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The Indians batters began their ups in the bottom of the 1st inning with a controversy. �With one out, 2B Neil Walker (photo)�lined a double to the warning track in right-center field. �Brian Myrow followed with a long bomb, down the right field line. �The ball cleared the wall just inside the foul pole, in the narrow area where there are a few seats extending into fair territory. �It hit the seats and ricocheted back onto the field of play, heading into right center field. �I saw it hit the seats, the radio broadcasters saw it hit the seats, and the Indians in the dugout saw it hit the seats. �Myrow must have seen the same thing, because he began to slow as he ran around the bases — �until he then saw first base umpire Manny Gonzalez signal that the ball was still in play — apparently the only person in the stadium who did not see the ball hit the seats. �It took RF Dustin Martin so long to chase the ball down that Myrow was able to reach third base even though he’d slowed at the beginning of his run. �But manager Frank Kremblas did not complain or say anything to the umpires, and the Red Wings quickly threw the first pitch to Pedro Alvarez, and the opportunity was missed. �Walker still scored, but the Indians should have had two runs, not one. �Alvarez struck out and RF Brandon Moss flied out to end the inning.
(Photo: �Brian Myrow is on third base, but he should have crossed the plate.)
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Red Wings’ starter Matt Fox set the Indians down in order in the 2nd and 3rd inning, but Myrow got some revenge in the 4th. �Fox began that inning with a four pitch walk to Myrow, and Pedro Alvarez took the first pitch he saw to deep left-center field, where it bounced off the top of the wall (yes, this one really did) for an RBI double, scoring Myrow. �After a ground out, C Luke Carlin worked a walk, then LF Kevin Melillo singled up the middle and into center field, plating Alvarez. �The Indians had a 3-0 lead after four innings. �That sent Matt Fox to the showers, and brought in reliever Cole DeVries. �DeVries got two quick outs to end the inning.
The Red Wings scored their first run in the top of the 5th, but the Indians came right back in the bottom of the inning, once again courtesy of Myrow and Alvarez. �DeVries again got two quick outs, but then walked Myrow on four straight pitches, just like Fox had done the inning before. �This time Pedro Alvarez got even more onto the ball. �He lifted a no-doubt-about-it long fly ball to the opposite field. �The ball sailed over the wall, over the grass berm, over the sidewalk behind the berm, over the wrought iron outer fence, over more grass, and onto West Street. �Indians 5, �Red Wings 1.
(Photo: Manager Frank Kremblas congratulates Pedro Alvarez on his home run.)
The remaining three innings were quiet for the Indians. �SS Brian Friday singled with two outs in the 6th. �Like Jose Tabata did yesterday, Friday induced the Red Wings’ pitcher to make a balk. �Friday started to take off for second base, startling DeVries enough so that he did not step off the rubber before turning, and the balk sent Friday to second base. �It turne out to not matter, as DeVries got 3B Doug Bernier to ground out, ending the inning with Friday still on base. �RF Brandon Moss also singled in the 8th inning, but was doubled off when Luke Carlin surprised him by lining out right to 2B Matt Macri.
Reliever Wil Ledezma took care of the top of the 9th for Brad Lincoln and the Indians, needing only 6 pitches. �The game ended with Danny Valencia ripping a screaming liner toward left field, but Brian Friday timed his leap perfectly and made the mid-air catch to end the game. �Ledezma earned his fourth save of the season.
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The Indians now own a 18-15 record, which ties them with the Toledo Mud Hens for second place in the International League Western Division. � They are 4 games behind the Columbus Clippers.
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Thursday’s game will be another early one — the school kids are coming in, so the game will begin at 11 am.
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Indians’ Hitting Gem of the Game: �Pedro Alvarez (photo) and his huge 8th home run of the season. �Radio broadcaster Scott McCauley saw two little kids beg the Victory Field security staff to open a secondary gate in the outer fence so that they could go out to chase the ball down to West Street (and then be let back into the stadium again). They fought over the ball, but at least did not get hit by a car on the street.
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Indians’ Defensive Gem of the Game: �Starter Brad Lincoln, who just mowed the Red Wings down. �He had trouble in only two of his eight innings, allowing one run each time, but otherwise made his teammates’ jobs easy behind him.
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NOTES:
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Pirates’ Infield Defensive Coordinator Steve Lombardozzi (in left photo, with manager Frank Kremblas) has been in town to work with some of the Indians’ infielders.
Rochester pitcher Matt Fox has had only one other start this season. �The rest of his appearances have been out of the bullpen. �He was making a spot start today, in the place of former Pirate farmhand and Indy Indian Yoslan Herrera. �Herrera last pitched for the Red Wings over the weekend, but has since left the team — as in “quit”. �Apparently after really struggling in his last appearance, he just walked off.
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Go Tribe!
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(Photos by Nancy)
