 Hart infield single to second, Lofton
scored, Hudson to third, Stairs to second (BX)
0-1 2 123 01 Napoli lineout to cf (CX)
************** Top 2nd, Indians up
0-1 0 --- 00 Saltalamacchia lined a single to center (X)
0-1 0 1-- 00 Blake grounded into a double play, Greene to Stairs (X)
0-1 2 --- 02 McGowan strikeout (CCS)
************** Bottom 2nd, Astros up
0-1 0 --- 02 Greene groundout to ss (FSX)
0-1 1 --- 01 Lowe popout to 3b (CX)
0-1 2 --- 32 Lofton walked (BFCBBB)
0-1 2 1-- 00 Lofton caught stealing second (1>Bp)
************** Top 3rd, Indians up
0-1 0 --- 10 Crisp flyout to cf (BX)
0-1 1 --- 01 Reyes popout to c (CX)
0-1 2 --- 10 Hawpe homered to right (BX)
1-1 2 --- 11 Kent homered down the lf line (CBX)
2-1 2 --- 20 Fielder groundout to 1b (BBX)
************** Bottom 3rd, Astros up
2-1 0 --- 32 Hudson walked (BCSBFBB)
2-1 0 1-- 00 Perez grounded to ss, forcing Hudson at 2b, Perez
to first (1X)
2-1 1 1-- 01 McGowan wild pitch, Perez to second (FB)
2-1 1 -2- 32 Lowell walked (FB.BBCB)
2-1 1 12- 10 Stairs homered down the rf line, Perez
scored, Lowell scored (BX)
2-4 1 --- 31 Hart walked (BFBBB)
2-4 1 1-- 11 Napoli popout to lf (BCX)
2-4 2 1-- 11 Greene groundout to 2b (BCX)
************** Top 4th, Indians up
2-4 0 --- 11 Diaz,M groundout to 3b (FBX)
2-4 1 --- 02 Saltalamacchia strikeout (CFS)
2-4 2 --- 22 Blake strikeout (BCBFC)
************** Bottom 4th, Astros up
2-4 0 --- 00 Lowe lined a single to left (X)
2-4 0 1-- 10 Lofton popout to 1b (BX)
2-4 1 1-- 32 Hudson walked, Lowe to second (CBFBBB)
2-4 1 12- 31 Perez grounded into a double play, Kent to Reyes to
Fielder (CBBBX)
************** Top 5th, Indians up
Infante pinch-hit for McGowan
2-4 0 --- 12 Infante grounded a double down the 1b line (BFCX)
2-4 0 -2- 12 Crisp strikeout (CCBS)
2-4 1 -2- 30 Reyes walked (BBBB)
2-4 1 12- 00 Hawpe grounded to 2b, forcing Reyes at 2b,
Infante to third, Hawpe to first (X)
2-4 2 1-3 30 Kent walked, Hawpe to second (BBBB)
2-4 2 123 12 Fielder strikeout (CFBS)
************** Bottom 5th, Astros up
Seanez pitching
2-4 0 --- 31 Lowell lineout to rf (BBSBX)
2-4 1 --- 12 Stairs strikeout (CCBS)
2-4 2 --- 22 Hart strikeout (BCBSS)
************** Top 6th, Indians up
2-4 0 --- 31 Diaz,M lined a single to shallow center (BBBCX)
2-4 0 1-- 01 Saltalamacchia grounded into a double play, Hudson to
Greene to Stairs (CX)
2-4 2 --- 02 Blake grounded a single between 3b and ss (CFX)
Pena pinch-hit for Seanez
2-4 2 1-- 00 Pena flyout to lf (X)
************** Bottom 6th, Astros up
Lewis pitching
2-4 0 --- 02 Napoli strikeout (CSC)
2-4 1 --- 32 Greene walked (CCBBBFB)
2-4 1 1-- 00 Lowe sacrificed to p, Greene to second (1Xb)
2-4 2 -2- 01 Lofton lineout to rf (CX)
************** Top 7th, Indians up
2-4 0 --- 30 Crisp walked (BBBB)
2-4 0 1-- 22 Reyes lined a single to shallow left, Crisp to second
(CBFBX)
2-4 0 12- 32 Hawpe walked, Crisp to third, Reyes to second (BSBBFB)
2-4 0 123 32 Kent sacrifice fly to left, Crisp scored, Reyes to
third (SBBBCX)
Beimel pitching
3-4 1 1-3 11 Fielder lined a double to left center, Reyes scored,
Hawpe scored (BCX)
Chulk pitching
5-4 1 -2- 22 Diaz,M lined a single to shallow left, Fielder to third
(CSBFBX)
5-4 1 1-3 00 Saltalamacchia grounded to ss, forcing Diaz,M at
second, Fielder scored, Diaz,M out at 2b,
Saltalamacchia to first (X)
6-4 2 1-- 32 Blake strikeout (BSFBB>S)
************** Bottom 7th, Astros up
6-4 0 --- 20 Hudson flyout to cf (BBX)
6-4 1 --- 02 Perez flyout to lf (CFX)
6-4 2 --- 11 Lowell popout to c (CBX)
************** Top 8th, Indians up
Abreu pinch-hit for Lewis
6-4 0 --- 00 Abreu lined a single to right center (X)
6-4 0 1-- 01 Abreu stole second (Fb>S)
6-4 0 -2- 02 Crisp strikeout (Fb>S.S)
6-4 1 -2- 10 Reyes lineout to 1b (BX)
Fultz pitching
6-4 2 -2- 21 Hawpe homered to right center, Abreu scored (BBCX)
8-4 2 --- 00 Kent groundout to 2b (X)
************** Bottom 8th, Astros up
Fuentes pitching
Abreu moved to 2b
8-4 0 --- 12 Stairs strikeout (BSSC)
8-4 1 --- 20 Hart popout to ss (BBX)
Paulino pinch-hit for Napoli
8-4 2 --- 22 Paulino strikeout (BFCBS)
************** Top 9th, Indians up
Paulino moved to catcher
8-4 0 --- 00 Fielder homered to left (X)
Hoey pitching
9-4 0 --- 11 Diaz,M groundout to ss (BFX)
9-4 1 --- 10 Saltalamacchia grounded a single up the middle (BX)
9-4 1 1-- 22 Blake strikeout (CBCBS)
9-4 2 1-- 10 Abreu grounded to 2b, forcing Saltalamacchia at
second (BX)
************** Bottom 9th, Astros up
Riske pitching
Floyd pinch-hit for Greene
9-4 0 --- 02 Floyd strikeout (CFFS)
Rios pinch-hit for Hoey
9-4 1 --- 00 Rios lined a single to right (X)
9-4 1 1-- 11 Lofton grounded to ss, forcing Rios at 2b, Lofton
to first (CBX)
9-4 2 1-- 02 Hudson strikeout (CCS)