Late-inning law and order

David S. Glasier
DGlasier@News-Herald.com
Lewis, Perez, Betancourt and Borowski.
An outsider could look at the collection of names and say, "Sounds like a high-powered law firm.''
As sports fans in these parts well know, those names belong to guys who are laying down the law in the Indians' bullpen.
After playing a major role in the Tribe's drive to the AL Central title in September, the bullpen back-end foursome helped the Indians take care of business against the Yankees in the AL Division series.
In two ALDS appearances covering two hitless, scoreless innings, rookie right-hander Jensen Lewis struck out four of the six batters he faced.
That's showy stuff for the 23-year-old Cincinnati native who started the season at Class AA Akron. He was promoted to Class AAA Buffalo on June 14 and joined the Indians on July 13.
For the Tribe, Lewis went 1-1 with a 2.15 ERA in 26 appearances, 21 of which were scoreless.
Indians manager Eric Wedge and pitching coach Carl Willis were so impressed by the hard-throwing Lewis that they gave him the ball in the late innings of big games throughout September.
"It was awesome when they did that, a real confidence booster that motivated me to get the job done,'' Lewis said.
Perez, a 25-year-old left-hander from the Dominican Republic, was summoned to the Indians from Buffalo on May 28. In 44 appearances during the regular season, he was 1-2 with a 1.78 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 60 2/3 innings.
Against the Yankees, the best late-inning lefty in the AL went 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA in three appearances.
If there was an award for best eighth-inning set-up reliever in the big leagues, Rafael Betancourt wins the thing hands-down for 2007.
The 32-year-old right-hander went 5-1 with a 1.47 ERA, three saves and 31 holds during the regular season. In the ALDS, the Yankees managed one harmless hit off Betancourt in two appearances covering two innings.
And then there's Joe Borowski, aka JoeBo, aka "The Guy Who Has 46 Saves But Scares the Bejeebers Out of Tribe Fans Everywhere Every Time He Toes the Rubber.''
The 36-year-old right-hander, signed as a free agent last December with an iffy shoulder, gets the job done on guts, guile and willpower.
Will the Indians get past the Red Sox, beat the National League's representative in the World Series and win the franchise's first title since 1948?
If the firm of Lewis, Perez, Betancourt and Borowski keeps making its case during this postseason run, hope reigns supreme.