David S. Glasier
DGlasier@News-Herald.com
For weeks, Indians veteran outfielder Kenny Lofton has been regaling younger teammates with stories about Jacobs Field at its electrifying playoff best.
Lofton, 40, is in his third tour of duty with the Tribe. This is his sixth playoff appearance as an Indian.
Now, Travis Hafner understands that Lofton wasn't exaggerating.
Sellout crowds of 44,608 and 44,732 turned out at the Jake for the first two games of the American League Division series pitting the Indians against the Yankees.
They came, they roared, they watched the Indians stake themselves to a 2-0 lead in the series with a 12-3 rout Thursday and a 2-1, 11-inning thriller Friday.
Hafner definitely heard the roar after he singled in the game-winning run in the bottom of the 11th last night to put his team in the driver's seat of the best-of-five series.
"This has been unbelievable. In my career, I've never seen anything like it,'' Hafner said.
He hasn't heard anything like it, either.
"It's a tremendous atmosphere out there,'' he said. "We're having a blast playing right now.''
Friday, October 5, 2007
Indians get over jitters in big way
The Indians threw a curveball at the baseball world Thursday night.
Against the potent, playoff-tested Yankees in the first game of the American League Division Series, it was the young, relatively inexperienced Indians who were considered more likely to stumble in the spotlight.
To the tune of a 12-3 demolition of the Bronx Bombers, the Indians demonstrated they weren't about to stumble.
To hear Tribe first baseman Ryan Garko break it down, he and his Tribe teammates quickly got over whatever pregame jitters they may have taken onto the field in front of a sellout crowd of 44,608.
"Once the first pitch as thrown, it was the same game we've been playing all our lives," Garko said.
Garko, who smashed one of the Tribe's four home runs, said he and his teammates took to heart some words of wisdom from 40-year-old left fielder Kenny Lofton.
"Kenny told us that when we get to this moment, we need to take advantage of it," Garko said.
"My biggest fear was that we were going to try to do too much out there and get away from what we've done all season," Garko added. "Fortunately, we did a good job of staying within ourselves."
Against the potent, playoff-tested Yankees in the first game of the American League Division Series, it was the young, relatively inexperienced Indians who were considered more likely to stumble in the spotlight.
To the tune of a 12-3 demolition of the Bronx Bombers, the Indians demonstrated they weren't about to stumble.
To hear Tribe first baseman Ryan Garko break it down, he and his Tribe teammates quickly got over whatever pregame jitters they may have taken onto the field in front of a sellout crowd of 44,608.
"Once the first pitch as thrown, it was the same game we've been playing all our lives," Garko said.
Garko, who smashed one of the Tribe's four home runs, said he and his teammates took to heart some words of wisdom from 40-year-old left fielder Kenny Lofton.
"Kenny told us that when we get to this moment, we need to take advantage of it," Garko said.
"My biggest fear was that we were going to try to do too much out there and get away from what we've done all season," Garko added. "Fortunately, we did a good job of staying within ourselves."
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