JHONNY PERALTA of the Indians watches his throw to first after getting a force on Curtis Granderson (28) of the Tigers on Monday night at Comerica Park. AP / Associated Press
Star Beacon
Published August 26, 2008 03:18 am - DETROIT — Grady Sizemore is in the process of making his mark in Indians history.
Milestone reached as Tribe wins again Sizemore joins 30-30 club; Indians earn 8th straight W
JOSH WEIR Canton Repository
DETROIT — Grady Sizemore is in the process of making his mark in Indians history.
Zach Jackson and Franklin Gutierrez are just looking to secure roster spots.
They all furthered those causes Monday night in front of 39,196 fans at Comerica Park.
Sizemore joined the 30/30 Club and homered twice, while Jackson produced the best of his three starts since coming to Cleveland. Those performances almost went for naught, but Gutierrez’s 10th-inning home run off Cleveland native Gary Glover proved to be the difference in the Tribe’s 4-3 win against Detroit.
Brendan Donnelly pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his first win since May 17 of last year, while Jensen Lewis gained his seventh save in as many chances as the team’s closer.
The Indians’ season-best eighth straight win pulls them within a half game of the Tigers for third place in the Central Division.
Sizemore became the second Indian to ever join the 30/30 club for home runs and stolen bases when he crushed the second pitch of the game for an opposite field solo shot. Joe Carter had 32 home runs and 31 steals in 1987.
“I was trying not to think about as I got closer to it, just kind of go day-by-day and not worry about it,” Sizemore said. “Now that I got there and it’s over with, I can take a step back and enjoy it.”
Sizemore’s 30/30 season is just the 14th in American League history and the 52nd overall. He’s the 32nd individual player to accomplish the feat.
The homer marked the 18th time Sizemore has led off a game with a home run in his career (which ties Kenny Lofton’s team record) and the seventh time he’s done it this season (increasing his own team record).
He wasn’t done in the first inning.
Sizemore picked out the first pitch of the third inning from Detroit starter Armando Galarraga and hammered it deep into the right field seats to put the Indians back in the lead, 2-1.
Sizemore, who has already set career highs in home runs (31) and stolen bases (34), now has a career high-tying 81 RBI.
With more than a month left in the season, 40/40 isn’t impossible.
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