John Bowker (photo) got the game tied back up again in the top of the 2nd. 1B Matt Hague beat out an infield single to open the inning, then Bowker smashed a 2-run homer over the right-center field wall. Durham responded with a solo home run by C Jose Lobaton in the bottom of the 2nd off Tribe pitcher Dan Meyer, who had replaced Ascanio. Following the homer, Meyer walked former Indy Indian 2B JJ Furmaniak and gave up a single to Olmedo, putting runners on the corners with no outs. But Meyer buckled down and got a strikeout, a pop out, and a fly out to get out of the inning without further runs scoring.
Meyer gave up another run in the 3rd. With one out, a double by 3B Russ Canzler, a walk to 1B Lezlie Anderson, and a line drive single into center filed by Lobaton loaded the bases. Furmaniak brought in Canzler with a sacrifice fly, to give the Bulls a 4-2 lead.
The Tribe batters could not get anything going during the middle innings of the game. Bowker walked with two outs in the 3rd and was left on base, then the Indians went down in order for the next three innings.
Garrett Olson (photo below) took over for Meyer to begin the bottom of the 4th. Olson pitched 3 scoreless innings, giving up a walk in the 4th and a walk and a single in the 6th.
The Indians got going again in the late innings, scoring 5 runs over two innings to put the game away. Dane De La Rosa took the mound for Durham — he was the pitcher who threw one pitch against the Indians in Indianapolis last week, and was immediately ejected when that one pitch hit Andrew Lambo. De La Rosa began the inning by walking C Jason Jaramillo, then he faced Lambo again. This time, Lambo had the upper hand, with a blast over the right-center field wall for a game-tying 2-run homer.
CF Gorkys Hernandez beat out a bunt for a single after Lambo’s homer, but as he pulled into first base, Hernandez came up limping. He left the game, with Corey Wimberly coming in to pinch-run and take over in the outfield. 2B Chase d’Arnaud sacrifice bunted Wimberly to second base. When De La Rosa tried to pick Wimberly off second base, his throwing error sent Wimberly to third base. SS Pedro Ciriaco brought Wimberly across the plate with a line drive into left field, and the Indians had taken a 5-4 lead.
Alex Presley moved to center field after Wimberly stayed in to play left field in the bottom of the 7th, and at the same time, Blaine Boyer relieved Olson. The first batter Boyer faced was Carter, who lined a double past Presley and off the center field wall. Boyer struck out Canzler, then was relieved by Tony Watson. Watson kept the Indians clinging to that one-run lead with a line out and a strikeout, leaving Carter on base.
The Tribe extended the lead with some insurance runs in the top of the 8th. Bowker led off with a line drive into center field for a single. Harrison struck out and Jaramillo grounded out to third, which moved Bowker up to second base. Lambo picked up his third RBI of the game with a single up the middle, as Bowker scored from second base. Wimberly added another insurance run when he smacked a triple into the right-center gap, bringing in Lambo.
After Watson retired the side in order in the bottom of the 8th, the Indians also went down in order in the top of the 9th. Tim Wood (photo) replaced Watson for the bottom of the 9th, and he quickly got into trouble with back-to-back lead-off singles by Guyer and DH Felipe Lopez. With runners on the corners, a wild pitch by Wood let Guyer score. Wood bore down, and got a pop out, a strikeout, and a fly out to end the threat, and the game. Wood earned his 5th Save. Olson, with his 3 scoreless innings, earned his first win.
The remaining three game of the series will be played at Durham’s “new” park.
NOTES:
This game should have been Rudy Owens’ to start, but Owens was serving the final game of his suspension. That came from last week when he was ejected for hitting a batter with a pitch after giving up a home run. Instead of Owens, this game was going to be a “bullpen” game. Durham’s pitcher Dane De La Rosa, who was also suspended after hitting Andrew Lambo in that same game, had already served his suspension. This was his first game back. Lambo said it felt good to homer off De La Rosa after being hit by him last week.
No further word by the end of the game about Gorkys Hernandez’s injury.
Go Tribe!
(photos by Nancy)
