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Eveland sharp as Athletics cruise past Indians

Apr 6, 2008 - 1:10 AM By Michael Duca PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- Dana Eveland hurled seven effective innings as the Oakland Athletics posted a 6-1 victory over reigning American League Cy Young Award winner C.C. Sabathia and the Cleveland Indians on Saturday.

Mark Ellis homered and drove in three runs in support of Eveland to send Cleveland to its third straight loss.

Eveland (1-0), who was making just his seventh career start and had never lasted longer than 5 2/3 innings, outpitched Sabathia to notch his third career victory and first as a starter. He yielded a run, six hits and a walk while tying his career high with seven strikeouts.

"I feel like I've matured a bit over the past couple of years," said Eveland, who was obtained from Arizona in the offseason trade involving Dan Haren. "I'm getting past the idea that I have to pitch super well or get sent down.

"I just go out there and throw the ball and try to not let any of those other elements get in my head. I think that's why my control was better - confidence in my stuff, not thinking, 'Oh, man, I'm facing Travis Hafner.' In the past, I'd think, 'That's Albert Pujols, I can't make a mistake.' That's when you do make mistakes."

Despite having just a pair of 1-2-3 innings, Eveland was under control the entire game, mixing a 91 miles-per-hour fastball with a quality curve in the high 70s. The big lefthander, who never had allowed fewer than four runs in any of his previous outings, threw 101 pitches - 61 for strikes.

"If he wasn't feeling his fastball, sometimes he'd go to his secondary pitches to get ahead in the count," Athletics catcher Kurt Suzuki said. "It's just a confidence thing. You could see as the game went along, he got more and more confident, throwing pitches backwards, so to say."

Eveland expressed comfort and confidence in the game Suzuki called.

"Honestly, (I just tried to) go with Suzuki," Eveland said. "He hasn't been catching me very long, and to be locked in like we are now doesn't happen very often. He was putting down fingers and I was throwing whatever he wanted me to. I think I shook him off twice all day."

Keith Foulke, in his fourth appearance after sitting out the entire 2007 season, pitched the eighth before Andrew Brown tossed a perfect ninth for Oakland.

With the Athletics trailing, 1-0, in the bottom of the first, Emil Brown's RBI single was followed by a two-run double by Jack Cust.

Hafner had given the Indians the initial lead on a two-out RBI single in the top of the frame.

Sabathia settled down after the rough start but did not get much support from his offense.

"I think C.C. threw the ball decently today," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "I think everything is a little more magnified when you are not hitting and not putting pressure on the other team offensively."

Ellis broke a career-worst 0-for-18 slump with a home run to left-center field in the fifth to make it 4-1 before his two-run single in the eighth completed the scoring. Ellis' first two hits this season were home runs.

"I felt like Rob Deer there for a minute - two hits, two homers," Ellis joked. "Sneaking the seeing-eye single through the middle makes me feel like it's turning around. I've hit line drives right at guys. Getting a hit like that makes it seem like it's turning around."

Sabathia (0-1) was charged with four runs, six hits and four walks as his ERA climbed to 9.28. The 6-7, 290-pound lefthander fell to 1-4 lifetime in Oakland and 2-6 against the Athletics overall.

"I just didn't have the real good command today I wanted to have," Sabathia said. "I was just getting behind, and eventually, the walks killed me. Four walks is ridiculous.

"I honestly don't think about (my record against Oakland)," said Sabathia, who grew up about 20 miles from Oakland in Vallejo. "The past couple of years, it's just been one of those things."

Oakland third baseman Donnie Murphy left the game after spraining the middle finger of his right hand in a collision with left fielder Cust on a pop-up.

"It looks just like a sprain right now," A's manager Bob Geren said. "He was there shaking hands and smiling, so I don't think it was anything real serious."