Talk about resiliency. The Cleveland Indians, having lost the opener in both the first and second rounds of the American League playoffs before tying those series, repeated the act here Sunday night with a second-game 6-1 victory over the Florida Marlins that tied the World Series at one win for each side.
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Chad Ogea, a comparatively obscure right-hander, earned the victory in a head-to-head duel with Kevin Brown, the Florida ace. Brown, who in his previous start quarreled with manager Jim Leyland, insisting Leyland shouldn’t take him out, disappeared quietly after yielding 10 hits and all the Cleveland runs in a six-inning stay.
Brown was the loser and didn’t have his usual stuff. His best heater, which isn’t overpowering, was missing from his arsenal. None of the other four pitchers who appeared was able to get his fastball up to 100 m.p.h. Jose Mesa, who finished for the Indians, came closest, reaching 97.
It may have been somewhat of a disappointment for Bob Feller, baseball’s onetime strikeout king, who seemed impressed when he arrived for Sunday’s game and heard Robb Nen’s fastball was clocked at 102 m.p.h. during Saturday’s Series opener.
Nen, the star closer for the Florida Marlins, worked a scoreless ninth in protecting the Marlins’ first-game victory. One of Nen’s pitches was timed at 102 m.p.h., two others at 100.
“Maybe he was throwing 102,” said Feller, who flourished for the Indians 50 years ago. “I wasn’t here to see it. What I want to know is: Was the ball doing anything?”
In other words, was Nen’s ball coming in straight, as if on a string? Or was it breaking up or down or in or out?
“It’s impressive when a guy throws 100,” Feller said. “But speed alone isn’t enough. If the ball is straight, it may take a few pitches for the good hitters to adjust their timing. Take it from me, they’ll adjust.”
More than likely, Feller, a longtime Hall of Famer, threw as hard or harder than any pitcher in big-league history.
In 1946, Feller’s fastball was timed at 107.9 m.p.h. in 1946.
“It was an exhibition, before a game in Washington against the old Senators. Clark Griffith (then the Washington owner) figured he could draw another 10,000,” Feller recalled. “It was a stunt. They brought some equipment to the ballpark from the Aberdeen Proving Grounds.”
Feller agreed with John Hart, the Indians’ general manager, who said the pitchers usually have an advantage over the hitters in postseason play.
According to Hart, there is no mystery to this phenomenon.
“A lot of hitters struggle because they’re seeing the best pitching they have seen all season.”
This applies especially to Jim Thome, the Indians’ slugging first baseman. Thome batted .286 with 40 home runs and 102 RBI during the regular season. But going into Sunday night’s action, Thome was hitting .147 in 11 postseason games with only one homer and two RBIs.
Thome connected for his lone home run in the sixth inning Saturday night. He also singled in his first trip Sunday but was retired without a problem in his subsequent three trips. Sandy Alomar, who also had been slumping, led the Indians with two hits, including a two-run home run that put the victory beyond reach.
Hart acknowledged that with the exception of Marquis Grissom, the Indians hadn’t been hitting. Going into Sunday’s action they had been scoring three runs a game, half their production during the regular season.
According to Feller, Lady Luck is riding shotgun for the Indians.
“They’ve been very lucky to get this far,” Feller insisted. “Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.”