A couple hours after I gushed about an apparent offensive awakening, the Indians scored just one run off Bartolo Colon Wednesday afternoon, falling to the Angels 2-1. Jake Westbrook was working on a two-hit shutout when he surrendered three-straight singles to tie the game at 1-1 in the top of the ninth, and then Arthur Rhodes allowed the winning run to score on a sac fly.

The good news, if there really is any, is that Jody Gerut ripped an RBI double in his first game back from the DL. Let’s give credit for this one to Bartolo Colon and hope the offense shows up next time out.

Buckeye football fans should be breathing a sigh of relief, as the NCAA has cited only one violation arising from Maurice Clarett’s allegations against the football program. It appears that only the Troy Smith matter was cited, meaning that no additional sanctions are expected against the football program.

Unfortunately, the basketball program will probably be forced to forfeit games arising from their problems. OSU will have to face more PR embarassments as that process plays out, but it looks like Tressell and the football program will be safe, and the basketball program can get a fresh start.

Hafner’s swinging with authority again. Grady’s exciting potential is turning into exciting production. Broussard’s got two homers and eight RBI in his last six games. Jhonny Peralta may not look like a shortstop but he is looking more and more like a dangerous hitter and, before landing on the DL today with a sprained thumb, Coco had started hitting and running.

Aaron Boone is five for his last 11 with three RBI and a steal. Now if that’s not a good sign, I don’t know what is.

The weather is warming up and the offense is thawing out. Now let’s track down the Sox.

The Indians placed Coco Crisp on the DL with a sprained thumb Wednesday and called Jody Gerut up from the minors. Crisp, who injured the thumb in the first inning of Tuesday’s win, had x-rays and an MRI done.

Losing Coco sucks, obviously, but it makes the Gerut decision easier. Now Shapiro has a little more time to evaluate this team before figuring out what to do when Juan Gonzalez is ready to return.

Gerut, meanwhile, was hitting .438 with three homers and eight RBIs in 12 Triple-A games. Let’s hope his bat remains hot against big-league pitching.