ARCHIVES
Tribe Relievers Disintigrate
(photo: �Jonathan Van Every slides across the plate with the Indians' only run)
�
Toledo Mud Hens 10, �Indianapolis Indians 1 (box)
Indians' starting pitcher Brad Lincoln (photo) pitched 6 innings and gave the Indians a solid start, leaving the game behind, but only by two runs -- a game still within reach. �But the two relievers who came in from the bullpen, Vinnie Chulk and Anthony Claggett, completely fell apart in the last two innings of the game, as the Mud Hens overwhelmed the Indians at Victory Field on Monday night.
Lincoln began the game with two scoreless innings, though his command was a little off. �He hit one batter, and threw first-pitch walks to three of the four batters in the 1st inning. �The second inning was a little better -- he hit another batter, but struck out two. �The first Toledo run scored in the 3rd inning, when Lincoln gave up a one-out single to Mud Hens' 2B Will Rhymes. �The single was followed by a walk to SS Brent Dlugach, a single off either the side of the bound or the tip of Lincoln's glove by RF Brennan Boesch, which scored Rhymes, and another walk to 1B Jeff Larish. �That left the bases still loaded, with one out.
C Luke Carlin came to Lincoln's rescue. �He caught Larish napping a bit at first base �while Lincoln was pitching to CF Casper Wells, and Carlin's snap throw down to first base picked Larish off. �That turned out to be a big out. �Wells grounded to short for an easy out to end the inning, leaving two runners in scoring position.
The Indians had scored one run in the 2nd inning off Toledo starter and former Indian and Pirate, Phil Dumatrait. �3B Pedro Alvarez led off with a line drive into right field, and 1B Steve Pearce followed with another line drive, this one into center field. �Alvarez was off and running with the pitch, and easily reached third, sliding in before the throw (photo).
The runners-on-the-corners situation turned into just a runner on third, when Pearce tried to steal second base on a ball that Dumatrait threw into the dirt. �Toledo catcher Mike Rabelo recovered the ball quickly, though, and his throw down to second easily beat Pearce, who slid wide to the outfield side of the bag. �Alvarez was the next runner to be thrown out. �LF Jonathan Van Every tapped back to the mound, and Dumatrait quickly scooped up the ball and threw back to the plate, where Rabelo tagged out Alvarez as he tried to score from third.
That left Van Every on first base. �DH Brandon Moss worked a walk, and C Luke Carlin lined a single into right field, allowing Van Every to race around from second base and score.
Pirates displaying improved patience
In 2009, the Pirates were among baseball's least patient teams at the plate. Thus far in 2010, they have been marching to a new beat. Click to see just how much their plate discipline has improved so far this season.Walker, Moss, and Van Every Homer To Lift Indians
Milledge showing on-field maturity
When the Pirates acquired Lastings Milledge last June, most of the trepidation expressed by fans and members of the media focused on his poor off-the-field reputation. I was chiefly worried about baseball-related issues, namely his poor defense and free-swinging ways at the plate. He is showing improvement in all aspects.Game 12: Maholm Looks Sharp as Bucs Ride Big Inning
Another tight one with the Reds goes the Pirates way as the Bucs sweep behind three RBI from Jason Jaramillo and a strong outing from Paul Maholm. A 7-5 start isn't too shabby.Game 11: Reds Bullpen Gives Up Lead, Game in 9th
If turnabout is fair play, then the Reds should've hung on to win Saturday night. On Friday, the Pirates bullpen surrendered the lead only to watch the offense bail them out in the 9th. The Reds offense never got the chance on Saturday as the Pirates scored twice with two outs in the 9th to win again.Pearce Homers But Mud Hens Slip Past Tribe
Toledo Mud Hens 3, �Indianapolis Indians 2 (box)
C Luke Carlin went 3-for-4 and 1B Steve Pearce hit a huge solo home run, but the Indians' offensive burst came too late, as the Mud Hens beat the Tribe at Victory Field tonight.
The Indians could not muster much of an offense for the first 5 innings, as only four batters reached base. �The Indians also were making a habit of leaving runners stranded at third base, which is never a good idea. �1B Steve Pearce had the first Tribe hit in the 2nd inning, a very long shot to the wall at the 418' mark in left center field -- the deepest part of Victory Field. �The ball dropped right into the pocket way way out there, and Pearce rounded second and charged for third, sliding in just before the throw with a triple (photo). � Two strikeouts ended the inning, though, with Pearce still standing there at third.
Luke Carlin was the one left on third in the 3rd inning. �He led off with a single into left field, and moved to second base when SS Argenis Diaz dropped down a sacrifice bunt just in front of the plate. �Carlin stole third base, drawing no throw from the Mud Hens' catcher. �RF Brandon Jones walked, but a strikeout and a pop up to first base ended that inning.
Indians' starter Chris Jakubauskas (photo) was also using strikeouts to get himself out of jams in the first few innings of the game. �Toledo DH Will Rhymes opened the game with a little looping hit that dropped in just barely fair behind the third base bag. �Strikeouts of SS Brent Dlugach and RF Brennan Boesch put Jakubauskas into a much better position, and after a walk, he got CF Casper Wells to ground to third base to end the inning. �Jakubauskas retired the side in the 2nd inning, including 2 more strikeouts. �He gave up a one-out walk in the third, but again two strikeouts ended the inning. �Jakubauskas was not able to utilize the strikeout in the 4th inning, and that's when he got into trouble. �1B Jeff Larish walked, and after a fly out, LF Jeff Frazier smacked a double off the upper half of the new scoreboard in left field, moving Larish to third. �2B Max Leon zapped a liner right back to the mound, where Jakubauskas was able to stick his glove up and knock the ball down. �He quickly picked the ball up, turned to glare over towards third and then towards second, to keep those base runners from moving, then fired over to first base to get the out on Leon. �The next batter, C Mike Rabelo, brought both runners in with a double to the wall in the right-center alley, giving the Mud Hens a 2-0 lead.
�
Homers By Alvarez And Moss Can’t Overcome Four Errors
Toledo Mud Hens 7, �Indianapolis Indians 4 (box)
The Mud Hens spoiled the Indianapolis Indians' home opener at Victory Field with a 4-run 8th inning, taking advantage of four errors committed by the Indians themselves. �3B Pedro Alvarez and DH Brandon Moss both homered for the Indians, but the homers couldn't overcome the errors.
The Indians got onto the scoreboard first. �After his teammates went down in order in the 1st inning, 3B Pedro Alvarez led off the 2nd inning with his first hit at Victory Field, a single through the hole on the right side of the infield. �Neil Walker, in his first pro appearance as a first baseman, worked a walk, moving Alvarez to second base. �Brandon Moss dropped down the perfectly placed sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position. �C Erik Kratz pushed Alvarez across the plate with an RBI ground out to short.
�
Jeremy Powell made another spot start for the Indians, and did a reasonable job over 4 innings of work. �Powell gave up a splintered-bat single and a walk in the first inning, but left both runners on base. �He also gave up a lead-off walk in the 2nd inning, but SS Argenis Diaz made a slick double play,�scooping the ball just two steps from second base, and making that force himself before firing on to Walker at first.
The first error of the game came there in the 2nd inning, when former Indy Indian C Robinzon Diaz grounded towards third base. �Alvarez went to his left a couple of steps, but the ball slid just under his glove and into left field and was ruled an error -- it might have ticked his glove as it went by, but I couldn't tell from where I was sitting. �That error turned out to be moot, luckily. �The next batter, 3B Danny Worth, grounded another ball right to Alvarez, and on his second try, he made a nice throw to second base for the force out.
�
�
© 2024 Pirates Prospects