Stubbs explains blunder on bases

SEATTLE -- Drew Stubbs is one of the better runners in the American League, but the fleet-footed outfielder made a blunder on the bases that cost Cleveland on Tuesday night.

In the ninth inning of a 4-3 loss to the Mariners, Mike Aviles and Stubbs were on first and third base, respectively, with no outs and the Indians trailing by one. Yan Gomes pulled a pitch to Seattle third baseman Kyle Seager, who looked toward Stubbs before throwing to second base to try for a double play.

"They were trying to be able to turn a double play," said Indians manager Terry Francona. "The shortstop is playing pretty shallow. The idea is, if they can turn two, [Stubbs] can't stay at third. So once they threw to second, he's going."

As soon as Seager threw to second baseman Nick Franklin, Stubbs indeed sprinted toward home plate, trying to score the game-tying run. Stubbs hesitated during his run home, however, creating a window of opportunity for the Mariners.

After getting the first out at second base, Franklin fired the ball to catcher Mike Zunino, trapping Stubbs in a rundown. Stubbs was tagged out for a rally-killing double play (the play went 5-4-2-6), and Michael Bourn followed with a strikeout against Mariners closer Tom Wilhelmsen to end the game.

Stubbs knew his mistake.

"I hesitated," Stubbs said. "We were running through a few different scenarios over there. When he went to second, I should've just broke for home. I didn't, and hesitated, and it cost us. That's all I can say."

Stubbs felt he could have scored if he simply kept sprinting.

"I think so," he said. "It's a play where you've got to run through scenarios in your head, make your mind up from the start and just go with it. Any slight hesitation is going to cost you, like it did."