Cleveland Indians v Seattle Mariners live streaming mlb video feed major league baseball online radio espn 360 gamecast april 9, 2011 Travis Hafner's career seemed to be on the decline due to injuries the last few years, but he's a big reason for the Cleveland Indians' current strong start.
Hafner and the Indians will try for their sixth straight win Saturday night when they continue their weekend visit to the Seattle Mariners.
The Indians have scored 44 runs through their first seven games. Last year, they averaged four runs per game -- 26th in the major leagues.
Cleveland (5-2) had another big night at the plate in a 12-3 victory over Seattle (2-5) on Friday. The Indians scored 10 runs in the fourth inning, when they sent 14 men to the plate and racked up 10 hits. They finished the game with 17 hits, including four doubles and two homers.
9:10 PM ET, April 9, 2011
Safeco Field, Seattle, Washington
Pitching Matchup
Cleveland Seattle
Justin Masterson
1-0, 1.29 ERA
Last appearance:
4/03 vs CHW
7.0 IP, 1 ER
Dec = Win Doug Fister
0-1, 3.18 ERA
Last appearance:
4/03 at OAK
5.2 IP, 2 ER
Dec = Loss
Gameday Lineups
NO. Cleveland Seattle
1. M. Brantley, CF I. Suzuki, RF
2. A. Cabrera, SS C. Figgins, 3B
3. S. Choo, RF M. Bradley, LF
4. C. Santana, C J. Cust, DH
5. T. Hafner, DH J. Smoak, 1B
6. O. Cabrera, 2B M. Olivo, C
7. T. Buck, LF A. Kennedy, 2B
8. M. LaPorta, 1B B. Ryan, SS
9. J. Hannahan, 3B M. Saunders, CF
It was Cleveland's first 10-run inning since a franchise-record 14-run frame against the Yankees in 2009.
"It seemed like everybody got up with one or two runners on and it seemed like we had a good stretch there were we'd get a hit, score a run and then there'd be one or two guys still on," Hafner said. "We did a really good job of going down the line and having good at-bats."
Hafner's improved health is giving Cleveland cause for optimism after consecutive seasons of 93 losses or more. He homered, singled and drove in four runs in Friday's fourth inning to raise his average to .357. He has two homers, six RBIs, and at least one hit in each game this season.
Hafner has struggled with injuries the past few seasons. After playing 151 combined games in 2008 and '09, he hit .278 in 118 games last year, but shoulder issues still forced him onto the disabled list for the first half of August.
Hafner and Cleveland's offense will try to stay hot in support of Justin Masterson (1-0, 1.29 ERA), who gave up one run in seven innings of a 7-1 win over the White Sox on Sunday.
Masterson, who had 13 losses last season, recorded 16 outs on ground balls and had his infield turn a triple play behind him.
"Justin did a tremendous job," manager Manny Acta said. "He threw 17 of 29 first-pitch strikes and got a lot of guys to put that sinker on the ground."
The right-hander is 2-0 with a 1.16 ERA in three starts and three relief appearances against the Mariners. He faced them once last season, giving up one hit in six scoreless innings of a 9-1 home win Aug. 15, although he did match a career high with six walks.
Masterson could have another good performance against a Seattle offense that's struggling again after finishing last in the majors with 3.2 runs per game in 2010. Seattle has totaled 24 runs and is hitting .226 this season.
"We are going to have to keep pushing through," manager Eric Wedge said of the Mariners' offense. "First and foremost you want to create opportunities for yourself which we didn't do today."
Seeking to snap a five-game losing streak, the Mariners will hand the ball to Doug Fister (0-1, 3.18) on Saturday.
The right-hander lasted 5 2/3 innings at Oakland on Sunday, giving up three runs and eight hits in a 7-1 defeat.
Fister is 0-1 with a 4.63 ERA in two starts against Cleveland. He gave up four runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings of a 6-3 home loss Sept. 2.
Hafner and the Indians will try for their sixth straight win Saturday night when they continue their weekend visit to the Seattle Mariners.
The Indians have scored 44 runs through their first seven games. Last year, they averaged four runs per game -- 26th in the major leagues.
Cleveland (5-2) had another big night at the plate in a 12-3 victory over Seattle (2-5) on Friday. The Indians scored 10 runs in the fourth inning, when they sent 14 men to the plate and racked up 10 hits. They finished the game with 17 hits, including four doubles and two homers.
9:10 PM ET, April 9, 2011
Safeco Field, Seattle, Washington
Cleveland Seattle
Justin Masterson
1-0, 1.29 ERA
Last appearance:
4/03 vs CHW
7.0 IP, 1 ER
Dec = Win Doug Fister
0-1, 3.18 ERA
Last appearance:
4/03 at OAK
5.2 IP, 2 ER
Dec = Loss
Gameday Lineups
NO. Cleveland Seattle
1. M. Brantley, CF I. Suzuki, RF
2. A. Cabrera, SS C. Figgins, 3B
3. S. Choo, RF M. Bradley, LF
4. C. Santana, C J. Cust, DH
5. T. Hafner, DH J. Smoak, 1B
6. O. Cabrera, 2B M. Olivo, C
7. T. Buck, LF A. Kennedy, 2B
8. M. LaPorta, 1B B. Ryan, SS
9. J. Hannahan, 3B M. Saunders, CF
It was Cleveland's first 10-run inning since a franchise-record 14-run frame against the Yankees in 2009.
"It seemed like everybody got up with one or two runners on and it seemed like we had a good stretch there were we'd get a hit, score a run and then there'd be one or two guys still on," Hafner said. "We did a really good job of going down the line and having good at-bats."
Hafner's improved health is giving Cleveland cause for optimism after consecutive seasons of 93 losses or more. He homered, singled and drove in four runs in Friday's fourth inning to raise his average to .357. He has two homers, six RBIs, and at least one hit in each game this season.
Hafner has struggled with injuries the past few seasons. After playing 151 combined games in 2008 and '09, he hit .278 in 118 games last year, but shoulder issues still forced him onto the disabled list for the first half of August.
Hafner and Cleveland's offense will try to stay hot in support of Justin Masterson (1-0, 1.29 ERA), who gave up one run in seven innings of a 7-1 win over the White Sox on Sunday.
Masterson, who had 13 losses last season, recorded 16 outs on ground balls and had his infield turn a triple play behind him.
"Justin did a tremendous job," manager Manny Acta said. "He threw 17 of 29 first-pitch strikes and got a lot of guys to put that sinker on the ground."
The right-hander is 2-0 with a 1.16 ERA in three starts and three relief appearances against the Mariners. He faced them once last season, giving up one hit in six scoreless innings of a 9-1 home win Aug. 15, although he did match a career high with six walks.
Masterson could have another good performance against a Seattle offense that's struggling again after finishing last in the majors with 3.2 runs per game in 2010. Seattle has totaled 24 runs and is hitting .226 this season.
"We are going to have to keep pushing through," manager Eric Wedge said of the Mariners' offense. "First and foremost you want to create opportunities for yourself which we didn't do today."
Seeking to snap a five-game losing streak, the Mariners will hand the ball to Doug Fister (0-1, 3.18) on Saturday.
The right-hander lasted 5 2/3 innings at Oakland on Sunday, giving up three runs and eight hits in a 7-1 defeat.
Fister is 0-1 with a 4.63 ERA in two starts against Cleveland. He gave up four runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings of a 6-3 home loss Sept. 2.
