The Indians are 6-1 since the All-Star break. Part of the reason has been the improved performance of a bullpen that was battered and bruised for much of the first half.
View full sizeIndians reliever Chris Perez, two earned runs in past 13 appearances, leads a resurgent Tribe bullpen. Take Tuesday's 4-3 victory over the Twins at Target Field. Starter Justin Masterson left with one out, two on and a 3-1 lead in the seventh. Left-hander Rafael Perez, with three lefties and a switch-hitter waiting for him, relieved. Denard Span blooped an RBI single into left field. Then Orlando Hudson sent a slow bouncer through the hole at short to make it 3-3.
Same old Indians pen? No way. Things were just getting interesting.
Joe Mauer, the 2009 AL MVP and three-time AL batting champ, came to the plate. With runners on first and second, and the game waiting to be won, Mauer stunned the sellout crowd of over 40,000 by trying to reach on a bunt hit. Catcher Carlos Santana pounced on the gift and threw him out.
Jason Kubel followed with a grounder to first to end the inning.
Why did Mauer bunt?
"Perez on the mound is nasty," Mauer told Minneapolis reporters after the game. "He throws a cutter the majority of the time. It'll break away from a left-handed hitter and he induces a lot of double plays."
The bullpen was just getting started. After Travis Hafner gave the Tribe a 4-3 lead with an eighth-inning double, Joe Smith pitched a perfect eighth. The second out came on a grounder to short by lefty-swinging Jim Thome, who should have had the edge against Smith, a sidearming righty.
In Monday's 10-4 Indians victory, Thome hit the 575th homer of his career, a 444-foot shot over the right-field bleachers off right-hander Jensen Lewis.
"I figured he'd be trying to go big there," Smith. "That's what he's there for. You try to keep the ball down and away, and hope he rolls over on one. That's what he did."
Chris Perez, once again filling in for injured closer Kerry Wood, pitched a perfect ninth for his ninth save.
The stats are improving:
•Rafael Perez has allowed two earned runs in his past 19 1/3 innings. His ERA has dropped from 7.20 to 3.67.
•Smith has not allowed a run in his past 12 appearances, covering eight innings.
•Chris Perez has allowed two earned runs in his past 13 appearances, covering 12 innings.
•Tony Sipp has allowed one run in his past 12 appearances, covering 12 innings.
•Frank Herrmann has allowed two runs in his past nine games, covering 9 1/3 innings.
The bullpen has allowed 15 earned runs in the past 61 2/3 innings for a 2.19 ERA. On July 3, the Tribe's pen had the highest ERA in the AL at 4.85. After Wednesday's 6-0 loss to the Twins, they ranked 12th at 4.47 in the 14-team AL.
"These guys have shown consistency over the last couple of weeks," manager Manny Acta said.
The consistency has defined roles and produced confidence in Acta and pitching coach Tim Belcher when plotting the late innings.
"The way they are right now, I could plan everything two innings ahead," Acta said. "That's how every manager and pitching coaches wants it."
Bullpens are often unpredictable.
The Indians are tied for 14th in the AL in saves, while allowing the second-most walks and third-most hits. Eleven relievers have been tested and that doesn't include Lewis bouncing between Cleveland and Class AAA Columbus three times.
Improvement, however, is being made.
Much of it has to do with the starting rotation pitching more innings. In their past 14 games, the starters have gone at least five innings 13 times. The one time it didn't happen, Aaron Laffey went 41/3 innings.
"It's just a lot easier to manage when you only have to cover three innings a night with the pen," Herrmann said. "You can use guys in roles -- Joe vs. righties, Raffie or Tony against lefties. Guys aren't getting overextended and put in situations where they probably shouldn't be.
"I think Manny is starting to figure out our strengths and weaknesses. He's done a real good job putting us in good spots."
Chris Perez, 9-for-12 in save situations, improved like this late last season. Perez added that first-year bullpen coach Scott Radinsky has helped as well.
"He works with the guys on the side," said Perez. "Sometimes it just takes a couple of months for stuff you're working on to actually show up in the game. He's a big part of that."
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: phoynes@plaind.com, 216-999-5158