Rookie Talbot outduels former Cy

Mitch Talbot entered 2010 with zero major-league victories. Less than two months into the season, he has six, while pitching for a bad team. What do you know about that!

Talbot went six strong innings (and one shaky one that got him lifted) in the Indians' 7-3 victory over the White Sox last night, giving up two runs on six hits over his seven innings. He walked none, struck out four — three in the first three innings — and kept the ball in the yard. He held the Sox scoreless over the first six innings, then gave up two runs on four doubles in the seventh. Mark Kotsay did him a favor by getting thrown out trying to stretch his double into a triple.

In any case, Talbot was lifted after having thrown just 77 pitches, 57 of which were strikes. He stands at 6-3, 3.73. Any team in the bigs would love to have that kind of production, and all he cost us was Kelly Shoppach. It's too soon to truly evaluate that trade, but so far, it looks like quite a fine move by Mark Shapiro. He's been our best starter so far this year, and his six wins tie him for second in the American League (with Boston's Clay Buchholz, behind David Price of the Rays, who has seven). If he keeps this up, I wouldn't be surprised to see him in the All-Star Game.

Another young Indian contributed to this win, as Jason Donald opened the scoring with his first major-league home run off 2007 NL Cy Young Award winner Jake Peavy. Peavy's obviously not the pitcher he was a couple of years ago, but that nonetheless had to be a thrill for Donald. Shin-Soo Choo's blast that followed gave the Tribe back-to-backs, and the Indians battered Peavy for six runs on eight hits over six innings.

The Indians and White Sox play the rubber match today at 12:05. Jake Westbrook, who seems to have mostly gotten his stuff back after missing a year and a half, will face off against Mark Buehrle, who's not having a good year at all. I wish I didn't have a job, so I could watch it. (Just kidding. ... Or am I? ... Yes, I am.)