Kevin Melillo got one of those runs back for the Indians in the 5th inning.� With one out, SS Argenis Diaz took a 4-pitch walk, and stole second base.� Melillo singled for the third straight at-bat — fifth straight, if you go back to yesterday’s pinch-hitting hit, and to Monday’s single in the 8th.� Diaz scored from second on the single, and the Indians were closer:� 3-2.
Brian Burres had again retired the side in order in the 5th, but began the 6th with a single by John Mayberry and a walk to Neil Sellers.� That was all for Burres, who had thrown 93 pitches (59 strikes).� He was ultimately responsible for 4 runs, on 6 hits and 2 walks, and he struck out 3 batters.�� Steven Jackson came on in relief of Burres, and the first thing he did was get Paul Hoover to bounce into a double play, Argenis Diaz to Jim Negrych to Jeff Clement (6-4-3).� That put Mayberry on third base.� Dane Sardinha followed with a single lined into left-center, driving in Mayberry from third with the Iron Pigs’ fourth run.� Burres walked Brian Bocock, then got opposing pitcher Michael Cisco to bounce out to first base to end the inning.� Iron Pigs ahead, 4-2.
Brandon Moss got that run back in the bottom of the inning.� With two outs, Moss took Cisco’s 0-1 pitch over the right field fence at the 362-foot mark for a solo home run.� It was Moss’ 14th homer of the season, and it again moved the Indians to within one run of the Iron Pigs, 4-3.
Rookie Michael Cisco had still thrown only 81 pitches after 6 innings, and he came back out to begin the 7th.� Cisco struck out Jim Negrych to get started.� Argenis Diaz looped a little single over the head of the Iron Pigs’ shortstop and into left center.� Jonathan Van Every came in to pinch-hit for Steven Jackson, and he gave the Indians the lead again, when he launched a high no-doubt-about-it 2-run homer over the right field wall (photo).� It was just a few too many pitches for Cisco, who was then removed in favor of reliever Michael Schwimer.� Schwimer walked both Aki Iwamura and Alex Presley, but ended the inning without allowing any more runs to score.� Indians ahead, 5-4.
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But the lead did not last long.� Daniel Moskos (photo) came in from the bullpen to begin the 8th inning.� He walked Neil Sellers, who reached base all 5 times he came to the plate today (two singles, two walks, and a hit by pitch).� Paul Hoover singled through the left side of the infield, just underneath 3B Aki Iwamura’s glove.� Dane Sardinha sacrifice bunted the two up one base.� Brian Bocock was up next, and Moskos’ first pitch to him sailed well over Bocock’s head, over C Luke Carlin’s reach, and all the way to the backstop.� Sellers scored easily from third base to tie the score again.
Moskos intentionally walked Brian Bocock to put runners on the corners with one out.� That brought up the pitcher’s slot in the batting order, and the surprise pinch-hitter was All-Star 1B Andy Tracy, who has been out of the Iron Pigs’ line-up for several days with a shoulder problem.� His shoulder is fine now, though, because Tracy lined a single into center field, scoring Paul Hoover.� Moskos walked Chris Aguila to load the bases, and manager Frank Kremblas had seen enough from Moskos.
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Justin Thomas relieved Moskos, and he had a very un-Thomas-like outing.� The first batter Thomas faced was 2B Ozzie Chavez, whose fly ball to left field became a sacrifice fly, scoring Bocock.� RF Domonic Brown, who had been hitless in the game up until then, singled up the middle, just under Argenis Diaz’s glove, plating Andy Tracy from second base, and the Iron Pigs had taken an 8-5 lead.
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The Indians managed only a single, by Jim Negrych, in the bottom of the inning off Iron Pigs’ reliever Brian Gordon.� A light rain began just as the 8th inning was finishing, and as the top of the 9th began, the rain started coming down a little harder, though not enough to stop play.
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The Iron Pigs were happy to get right back up to the plate again, and they had the momentum going.� Justin Thomas began the top of the 9th by hitting Neil Sellers with a pitch, and Paul Hoover followed with a single into left field.� Dane Sardinha worked the count full and took ball for for a walk to load the bases.� That brought up Brian Bocock� — who again blasted a key big hit.� He lifted a long fly ball over the left field wall and to the light pole, for a grand slam.� Iron Pigs 12, Indians 5.
The big homer must have shook the clouds, because as Thomas was retiring the next two batters, the rain was really pouring down.� Jean Machi came out to finish the inning with a ground out by Ozzie Chavez, amid a total deluge.� As the players were changing sides between innings, the third base umpire, Chris Conroy (who is probably the crew chief) was having some “conversation” with someone in the Indians’ dugout.� Then Conroy made the big “yer outta here” sign — but it was not clear immediately who had been ejected.� It turned out to be pitching coach Dean Treanor (photo), though at that point, it was pretty clear that no more Indians pitchers were going to be needed for this game.
The Indians had one more chance, and they were not going to go down without a fight.� Jonathan Van Every had remained in the game to play center field after pinch-hitting, and he began the bottom of the 9th by drawing a 4-pitch walk.� Kevin Melillo got his fourth hit of the game, a double ripped down the right field line, and by the time Domonic Brown had dug the ball out of the corner, Van Every came all the way around to score from first base.� Aki Iwamura worked a walk next.� Because of the double-switch that had brought in Moskos and put Van Every in for Alex Presley, that brought up the pitchers’ spot.� Pinch-hitter Jason Jaramillo grounded through the hole ont he right side of the infield, scoring Melillo from second base.� Jeff Clement slipped another grounder through the right side, in almost the same spot as Jaramillo’s, and Iwamura scored.� The Iron Pigs changed pitchers, swapping Antonio Bastardo for Alex Concepcion.� Bastardo halted the Indians’ rally on the spot, getting three quick outs — pop out, fly out, and strikeout — on 7 pitches, to end the rally and the game.
The Indians will finish their season series against the Iron Pigs tomorrow, then they will have a 4-game series with the Charlotte Knights at Victory Field.
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An odd photo:� While Brian Burres (#43) looks on, Aki Iwamura (center) has just raced in, made the scoop, and has made a leaping throw to first base.� But the ball hasn’t gotten far yet� — in fact, it looks as if it is in Argenis Diaz’s right hand.
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Indians’ Hitting Gem of the Game:� Jonathan Van Every’s 2-run home run in the 7th inning, which gave the Indians the come-from-behind lead, at least for awhile.� It was the first time this season that an Indians’ pinch-hitter has hit a home run.� It was also Van Every’s 5th home run in his last 7 games, and he has 11 RBI in that time.
Indians’ Defensive Gem of the Game:� The double play turned by Argenis Diaz, Jim Negrych, and Jeff Clement in the 6th inning, which came with the bases loaded.� The Iron Pigs still scored one run in the inning, but the double play put a damper on their run-scoring plans they’d had with the bases loaded.
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Photos:
Hitting streaks extended:� Alex Presley (left) and Brandon Moss (right)
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Left:� Jim Negrych and Jeff Clement;���� Right:� Kevin Melillo, Brandon Moss, and Jonathan Van Every
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Left:� Alex Presley;��� Right:� Daniel Moskos
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Left: Brian Burres is old school at the plate (no batting gloves);�� Right: Former Indy Indian Chris Duffy
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NOTES:
So, last night, the grounds crew spent more than 2.5 hours getting the water out of the infield dirt.� Then today, they started out by putting water into the dirt…..
and in the 9th inning, after the total downpour, they had to put down more DiamondDry and try to take the water out again.� By the time the sudden cloudburst ended today, the infield dirt looked worse than it did before the game yesterday — standing puddles and wet spots, and sticky muddy spots everywhere.
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Alex Presley extended his hitting streak to 13 games, and Brandon Moss extended his to 12 games.
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Go Tribe!
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(photos by Nancy)
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