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Daniel McCutchen made his 7th start for the Indians this season, and earned his 3rd win with 5.1 innings of work. �McCutchen faced only one batter over the minimum over the first three innings. �He retired the side in the 1st inning. �In the 2nd, Clippers’ 1B Wes Hodges smoked a hard hopper at Pedro Alvarez at third — so hard that when Alvarez snagged it in his glove, the momentum spun him around. �Alvarez had plenty of time, but he didn’t realize it, so he rushed his throw to first base, and the throw got to Brian Myrow high and to the infield side of first base. �Myrow had to jump to catch it, and he came down off-balance, leaning into foul territory, with no chance to tag Hodges as he raced by.
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Alvarez’s teammates picked him up, though. �LF Jordan Brown grounded right to 2B Brian Friday (photo), who shoveled the ball to SS Argenis Diaz, and the relay on to first base erased Alvarez’s mistake with a double play. �McCutchen ended the inning with his only strikeout of the game, catching RF Chris Gimenez looking.
McCutchen worked around a double in the 3rd inning, when 3B Jared Goedert, who was making his AAA debut with the Clippers, lifted a fly ball over Jonathan Van Every’s head and all the way to the center field wall. �(Goedert had a very nice AAA debut, going 3-for-4.)
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It was former teammate Brian Bixler who got to McCutchen, to put the Clippers onto the scoreboard in the 4th. �Bixler crushed a ball, long and high, to the warning track in front of the Jackie Robinson “42” sign in the deepest part of left-center field. �Just like he’d done as an Indian, Bixler cruised into third base with a triple. �C Carlos Santana brought Bixler in to score with a liner into center field. �1B Wes Hodges popped out in foul territory, making 1B Brian Myrow lean way over the rolled up tarp and reach over the glove of a fan to make the catch. �The inning ended when Jordan Brown drove a twisting line drive right to SS Argenis Diaz. �Diaz stayed with it, made the catch, then fired on to first base. �Santana had been off and running with the pitch, and he was too far away from first base to get back in time, so was doubled off.
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The Clippers scored again in the 5th inning. �Chris Gimenez started the rally with a double to the right field wall, which RF Kevin Melillo couldn’t quite get to. �Gimenez held at second base when DH Nick Weglarz grounded to short, but Jared Goedert’s second AAA hit, a line drive single into center field, moved Gimenez to third base. �SS Anderson Hernandez brought Gimenez across the plate with a sacrifice fly.
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The Tribe threatened in the 4th inning. �A single by Kevin Melillo and walks to Brian Myrow and Pedro Alvarez loaded the bases with two outs, but a little tapper back to the mound by Jonathan Van Every got the Clippers out of the jam without any runs scoring. �The Indians were quiet for the 5th and 6th innings. �Erik Kratz (photo) was the only batter to reach base for the Indians in those innings. �His grounder down the left field line rattled around in the corner, as Kratz made it into second base with a double. �The next three batters went down in order, though, leaving Kratz on base, and the Indians also were retired in order in the 6th.
The Tribe added one more insurance run in the 7th inning. �Pedro Alvarez got on base for the 4th time in 4 at-bats with a double off the top of the left-center field wall, just to the left of the “42” (photo). �Van Every’s grounder to first advanced Alvarez to third base, and Kratz’s sacrifice fly plated Alvarez. �The Indians recorded a total of 12 hits in the game, with each member of the line up except Friday collecting at least one hit.
Andrew McCutchen was tiring as he came back out to begin the 6th inning. �He walked Carlos Santana, then got a fly out, then walked Jordan Brown, and that was all for McCutchen. �Reliever Steven Jackson came on in relief (photo at the top of the post), and got two outs on two unusual plays. �Chris Gimenez barely tapped a ball, not a bunt, just inches in front of the plate — it was hard to tell whether or not it had hit in fair territory, other than by Erik Kratz’s reaction. �Kratz leapt out from behind the plate, snatched up the ball and quickly tagged Gimenez on the leg — with Gimenez not even sure why he was being tagged. �Then Kratz fired down to third base, in hopes of making an out on Santana who was sliding into third. �The ball got there in time, but Pedro Alvarez couldn’t hold onto it, and Santana was safe. � The next batter, Nick Weglarz hit a screaming line drive right back at the mound. �It hit Jackson, though it was hard to tell where on Jackson it hit — maybe in the stomach just above the belt? �Jackson maintained his composure long enough to take a few steps and pick up the ball from where it had landed and throw to first for the out to end the inning. �Then he turned and walked into the dugout and right into the tunnel leading to the clubhouse. �No word yet as to the exact nature of the injury or how serious it is.
Three Tribe relievers each took an inning to finish up the game. �Wil Ledezma threw a perfect 7th inning, including a strikeout. �Brian Bass gave up a bloopy single to Carlos Santana, but left him on base, also striking out one batter. �Anthony Claggett took the 9th inning, and he gave up Jared Goedert’s second double of the night, but ended the inning with a pop out.
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Indians’ Hitting Gem of the Game: �Brandon Jones’ booming 3-run homer in the 2nd inning (photo). �It was his third of the season — his last home run came on May 3rd.
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Indians’ Defensive Gem of the Game: �The amazing double play in the 4th inning, when Jordan Brown lined out to Argenis Diaz at short. �Diaz handled the liner well, then fired to Brian Myrow at first base, just barely doubling off Carlos Santana.
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Photos:
Left: Former teammates, Brian Myrow and Brian Bixler; �Right: �Jose Tabata jokes with the Clippers in their dugout as he’s coaching at first base
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Right: �Luke Carlin walks back from the bullpen; �Left: �watching from the dugout
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Right: �Steven Jackson ; � �Left: Pedro Alvarez
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NOTES:
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Brad Lincoln was honored as the Indians’ Player of the Month for May before tonight’s game. �GM Cal Burleson presented him with a watch (photo).
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Brian Burres has arrived in Indianapolis, but has not been activated onto the Indians’ roster yet. �He was throwing a side session in the bullpen during the early part of the game.
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Erik Kratz’s double in the 5th increased his hitting streak to 10 games.
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Go Tribe!
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(photos by Nancy)
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