Monthly Archives: July, 2009

Tom Gorzelanny (photo) pitched a complete 9-inning game tonight at Slugger Field in Louisville, KY, allowing only one unearned run, but that one run was enough to give him his third loss of the season with the Indians. �Gorzelanny gave up 5 hits, no walks, and struck out 5 Bats' batters. �It took him 89 pitches, 59 for strikes.

That unearned run happened in the bottom of the 1st. �CF Drew Stubbs led off with a single into center field, but was erased when 3B Luis Bolivar bounced back to the mound for a force out at second base. �Bolivar moved to second base on SS Adam Rosales' single. �When Bolivar went to steal third base, Gorzelanny whirled to make the throw to third, but he slipped as he threw, falling to the grass. �The throw bounced off Tribe 3B Pedro Lopez's glove, and got away, allowing Bolivar to scramble home with the unearned run. �

Gorzelanny retired the side in the 2nd, and gave up another single to Stubbs in the 3rd. �Stubbs stole second base, and went on to third when a miscommunication between Tribe SS Brian Bixler and 2B Shelby Ford meant that neither of them covered second base. �The throw from C Erik Kratz sailed into center field (Kratz charged with the error), and Stubbs was on third. �Luis Bolivar tried to bring Stubbs home with a squeeze bunt, but the Indians caught a break when the bunt went up instead of down. �1B Brian Myrow (photo)�who was running in on the bunt, caught the pop up, and alertly fired to Lopez on third base, easily doubling off Stubbs, who had been racing for the plate. �

Gorzelanny retired the next 9 Bats, taking him to the bottom of the 7th. �He gave up a single to LF Chris Heisey in the 7th, but another, more conventional, double play took care of that problem. �1B Wes Bankston singled in the 8th inning, and reached third base on a sacrifice bunt and a ground out, but was left there when another ground out ended the inning.

The Bats needed 4 pitchers to match Gorzelanny, but those 4 held the Indians to just 4 hits in 9 shutout innings. �Brian Bixler (photo) had two of those hits, a double in the 2nd inning, and a single in the 7th. �LF Chris Barnwell and Gorzelanny had the other two singles. �The Tribe also worked 4 walks. �Two of the walks, to Barnwell and RF Larry Broadway came in the 1st inning, but they were both left on base. �A walk to Gorzelanny followed Bixler's double in the 2nd, again putting two Tribe runners on base, but again leaving them stranded. �Those were the only innings in which the Indians had more than one runner on base. �The other close call came in the 8th, when Gorzelanny singled, and Pedro Lopez followed with a long fly ball to right field. �It looked like it might fall in for at least a double, with the possibility of Gorzelanny at least reaching third base -- but Bats' RF Darnell McDonald made a spectacular running catch to rob Lopez of his hit.

The Indians left 7 runners on base, and were 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position. �The Bats left 2 runners on base.�

Indians' Hitting Gem of the Game: �Two hits for Bixler, his first multi-hit game since June 22nd.

Indians' Defensive Gem of the Game: �The unusual double play in the 3rd inning, when Brian Myrow caught Luis Bolivar's pop up bunt, and doubled Drew Stubbs off third base, when he'd been trying for a squeeze play.

NOTES:

Neil Walker is expected to rejoin the Indians after the All-Star break, for the series beginning on July 16th in Pawtucket. �He has been in Bradenton rehabbing his left knee, which he injured at the beginning of June while sliding into first base. �

Larry Broadway left the game in the middle of the 7th inning, though the reason was not apparent -- possibly a problem with his calf?

The Indians return to Victory Field tomorrow, for the sold-out July 4th game. �Victory Field fireworks will follow the game, and then the downtown Indianapolis fireworks, which are easily visible from Victory Field.

Go Tribe!

[Photos by Nancy Zinni -- MVN]