(photo — Argenis Diaz and Brian Friday congratulate Jose Tabata after his 3-run homer)
The Indians enjoyed the 7-0 lead for one full inning. �Then in the top of the 6th, Donnie Veal began to tire, and his infield couldn’t help him. �The first three batters of the inning reached base safely. �Trevor Crowe grounded a single up the middle, and he scored when Jason Donald doubled into the right field corner. �Carlos Santana grounded to short, but Argenis Diaz, going to his left, had the ball bounce off his glove. �By the time he could recover it, Santana was safe at first and Donald was at third. �Shelley Duncan also had an infield grounder off a glove — this one glanced off 3B Pedro Alvarez’s glove, but ticked over toward Diaz, who quickly picked it up and fired to first base, where he was in time to get Duncan out. �Donald scored from third, with Duncan collecting the RBI. �Veal got a fly out for the second out, but when Brian Bixler ricocheted a grounder off Diaz’s glove and into short left field, Santana scored, and Veal was done.
Veal had thrown 89 pitches (54 strikes) over his 5.2 innings. �He gave up 3 runs on 5 hits, with 2 walks and 4 strikeouts.
Jeff Karstens came on in relief for Veal. �It took Karstens only one pitch (plus two pick-off throws to first) to end the 6th inning with a fly out. �He also pitched the 7th, though he gave up a solo homer to Anderson Hernandez.
Wil Ledezma (photo),�who was just activated off the disabled list today, made his Indians’ debut with a perfect 8th inning, including one strikeout. �It took him 11 pitches to retire the side.
Steven Jackson did the honors for the top of the 9th. �He needed only 5 pitches to set down three Columbus batters.
�
After the big 4th inning, the Indians were quiet for the next two innings, with only a double by Steve Pearce. �They added two more runs in the 7th, as a bit of insurance. �with one out, Pedro Alvarez lined a single into left field, and Pearce had his third hit of the game, and his second double. � This double tracked all the way down the left field chalk line, and rattled around in the left field corner, as Clippers’ LF Chris Gimenez tried to chase it down. �Pearce’s hit brought in Alvarez. �One out later, Erik Kratz brought Pearce home with a single that also hugged the third base line, then hit the third base bag and took a huge hop over 3B Brian Bixler’s head and into left field. �By the time Bixler got to it and fired in to the infield, Pearce had slid across the plate with the Tribe’s 9th run.
Donnie Veal took the win for the Indians, while Hector Rondon was charged with the loss. �Each member of the Indians’ lineup had at least one hit, as Pearce took the lead with 3 hits (2 doubles and a single). �Each member of the lineup except Erik Kratz scored a run (two for Pearce).
The win gives the Indians a 3-2 edge in the season series with the Clippers.
Tomorrow’s game (Wednesday) will be an early game, beginning at 11 am, to accommodate a stadium full of school kids.
(photo: Erik Kratz at the plate)
�
Indians’ Hitting Gems of the Game: �Three home runs in one inning! �Brian Myrow hit his first of the season; Neil Walker had his second of the season; Jose Tabata had his first of the season.
Indians’ Defensive Gems of the Game: �#1: In the top of the 5th inning, with two outs, Anderson Hernandez hit a grounder to Pedro Alvarez, who was playing wide of third base. �Alvarez had to dive to his left to snag the ball, and in doing so, he hit the ground and rolled, then popped up and fired right on target to Steve Pearce at first, for the out. �Big points for style. � #2: �Donnie Veal striking out two batters, Wes Hodges and Brian Bixler, with the bases loaded in the 1st inning. �It set the tone for Veal for the next four innings and completely changed the momentum of the game.
Photos: �Former Indy Indian Brian Bixler back in his old home turf:
�
�
�
�
�
�
�
�
�
�
NOTES:
Roster Move: �Wil Ledezma was added to the active roster when Vinnie Chulk was placed on the disabled list.
Jose Tabata’s homer in the 4th extended his hitting streak to 11 games. �He now has a hit in each game he has played in the 2010 season.
When was the last time you saw three home runs in one inning? �Well, if you were at Victory Field on July 31, 2007, you saw the Indians create a spectacular come-from-behind victory over the Durham Bulls with three homers in the 9th inning. �Mike Ryan, Brad Eldred each homered, then Jose Hernandez finished the game with a walk-off homer for the win. � More recently, on July 20, 2008, the Indians homered three times in one inning on the road in Columbus. �Neil Walker had one of those home runs, along with Ryan Mulhern and Andrew McCutchen.
Neil Walker was playing in left field today. �He has now played one game at third base, one game at first base, one game as the Designated Hitter, 5 games in left field, and 4 games at second base. �Remember the game “Where’s Waldo?” The Indians’ version this season is going to be “Where’s Walker?”
Brian Bixler is doing his own version of the same game for the Clippers. �He’s made 3 starts at third base (including tonight), 2 at second base, 3 at shortstop, and one in left field.
Go Tribe!
�
(photos by Nancy)
�
