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The Indians responded in the top of the 5th. �Brian Friday led off with a double down the line into left field. �LF Kevin Melillo (photo) walked, then Aki Iwamura also doubled. �Friday scored easily on the play, but Melillo was not as lucky. �He raced around third and slid into the plate — but he missed the plate and C Tyler Flowers missed the tag. �Home plate umpire Lance Barrett just stood there looking at the two of them for a beat, before Flowers turned and tagged out Melillo, before Melillo could get back to touch the plate. �Friday’s run gave the Indians the lead again, 4-3.
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Brandon Moss started another Tribe rally in the 6th. �He singled up the middle, and Jim Negrych and Jonathan Van Every made it three singles in a row. �Van Every’s single into center field brought Moss around to score. �The throw in to the plate was not nearly in time, but C Tyler Flowers thought he still had a chance to get out Negrych, who was rolling into third base. �Flowers’ throw to third got past 3B Brent Morel, which sent Negrych scrambling for the plate. �The throw back to Flowers was closer this time, but Negrych was able to slide under Flowers to score. �After a little griping to the umpire by Knights’ manager Chris Chambliss, Charlotte starter Jeffrey Marquez got Luke Carlin to ground out. �Reliever Freddi Dolsi relieved Marquez, and got the next two outs to end the inning. �Indians 6, �Knights 3.
The Indians wanted a little more insurance. �After two strikeouts in the bottom of the 7th, Alex Presley blasted a solo home run over the right field wall. �Brandon Moss added his third hit of the game with a single, and Jim Negrych and Jonathan Van Every both walked to load the bases with two outs. �All three were left on base when Luke Carlin struck out. �Brian Friday led off with a double for the second time in the game in the 8th inning. �Argenis Diaz singled through the hole into left field, moving Friday to third base. �Kevin Melillo’s sacrifice fly brought Friday home, and the Indians had an 8-3 lead.
After giving up the two home runs in the 5th, Brian Burres retired the next 7 batters he faced. �He finished with 7 innings of work, and 110 pitches (66 strikes). �He gave up the 3 runs on 6 hits and 3 walks, with 5 strikeouts. �Brian Bass (photo) came on to pitch the 8th inning. �He started off by giving up a single to Luis Rodriguez, who went 3-for-4 in the game, but got the next three Knights’ batters out, for a scoreless inning.
Jean Machi took the mound for the 9th, and he made things a little too interesting — and made use of the insurance runs. �Buck Coats and Brent Morel led off the inning with back-to-back singles off Machi. �A grounder to first gave Machi the first out, and moved Coats and Morel into scoring position. �Machi got a strikeout for the second out of the inning, but Alejandro De Aza took the first pitch he saw over CF Alex Presley’s head to the center field wall. �Both Coats and Morel scored, and the speedy De Aza reached third base for a triple. �Machi walked Luis Rodriguez (which was better than having him hit a 2-run homer). �Pitching coach Dean Treanor came out to have a little chat with Machi. �Treanor must have said something good, because Machi got Stefan Gartrell to ground out to third base to end the game and preserve the win.
The Indians leave tomorrow for their longest road trip of the season. �They begin with 4 games against the Syracuse Chief, managed by former Indians’ skipper Trent Jewett. �Then they head south, for 4 games against the Norfolk Tides and 4 games against the Durham Bulls.
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Indians’ Hitting Gems of the Game: �Three hits by Brandon Moss (left photo above), with one RBI, and two hits and two RBI by Jonathan Van Every (right photo above).
Indians’ Defensive Gems of the Game: �The double play started by Aki Iwamura (Iwamura to Friday to Van Every) in the 1st inning, which got Brian Burres out of a bases-loaded jam. �Then, a strong defensive game at first base by Jonathan Van Every. �It was his first professional game at first base. �He’d told manager Frank Kremblas that he had experience at first base — but it was back when he was in high school.
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NOTES:
LHP Dana Eveland has been placed on the Disabled List due to his left elbow issues.
The Pirates have not made an official announcement yet, but it’s likely that reliever Wil Ledezma will be one of the pitchers tapped to fill a spot on the big league pitching staff. � The other… Daniel McCutchen? �Someone else for a few days — maybe Justin Thomas? �Then after a few days, but in time for a start, send Thomas back and bring up McCutchen? �Charlie Morton?
UPDATE: It’s Wil Ledezma and Steven Jackson. They will join the Pirates for Tuesday’s game in Denver.
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Go Tribe!
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(photos by Nancy)
