In a disappointing season for the Tribe, they still had their surprise moments as they rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the ninth inning to steal a 4-3 win from the Kansas City Royals in walk-off fashion.
A first inning sacrifice fly and a pair of RBI-singles in the fourth gave the Royals a 3-0 lead off of Indians starter Paul Byrd. Cleveland cut into the lead with an RBI-double from Shin-Soo Choo, scoring Jason Michaels from second after back-to-back strikeouts from Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez. They stranded a pair of runners in the seventh and eighth inning and were down to their final two outs when Ryan Garko singled to center off of reliever Ambiorix Burgos. Ramon Vazquez singled to left and pinch-hitter Aaron Boone drew a walk to load the bases for Grady Sizemore. His 2-1 triple down the left field line cleared the bases and gave the Indians the walk-off victory.
Also on this date in Tribe History:
1912 – Joe Jackson becomes the second player in American League history to steal home twice in one game. After stealing home in the first, he steals second, third, and home in the seventh inning of an 8-3 for the Cleveland Naps over the New York Highlanders.
1919 – The Indians’ Tris Speaker scores five runs in the club’s 15-9 win over the New York Yankees, tying an AL record.
1938 – Vada Pinson, a future Tribe outfielder, is born in Memphis, Tennessee.
1942 – Cleveland starter Al Milnar takes a no-hitter into the ninth, losing it with two outs on a single by Detroit’s Doc Cramer. The game eventually will end in a 14-inning scoreless tie as rules prohibit the game from being continued under the lights. It was the first game scheduled of a twi-night doubleheader.
1951 – It is Ladies Night in Cleveland and a crowd of 70,119 see a four-hitter from the Indians’ Early Wynn as they defeat the White Sox, 2-1. Former Indians first baseman Eddie Robinson hit a solo home run for Chicago in the second and Al Rosen tied it with a blast in the bottom of the frame. Wynn’s solo homer in the seventh broke the tie. The Indians’ ninth straight win keeps them tied with the Yankees for first place.
