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Offense Stunned Again In Indians’ Third Shutout In A Row

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Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs  1,  Indianapolis Indians  0

(Box)

 

Forty-five.  That’s the number of innings that have passed since the Indianapolis Indians scored an earned run.  In fact, the last run they did score, the unearned one, was 33 innings ago.

Jo-Jo Reyes pitched well but was charged with the loss.

Tonight it was Jo-Jo Reyes whose strong start earned him a hard-luck loss, against the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, PA..  Reyes went 7 innings and gave up one run on 7 hits and no walks in his first loss of the season.  He struck out 5 Iron Pigs.  Reyes worked around a single in the 1st and 5th, and two singles in the 2nd.  He allowed another single, to 2B Kevin Frandsen in the 6th, but picked him off first base.

The only run Reyes allowed came in the bottom of the 7th.  The inning began with a lead-off single by LF Michael Spidale, followed by a single by C Tuffy Gosewisch.  With Iron Pigs’ runners on the corners, 3B Tim Kennelly dropped down a safety squeeze, allowing Spidale to score from third.  That was all it took for the Iron Pigs.

The Indians managed 5 hits, but could never get the runners around to score.  1B Jeff Clement doubled twice, once to lead off the top of the 2nd, and again with one out in the 4th.  He got as far as 3rd base in the 2nd, but both times was left stranded.  RF Gorkys Hernandez also had two hits.  He singled in the 6th, and stole second base, but got no further.  Hernandez also singled in the 8th, in what was the Indians’ best chance at scoring.  Pinch hitter Chase d’Arnaud led off with a walk, then stole second base.   LF Alex Presley, who just arrived from Pittsburgh, lined sharply right back to the mound, where reliever David Purcey caught the low liner, then whirled and threw to second base, doubling off d’Arnaud.  Hernandez zipped a single just out of reach of 1B Cody Overbeck and into right field.  If d’Arnaud had not been doubled off, he probably would have been able to score on Hernandez’s hit.  Instead, a hard line drive by CF Starling Marte straight at the CF Kyle Hudson ended the inning without a run scoring.  C Jose Morales also singled for the Tribe in the 7th.  The only other Indians’ base runner was 2B Brian Friday, who reached base on a fielding error in the 3rd.  BOth Morales and Friday were left stranded as well.

Jeff Clement hit two doubles tonight.

Tim Wood pitched the bottom of the 8th for the Indians, and retired the side in order.

 

Indians’ Hitting Gem of the Game:  Two doubles by Jeff Clement.  Unfortunately, he needed some help if he was going to score, and the clutch hitting just wasn’t there.

Indians’ Defensive Gem of the Game:  When Tim Wood came on in the bottom of the 8th, the first batter he faced, Kyle Hudson, tapped a bunt right down a few feet in front of the plate.  C Jose Morales jumped up out of his crouch and pounced on the ball, then whirled and fired a perfect throw to Jeff Clement at first base for the out.

 

 

 

NOTES

Alex Presley, just down from Pittsburgh, was immediately placed in the lead-off spot in the lineup, in left field tonight.  He struck out three times, then lined into the double play in the 8th.

 

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