Corey Hamman came on in relief of Morton. �He entered the game with two runs in, one out, and runners on first and second bases. �The first thing Hamman faced was a double steal, with both runners moving into scoring position. �A pop out left both runners in place, but Jared Goedert brought both of them across the plate with a huge 3-run homer over the left field wall. �Clippers 6, Indians 1.
The next pitch Hamman threw, to Jordan Brown, sailed up and in towards Brown’s head — maybe even behind Brown, who had ducked out of the way. �Hamman was immediately ejected by the home plate umpire Derek Crabill.
The Indians got one run back in the top of the 5th. �Brian Myrow led off with a walk, and Argenis Diaz singled, moving Myrow to second. �Myrow scored on a convoluted play: �Aki Iwamura grounded to first, and 1B Jordan Brown scooped the ball and threw to second base, where SS Josh Rodriguez was covering to force out Diaz. �Rodriguez’s throw back to first base went sailing to the dugout railing, making Iwamura safe at first and heading for second. �At the same time, Myrow was running from second, and when the ball got away from first base, he rounded third and headed for the plate. �Pitcher David Huff retrieved the ball from near the dugout, and he tried to get Myrow out at the plate, but that throw was off-balance, and C Lou Marson could not hold on to it. �Myrow slid in safely with the Indians’ second run of the game.
The umpire trouble came up again in the 6th. �David Huff was relieved by Josh Judy, who began the 6th with strikeouts of LF Alex Presley and 3B Steve Pearce. Pearce’s called strike three was not to Pearce’s liking, and his questions to umpire Derek Crabill were getting heated, when manager Frank Kremblas stepped in to protect Pearce. �Pearce retreated to the dugout safely, but Kremblas stayed to argue, and was quickly ejected. �Of course, once ejected, Kremblas stayed on to keep arguing and have his say.
When the inning continued, Jeff Clement lined a single into left field, and Erik Kratz worked a walk. �But just as the Indians seemed to be getting something going, Judy struck out Brian Myrow to end the inning. �At this point, there were many Indians who were wondering what was going on with Derek Crabill’s strike zone. �Myrow, usually not someone who shows his temper on the field, had some words at Crabill, and before he knew it, he was ejected too.
It didn’t get any better for the Indians. �Steven Jackson, who had come in to finish the 4th inning for Corey Hamman, had pitched a scoreless 5th inning, allowing only a walk. �With one out in the 6th, Jackson gave up a walk to Josh Rodriguez and a single to Luis Valbuena, moving Rodriguez to third. �Jordan Brown’s line drive into right field scored Rodriguez, and a walk to DH Wes Hodges loaded the bases. �That was all for Jackson. �Danny Moskos came in from the bullpen and rescued Jackson by striking out Nick Weglarz to end the inning and leave the bases loaded.
Moskos also pitched the 7th inning, allowing only one single and striking out another batter, in what was his best appearance since joining the Indians. �Wil Ledezma took care of the bottom of the 8th for the Indians, allowing a walk, but striking out 2 Clippers’ batters.
After having had two ejections in the 6th, the Indians went down in order in the 7th. �RF Brandon Moss singled to lead off the 8th, but he was forced out at second on Alex Presley’s grounder, and the next two batters were retired. �The Indians began their last chance in the 9th inning with a home run by Erik Kratz — a solo blast over the left field wall. �That was all the damage they could do, though, as pinch-hitter Kevin Melillo flied out, and both CF Jonathan Van Every and Argenis Diaz struck out to end the game.
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Indians’ Hitting Gem of the Game: �Erik Kratz (photo), who went 3-for-3, with a single, a double, and a homer, plus a walk and an RBI.
Indians’ Defensive Gem of the Game: �Two scoreless innings of work by Danny Moskos and Wil Ledezma, after Moskos had escaped a bases-loaded jam (not even of his own making) with a strikeout.
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Go Tribe!
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(photos by Nancy)
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