The Indians complete a sweep of the Tigers in the final home games of the 2010 season.
UPDATED: 11:09 p.m.
Despite having to deal with a helmet-high pitch from a suspicious Justin Verlander, Trevor Crowe successfully dropped a suicide-squeeze bunt to score Michael Brantley with the eventual winning run in the Indians' 4-3 victory in the second game of Wednesday's doubleheader.HOME STANDING
In 1999, the Indians set a franchise record for attendance with 3,468,456 fans. They went 47-34 at home. Here is what they have drawn since (home records in parentheses):
2000: 3,456,278 (48-33)
2001: 3,175,523 (44-36)
2002: 2,616,940 (39-42)
2003: 1,730,001 (38-43)
2004: 1,814,401 (44-37)
2005: 2,013,763 (43-38)
2006: 1,997,936 (44-37)
2007: 2,275,916 (51-29)
2008: 2,169,722 (45-36)
2009: 1,776,904 (35-46)
2010: 1,391,644 (38-43)
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians were out-of-control unstoppable Wednesday at Progressive Field.
Not content to split a doubleheader with the Tigers, the Tribe rallied for a suicide sweep. Trevor Crowe's spectacular fifth-inning squeeze bunt off Detroit ace Justin Verlander provided the go-ahead run in a 4-3 victory in the nightcap.
In the first game, right-hander Mitch Talbot gave up five hits in seven innings of a 4-0 victory. Travis Hafner and Shin-Soo Choo hit two-run homers.
The Indians (68-91) have won six in a row, which ties their longest streak this season. The six-pack encompassed the final games of the home portion of the schedule. The Tribe fashioned a 6-1 homestand to go 38-43 at Progressive Field. Total paid attendance: 1,391,644.
"It was a great homestand, especially the way we finished," Indians manager Manny Acta said. "It was special for us and special for our fans. Our fans deserved that homestand so they can end up with a good taste in their mouths."
Those of the announced 12,227 who showed Wednesday witnessed terrific all-around baseball from the home club. Among the highlights were 18 innings of errorless ball from a defensively challenged outfit.
Odds of a sweep seemed long when the Tigers handed Verlander a three-run lead in the top of the second. Verlander entered 18-8 with a 3.31 ERA and 209 strikeouts. He had gone 5-0 in seven starts since Aug. 22, when he beat the Tribe, 8-1.
Verlander had won each of his last six decisions against Cleveland dating to May 3, 2009.
The Tribe was unimpressed. Its comeback commenced in the second when Jordan Brown hit a one-out double, moved to third on a grounder and scored on Verlander's wild pitch. In the fourth, Jayson Nix's single drove in Shelly Duncan to make it 3-2.
Then came the electrifying fifth. Lou Marson walked with one out and scored on Michael Brantley's triple to right. Before a 2-1 pitch to Crowe, Acta signaled to third-base coach Steve Smith that the squeeze was on.
"When you see the sign, it's an adrenaline rush," Acta said. "It's probably the most exciting play in the game."
Brantley did a double-take when Smith informed him.
"I said, 'Squeeze?'" Brantley said. "I got all excited, like a little kid."
Verlander seemed to sniff it out at the last instant, firing high and wide as catcher Gerald Laird popped out of his crouch. The pitch was clocked at 99 mph.
"I'm confident in my bunting," Crowe said. "If it's somewhere within home plate and arm's reach, I'll be able to get a bat on it."
In a farewell to Indians fans until next spring, Chris Perez and the rest of the team tossed two dozen balls apiece into the stands following the Tribe's doubleheader sweep of the Tigers Wednesday night.Crowe managed to locate the ball at helmet level and push it toward third. As Brantley scored, Crowe almost beat the throw to first by third baseman Brandon Inge.
"With a 2-1 count, I was anticipating that Verlander would throw the ball as hard as he could in the zone," Acta said. "It turned out to be a tough, tough pitch to bunt. Crowe deserves a lot of credit. Tremendous execution."
Brantley said it was the first time in pro ball that he was on either end of a squeeze that worked.
"Great play by Trevor," Brantley said.
The call was part of arguably Acta's best day as Indians manager. He treated the nightcap as if it were the seventh game of the World Series.
"We're trying to win every single game," he said. "We put a lot of importance on the game because it was our last one at home. We went for it. I told the players, 'You have to finish strong.' Lasting impressions."
Indians rookie righty Josh Tomlin bobbed and weaved through five innings, giving up three runs on nine hits and walking one. But he did enough to earn the victory, his sixth in 10 decisions.
Tomlin has worked at least five innings in 12 straight starts to begin his career, tied for longest by an Indian since 1920 (Steve Dunning 1970).
Five relievers, including three in the eighth inning, crafted four scoreless. Chris Perez earned a four-out save, sealing the Indians' eighth straight victory over Detroit in Cleveland. The season series ended tied, 9-9.
By winning the opener, Talbot improved to 10-13, joining Fausto Carmona as the only Indians with double-digit victories. Carmona is 12-14.
Talbot, acquired from Tampa Bay for Kelly Shoppach over the winter, posted a 4.41 ERA in 159 1/3 innings of 28 starts in his rookie season. He gave up 169 hits, walked 69 and struck out 88.
"To finish off like this, on a good note, is great," he said. "That's what you think about when you're driving at home or sitting at home on the couch."
Talbot threw 60 of 93 pitches for strikes in winning for the second time since June 27. He worked at least seven innings for the first time since that June 27 game against Cincinnati (7 IP, 3 H, 1 R).
"A start like that is good for him given the way he struggled in the second half," Acta said. "He won double-digits in his first year as a starter, so that's not too shabby."
Everything clicked for Talbot in his finale. He located his fastball and complemented it with a quality change-up and slider. His cutter proved problematic for left-handed batters.
"He was very good from the get-go," Acta said. "He was very smooth."
Smooth describes Choo on most days. Through five innings, he was 3-for-3 with a homer and triggered a double play with an assist. He finished 3-for-4 -- his 13th game of three-plus hits.
"Choo just continues to do everything for us offensively," Acta said.
The Indians took a 2-0 lead in the third. Choo singled and scored on Hafner's rocket to right. Hafner, who homered for the second straight game, was 2-for-4.
In the top of the fifth, Inge led off with a hit-by-pitch. With Inge on the move, Alex Avila lined to right. Choo made the catch and zipped a throw to first to double off Inge by a step. Choo's 14 outfield assists lead the majors. They are the most by an Indian since Kenny Lofton's 19 in 1998.
"Choo has been very impressive defensively this year," Acta said. "He has improved his overall game."
Talbot received more double-play assistance in the sixth. Will Rhymes singled and Johnny Damon flied out. With Ryan Raburn in a full count, Rhymes attempted to steal. Raburn took Talbot's pitch for a called strike and catcher Luke Carlin erased Rhymes with a laser to second.
The Tribe surged ahead, 4-0, in the fifth. Asdrubal Cabrera led off with a walk and Choo homered to right-center.
Jensen Lewis relieved Talbot and worked the eighth. Vinnie Pestano pitched the ninth.
The Indians roughed up righty Max Scherzer (12-11, 3.50) for four runs on eight hits in five innings. Scherzer, who walked three and struck out three, entered ranked among the American League leaders in strikeouts. He now has 184.