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Monthly Archives: April, 2009

Duke Dominate as Bucs Beat Friars

Analysis
Is it wrong to get excited when Zach Duke pitches like I did in 2005? He went 8-1/3 inning, allowing just one run, five...

Homers by Walker and Salazar Can’t Save Taubenheim

Analysis
IMG_8894Taubenheim.JPGColumbus Clippers 6, Indianapolis Indians 3
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Tribe starter Ty Taubenheim (photo) struggled in his first start in 10 days, and even the Tribe's first back-to-back homers of the season could help him, as he suffered his second loss of the season at Huntington Park in Columbus, Ohio.

Homers by Walker and Salazar Can’t Save Taubenheim

Analysis
IMG_8894Taubenheim.JPGColumbus Clippers 6, Indianapolis Indians 3
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Tribe starter Ty Taubenheim (photo) struggled in his first start in 10 days, and even the Tribe's first back-to-back homers of the season could help him, as he suffered his second loss of the season at Huntington Park in Columbus, Ohio. �

Taubenheim gave up 5 runs on 8 hits and 2 walks, while striking out 4 batters over 6 innings of work. �He�was touched for 4 runs in the first two innings of the game. �Columbus lead-off hitter CF Michael Brantley started the 1st with a single, then stole second base. �Another single moved Brantley to third base, and he scored on a double play. �Taubenheim walked LF Matt LaPorta, and SS Luis Valbuena lifted a home run to right field, giving the Clippers a 3-0 lead. �The Indians have apparently not been too pleased with Valbuena's demeanor and attitude in the past, but tonight he did or said something as he was circling the bases, and just as he reached the Columbus dugout, the Indians, led by 2B Chris Barnwell, moved toward Valbuena and the Clippers. �The dugouts emptied, and there was a lot of milling around, and glaring. �Clippers' Andy Marte pushed Barnwell away from the rest of the Clippers and with an arm around Barnwell, seemed to be trying to calm him. �After a few moments, everyone settled down and went back to playing.

IMG_8946Salazar.JPG
The Indians got the 3 runs back in the top of the 2nd inning. �1B Steve Pearce walked, and 3B Neil Walker followed by blasting a 3-2 pitch over the left field wall for a 2-run homer. �It disrupted Columbus starter David Huff enough so that the next batter, CF�Jeff Salazar (photo),�hit the first pitch he saw over the right field wall, for back-to-back homers. �The score was tied 3-3.

But not for long. �In the bottom of the inning, RF Stephen Head led off with a double, and moved to third on a ground out. �After a walk, a single by DH David Dellucci scored Head, and the Clippers had a 4-3 lead. �

Taubenheim gave up a lone single in the 3rd, and a double in the 4th. �The Clippers added another run in the 5th inning on a solo homer by LaPorta, pushing the lead to 5-3. �The 6th was the only 1-2-3 inning for Taubenheim in the game. �He finished after having thrown 81 pitches (51 strikes). �

Corey Hamman relieved Taubenheim to begin the 7th inning. Hamman got two outs, but then gave up a single to 3B Wes Hodges, when his bouncer landed just out in front of the plate, but C Miguel Perez did not see where it had gone. �While he was looking behind the plate for the ball, Hamman picked it up and threw to first -- but not in time. �LF Matt LaPorta smashed a liner to the wall in center field and reached third base as the ball was being thrown in. �Jeff Salazar, in center field tonight, fired the ball back in, relayed by 2B Chris Barnwell, on one bounce to the plate. �The ball got there before Hodges, but Perez could not keep hold of the ball, and Hodges was safe. �One more walk, and that was all for Hamman. �Chris Bootcheck came in, getting a grounder for a force out to end the inning. �Bootcheck put the Clippers down in order in the bottom of the 8th. �

After the home runs in the 2nd inning, the Tribe managed only 4 more hits and no more runs. �Columbus starter David Huff allowed only one base runner over the next three innings, and that was a walk to DH Larry Broadway in the 5th. �Luis Cruz, playing shortstop tonight with Brian Bixler getting a rest, and 1B Steve Pearce both had singles in the 6th inning. �Jeff Salazar and Broadway both walked in the 7th inning, but the Indians could not capitalize. �Pearce and Salazar added singles in the 8th and 9th innings. �Two hits in the game for Pearce raised his batting average to .245, getting close to the .250 goal he had been hoping for by the end of this road trip. �

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Indians' Hitting Gem of the game: �Back-to-back home runs by Neil Walker (photo) and Jeff Salazar. �That was Walker's third blast of the season, and the first for Salazar. �


NOTES:
Roster moves: �The Pirates have placed pitcher�Craig Hansen�on the DL today, due to neck spasms. �Indians' Evan Meek, who had been the last pitcher cut from the Pirates' roster at the end of spring training, was called up to the Pirates to take that roster spot. �Meek has to go to San Diego to catch up with the Pirates, though he is expected to get there in time for the game. �

The open roster spot on the Indians will be filled by Brian Slocum, who started the season on the Indians' DL because he was suffering from bronchitis at the end of spring training. �


Go Tribe!


[photos by Nancy Zinni -- MVN]

D’Arnaud’s Homer Powers Win; Curve and Hillcats Fall

Analysis
Saturday's games:

Akron Aeros 4, Altoona Curve 3

The Curve tied it up in the 7th, but couldn't make their 4 runs stretch far enough to hold on for the win this afternoon in Akron.

D’Arnaud’s Homer Powers Win; Curve and Hillcats Fall

Analysis
Saturday's games:

Akron Aeros 4, Altoona Curve 3

The Curve tied it up in the 7th, but couldn't make their 4 runs stretch far enough to hold on for the win this afternoon in Akron. �

Danny Moskos allowed only two singles over his first three innings of work, and both of those base runners were quickly eliminated with double plays. �The bottom of the 4th gave Moskos some trouble, though. �The lead-off batter grounded down the left field line, and when Curve LF Jason Delaney had some trouble digging the ball out of the corner, the batter eased into third base. �A sacrifice fly brought in that run. �Any thoughts that Delaney might have been responsible for that run vanished when the next batter blasted a homer over the left field wall -- even if the first batter had only double, he would have scored anyway. �Moskos put the Aeros down in order again in the 5th inning, but gave up another home run to lead off the 6th inning. �

The Curve got two runners on base in the top of the 1st inning, when 2B Jim Negrych walked and CF Jose Tabata was hit by a pitch. �Both were left on base at the end of the inning, as the next 16 Curve batters went down in order, as Akron starter Chuck Lofgren pitched 6 no-hit innings.

There was some excitement in the bottom of the 1st inning, when the Aeros felt that Moskos had intentionally thrown a pitch at and behind Akron 1B Beau Mills, possibly in retaliation for Tabata being hit. �Dugouts emptied and glares and words, but no swings, were exchanged, and eventually everyone went back and sat down, and the game resumed. �

The Curve finally got hits and runs in the 7th inning, after Lofgren was relieved due to reaching his pitch count limit. �Jim Negrych extended his hitting streak to 9 games with a single, and Tabata followed with another single, moving Negrych to third. �Tabata was caught stealing second base when he overslid the bag. �Delaney walked, and runners were again on the corners. �RF Brad Corley missed a 3-run home run by inches, as he smashed a fly ball off the top of the left field wall. �It fell in for a double, scoring Negrych and moving Delaney to third. �C Steve Lerud zipped the first pitch he saw into center field, scoring Delaney and Corley to tie the game at 3-3. �A wild pitch moved Lerud into scoring position at second base, but he got no further before the inning ended. �

In the bottom of the 7th inning, with one out and a runner on first base, �a sharp grounder right at 2B Jim Negrych took a nasty hop and hit Negrych in the upper chest or neck, and he had to come out of the game. �Negrych was charged with an error, and the Aeros had runners on first and third bases. �Anderson Machado moved from third base to second for Negrych, and Angel Gonzalez came in to play third. �At the same time, Moskos was relieved by Lincoln Holdzkom. ��Moskos had thrown about 80 pitches, and had given up 6 hits and 2 walks in 6.1 innings. �Holdzkom gave up an RBI single to the first batter he faced, scoring the runner�
from third base, and Akron regained the lead (run charged to Moskos). �The inning ended when a sharp liner came right back to Holdzkom on the mound, and he quickly fired over to first base to double off the base runner there. �Holdzkom retired the side in order in the 8th inning. �

The Curve only put one runner on base over the last two innings, on a walk to Delaney in the 9th, but were held scoreless, and the Aeros took the win. �Moskos was charged with the loss, his first of the season. �The Curve had only 4 hits in the game, and they all came in the 7th inning. �


Kinston Indians 8, Lynchburg Hillcats 1

Matt McSwain struggled through 3.2 innings in his start, allowing 5 runs on 10 hits and a walk. �He got out of a jam in the 1st inning with two runners on base, but it went downhill from there. �He gave up one run on a double, a ground out, and a sacrifice fly in the 2nd. �Then 2 runs came in on 3 consecutive singles and a double in the 3rd inning. �That inning could have been worse, but CF Alex Presley and SS Jordy Mercer combined on a throw in from the outfield and a relay to the plate, where C Kris Watts was able to tag out another runner trying to score. �A single, a double, a wild pitch, and a walk brought in one run in the 4th inning, and that was all for McSwain. �Mike Colla came on in relief, and he gave up another RBI single (run charged to McSwain) before ending the inning. �

Colla pitched the next two scoreless innings, allowing 2 walks in the 6th. �Mike Felix took over next. He pitched a scoreless 7th, then gave up 3 more runs in the 8th inning, on a single, three walks, and another single. �

The Hillcats were held to only 5 hits. �Their only run came in the top of the 8th, on LF Maiko Loyola's solo homer. �Mercer doubled and 1B Matt Hague singled in the first inning, but both were left on base. �3B Pedro Alvarez singled in the 4th, but was erased in a double play. �Watts singled in the 7th, and was also left on base. �


West Virginia Power 2, Greensboro Grasshoppers 1

Power SS Chase D'Arnaud homered in the bottom of the 8th inning with CF Robbie Grossman on base, to give the Power the only power they needed to overcome the Grasshoppers. �G rossman and 3B Bobby Spain both had two singles in the game, and 1B Calvin Anderson doubled in the game. �The Power managed to put two runners on base in the 2nd and 5th innings, but both times a double play ended the inning. �They also had two runners on in the 7th, but couldn't get them around to score. �

Duke Welker made the start for the Power, and he gave up Greensboro's only run. �Welker had at least one runner on base in each of the first 3 innings, and again in the 5th, not on hits, but on 4 walks and a hit batter. �Welker gave up a solo homer in the 4th, the only run and only hit he would allow in his 4.2 innings of work. �Owen Brolsma, Brian Leach, and Eduardo �Pena did not allow a run in the rest of the game, though Leach, who took the win, gave up 5 hits in his 2 innings of work. �

Giles Beats Pirates in 11

Analysis
It went late out West. 11 innings and nearly 3:45 of baseball later, Brian Giles sharp liner down the right field line scored Chris...

Curve Split Double Header; Hillcats Also Win

Analysis
Akron Aeros 3, Altoona Curve 2

Broadway Goes 4-For-4 in Tribe Loss

Analysis
Thumbnail image for IMG_8624Broadway.JPG
Columbus Clippers 9, Indianapolis Indians 7

Errors Sink Curve; 7-Run Inning for the Hillcats

Analysis
Akron Aeros 9, Altoona Curve 5
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Four infield errors accounted for 7 unearned runs, as the Curve fell to the Aeros in Akron last night.

Pearce’s Big Night Leads the Indians

Analysis

IMG_8925Pearce.JPG

Pearce’s Big Night Leads the Indians

Analysis

IMG_8925Pearce.JPG
�Indians 5, Columbus Clippers 4

The Indianapolis Indians made their first visit to the Columbus Clippers new home, Huntington �Park in downtown Columbus, Ohio, and they must be liking what they see there. �They scratched out a one-run-at-a-time come-from-behind win over the Clippers in the new park tonight. �Tribe 1B Steve Pearce�

(photo) led the charge with 4 hits, including a double and a home run, and 3 RBI, and he made an outstanding play at first base to get a key out. �

The Indians scored one run in each of the first three innings. �Three consecutive singles in the top of the 1st, by SS Brian Bixler, RF Luis Cruz, and�Steve Pearce brought in the first run. � C Erik Kratz scored the second run, leading off the 2nd inning with a single, then stealing second base, then scoring on CF Andrew McCutchen's RBI single that squeaked into left field. �Pearce took care of the third run with a solo homer to lead off the 3rd inning. �


IMG_8841Vasquez.JPG
Virgil Vasquez (photo) took care of the Clippers 1-2-3 in the 1st inning, but then gave up 2 runs in the 2nd inning, on three straight hits -- single, single, double -- plus a sacrifice fly. �Vasquez gave up two hits in each of the next two innings, but both times, his right fielder backed him up and kept runs from scoring. �Luis Cruz, in his first game in the Indians' outfield this season, threw out a base runner at the plate for the third out in the 3rd inning. �Then the super-utilityman Cruz threw out a batter trying to stretch a single into a double to end the 4th inning. �

The Clippers tied the game in the bottom of the 5th inning. �Vasquez gave up a lead-off walk (and don't those always come back to haunt you) to SS Wilson Valdez. �CF Michael Brantley grounded to first base, where Steve Pearce made a diving stop going to his right, then threw from his knees to Brian Bixler covering second base to force out Valdez, but leave Brantley on first. �3B Luis Valbuena doubled, and that scored Brantley -- though if Pearce had not made that diving stop, it would have been a 2-run double. �Valbuena rounded second and headed for third, but once again Luis Cruz made a stellar throw from right field, relayed by 2B Chris Barnwell, and 3B Neil Walker tagged out Valbuena as he made the head-first slide into third base. �

A solo homer by Columbus C Chris Gimenez gave the Clippers a one-run lead in the bottom of the 6th inning. �Virgil Vasquez gave up one more single after the homer, and that was the end of his night's work. �He left having pitched 5.2 innings and thrown 90 pitches (54 strikes). He allowed 11 hits and a walk, 4 runs, with 5 strikeouts. �Corey Hamman came on in relief, for his first appearance since coming off the disabled list. �Hamman had struggled mightily in his previous appearances this season, but that was not the case tonight. �He ended the 6th inning with a quick fly out, then retired the side in order, including one strikeout in the 7th. �All that took him only 13 pitches (7 strikes). �

The Tribe tied the score up again in the top of the 7th, courtesy of Cruz and Pearce again. �Cruz started the rally with a single. �Pearce lined a double into left field, and Cruz raced around from second base to score just ahead of the throw in from the outfield. �

After Hamman retired the side in order in the bottom of the 7th, the Indians went down in order in the top of the 8th. �Juan Mateo came on for the bottom of the 8th, and he allowed only a walk, while getting two very deep fly ball outs. �The score remained tied at 4-4.

Then the Indians struck again. �Andrew McCutchen led off the top of the 9th with a single. �Brian Bixler grounded to shortstop, but the Clippers could only get the out at second base, leaving Bixler at first. �Luis Cruz worked a walk, and Steve Pearce smacked his fourth hit of the night, a single into right field. The runners advanced one base, but manager Frank Kremblas elected not to risk having Bixler try for the plate. �It was a good call, because the next batter, Neil Walker, lifted a sacrifice fly deep enough to left field so that Bixler could score the go-ahead run. �Cruz and Pearce pulled off a double steal, moving them 90 feet closer, but the inning ended when LF Jeff Salazar struck out. �

Juan Mateo came back out to try to hold the Clippers off in the bottom of the 9th. �He got a fly out, then gave up a single. �Pinch hitter Michael Aubrey, who came to the plate with a �league-leading .472 batting average, flied out. �Then Mateo got Michael Brantley to fly out to left field, to end the game and earn his first win. �

The win gives the Indians a modest 3-game win streak, and improves their record to 6-7, just one game under .500. �In keeping with the trend on this road trip (14 hits on Tuesday, 18 hits yesterday), the Indians posted 12 hits today. �A third of those belonged to Steve Pearce; Andrew McCutchen, Brian Bixler, and Luis Cruz each had 2 hits. �

Indians' Hitting Gem of the Game: �Steve Pearce, just a triple away from the cycle, with two singles, a double, and a home run, for 3 RBI. � Honorable mention to Neil Walker, who showed that the batting average doesn't tell the whole story: �his game-winning RBI didn't even come on a hit, but on a sacrifice fly. �

Indians' Fielding Gems of the Game: �Luis Cruz, in his first game in the outfield for the Indians, made two stellar throws in from right field, saving at least one, and probably two runs.


NOTES:


Go Tribe!



[photos by Nancy Zinni -- MVN]

Tribe Sweep Toledo in Short Series

Analysis
Indianapolis Indians 10, Toledo Mud Hens 2

Road trips to Toledo have been troublesome for the Indians over the past few years.
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