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October 19, 2007
By JOE McDONALD
Journal Sports Writer
CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Indians’ game plan entering the ALCS against the Boston Red Sox was to try to keep the club’s top two hitters – Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis – off the base paths.
The plan worked for a while. But not Thursday night. Both Pedroia and Youkilis found their groove, and combined for four hits, three RBI and three runs scored.
With the Indians sending ace C.C. Sabathia to the mound for Game Five Thursday night at Jacobs Field, Boston needed to score first and Youkilis got the job done with his solo homer in the first inning. It was hit third roundtripper of the season. He added an RBI triple in the seventh.
''Getting ahead was a huge factor for us in this game,'' said Youkilis. ''Gaining confidence and getting that first run was huge for this team, and knowing when Josh Beckett is on the mound, maybe that one run is all we needed in the game. I think a lot of guys were pretty pumped to get on top and it eased a lot of peoples’ minds.''
After producing big time at the start of the season (.377 in 77 games), Youkilis flattened out in the second half, hitting .238 following the All-Star break. Then he missed seven games due to a wrist injury he suffered when he was hit by a pitch on Sept. 15 against the Yankees.
It’s October and he says he’s healthy.
''My health reasons were definitely tough,'' he said. ''My whole entire wrist and hand [are] feeling 100 percent. When I hit I’m more of a handsy hitter, I try to use more hands than body a lot of times. It was tough just to get the swing back and the feel of facing live pitching again. When you’re out for over a week, it’s tough to go out there and face live pitching, and timing and feeling comfortable at the plate. Luckily, I felt comfortable in the box and I’m just trying to stick to the little things.''
Red Sox manager Terry Francona also knows in order for Boston to advance to its second World Series in the last four years, Youkilis will need to produce.
''I think some of the aches and pains go away,” Francona said. ''Youk has really taken some good swings and has had some good at-bats. The way Youk plays he can somewhat wear down at times. Maybe the wrist injury was a blessing in disguise after it’s all said and done. Some of his aches and pains go away, and his bat speed looks like it’s where it was at the beginning of the year.''
Youkilis wasn’t the only one feeling comfortable at the plate.
Pedroia, who said he had been pressing a little too much at the start of the postseason, has been squaring balls up of late, and he finally busted out last night with two hits, including a double.
Following Boston’s victory, Pedroia was sporting a brown pinstripe suit that he said teammate Manny Ramirez bought for him when the club was in Anaheim. Alex Cora and Julio Lugo have also bought him suits this year, and if he continues to contribute, Pedroia just might be the best-dressed guy in the clubhouse.
''I don’t get too down when things don’t go my way,'' he said. ''I try to stay away from all the negativity that can go on around here. I knew during the course of the year if I got 500 at-bats I could hit .300, so I don’t think having 12 or 13 at-bats (in the playoffs) means I stink. Other people may think so sometimes, but that’s okay. I’ll grind it out.''
It’s his spunky attitude and old-school style of play that allows the 5-foot-9, 180-pounder to have as much success that’s he’s enjoyed this season, and appears to be coming around in October.
''I have to [play with that attitude],'' he said. ''I’m 5-foot-2 and 115 pounds and any edge I get I have to use it. That’s just how I have to be.”
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