Bad News, Cubs: the Indians Win

Run, Robbie, Run!

That’s what thousands of voices screamed in unison during the 11th inning Saturday as Roberto Alomar dashed around the bases as though he was back playing on a Little League diamond in Puerto Rico.

Alomar went from home to third without hitting the ball out of the infield in the 11th and scored on Wil Cordero’s one-out single, giving the Indians an improbable 8-7 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

Down to their last strike on two occasions, the Indians scored two runs in the ninth--set up by two Chicago errors--before winning it after Alomar raced around on a play that was straight out of a scene from the “Bad News Bears.”

“It was one of the strangest plays I’ve ever seen,” said Chicago first baseman Mark Grace, the first player to touch the ball on the wild play. “The ball jumped up on me, then all hell broke loose.”

With one out in the 11th, Alomar hit a hard grounder off Scott Sanders (1-4) that Grace could only knock down. Grace scrambled to get to the ball and made a quick sidearm throw to Sanders, who dropped it while covering the bag.

As the ball rolled away, and with Sanders slow in going after it, Alomar broke for second.

“It was my judgment,” Alomar said. “I saw the ball and I knew I had a chance to make it. As soon as I saw the ball, I made up my mind. The ball was maybe eight steps from him.”

As Alomar was sliding in head first at second, Sanders attempted an off-balance throw to get him and flung the ball into left field.

Alomar popped up at second and easily dashed to third as the Jacobs Field crowd roared. Sanders was charged with two errors on the play and Alomar was credited with a hit, his third of the game.

“It was good enough to get to third,” Alomar said. “If I had a chance to go home, I would have gone.”

Cub Manager Jim Riggleman had Sanders walk the next two batters--Manny Ramirez and Jim Thome--intentionally to load the bases and brought left fielder Jose Hernandez in as a fifth infielder.

But Cordero, who had been hitless in four at-bats, ripped a 1-2 pitch down the line in left, giving the Indians their 20th come-from-behind victory this season.

“The situation was good for me,” said Cordero, who after popping up with two on to end the ninth was told by Ramirez, “That’s OK, you’re going to win the game for us.”

Mike Jackson (1-2) got the victory, one night after blowing his first save since Aug. 1.