Indians’ Hustle on Bases Backfires

CLEVELAND — It didn’t cost Cleveland the game, but base-running errors by Roberto Alomar and Juan Gonzalez in the fifth inning Saturday cost the Indians a run and caused them both embarrassment.

With Alomar on first and one out, Gonzalez drove a fly ball to deep center field that hit the wall and caromed toward left-center. Alomar, thinking center fielder Darin Erstad would make the catch, headed back toward first to tag up.

But Gonzalez, going for for extra bases, rounded first with such a head of steam that he passed Alomar and was ruled out. Gonzalez was credited with a single, and Alomar reached third on the hit, but he was stranded when Ellis Burks grounded out.

Troy Glaus had a frustrating day at the plate Saturday, striking out three times and flying out once in four at-bats, but he continued to strengthen his Gold Glove campaign with several fine defensive plays.

In the second inning, Glaus charged Travis Fryman’s slow roller and threw Fryman out at first and gloved Wil Cordero’s wicked-hop grounder above his head and threw to first.

Glaus leaped high toward the line to snag Cordero’s line drive in the sixth, and he made a bare-handed grab of Jolbert Cabrera’s dribbler before making an off-balance throw to first in the eighth.

Indian left fielder Marty Cordova countered with a defensive gem of his own, racing in to make a diving catch of Bengie Molina’s fly ball in the seventh, a sight that is becoming all too familiar to the Angel catcher.

“I think I’ve lost count,” Molina said, when asked how many opponents have made diving catches against him this season. “I’m trying to hit it where they ain’t, and it’s not working.”

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The Indians are bidding to become the first team since the 1902 Pittsburgh Pirates to have three players lead the league in the triple crown categories. Alomar leads the American League in batting (.351), Jim Thome leads in home runs (42) and Gonzalez leads in runs batted in (110). In 1902, Pittsburgh’s Ginger Beaumont led the National League in batting (.357), Tommy Leach led in homers (six) and Honus Wagner led in RBIs (91).

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Thome missed Saturday’s game to attend the funeral of an uncle in Peoria, Ill. The slugger will return today. . . . Cleveland pitcher C.C. Sabathia’s win Saturday was his 13th of the season, the most by an Indian rookie since Dennis Eckersley won 13 in 1975. . . . Struggling Indian reliever John Rocker didn’t seem too happy when Manuel left right-hander Danny Baez in to face lefties Orlando Palmeiro and Adam Kennedy in the eighth inning Saturday. After Baez retired the side in order, Rocker fired a ball against the bullpen wall.

TODAY

ANGELS’

JARROD WASHBURN

(10-6, 3.67 ERA)

vs.

INDIANS’

BARTOLO COLON

(10-8, 4.14 ERA)

Jacobs Field, 10 a.m. PDT

Radio--KLAC (570), XPRS (1090).

Update--The last time Washburn pitched in Jacobs Field, on May 29, 2000, the left-hander had a no-hitter after five innings but had to leave the game because of tightness in his throwing shoulder. Washburn is coming off a six-inning, one-run, four-hit win over Detroit on Tuesday. The Angels got four runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings of a 7-2 victory over Colon on April 24. Tim Salmon’s home run Saturday was his 28th homer against Cleveland, the most for him against any opposing team.