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Indians Waste Another Strong Pitching Start
Louisville Bats 4,
�� �Indianapolis �Indians 2
��
The Indianapolis Indians got a stellar pitching performance from starter Ty Taubenheim (photo) tonight at Victory Field, but like last night, they did not capitalize on scoring opportunities and they made critical mistakes in the field. �This time it was the Louisville Bats who walked away with the win, and Taubenheim who got no decision. �
Taubenheim was working on just three days' rest instead of the usual four. �You wouldn't have known from watching him, though. �He needed only 69 pitches (45 strikes) to go 5 scoreless innings. �He gave up 3 hits, no walks, and struck out 3 batters. �
Taubenheim retired the first 8 batters he faced. �That took him to the top of the 3rd inning with two outs. �With a 2-1 count on the Mud Hens' pitcher Travis Wood, just as Taubenheim finished throwing the second ball, the lights flickered out at Victory Field. �Blamed on a power surge, the scoreboards, the jumbotron video board, the concourse lights, and the stadium lights all went dark. �The game halted, because while it is still mostly light out at about 7:38 pm in Indianapolis in early September, it was dark enough on the field that it would have been too hard for the batters to see the ball. �The Indians stood around on the field for a few minutes (photo: C�Erik Kratz and Ty Taubenheim wait on the mound), but eventually retreated to their dugout to wait out the delay. �After about 16 minutes, the stadium lights came back on, and play resumed. �
It wasn't too bad for Taubenheim, who treated the delay as if it were just the bottom half of another inning. �It was a little tougher for Bats' pitcher Travis Wood, who had to complete his at-bat, and then had to act as if he had been waiting out a very long half inning with his team at bat. �
When play resumed with Wood at the plate, he hit the first pitch he saw to third base, where Robinzon Diaz, on third tonight, had the ball hit his glove on the back-handed attempt, and then roll behind Diaz. �Wood was safe at first, though the error turned out to be moot, as Taubenheim struck out LF Luis Bolivar looking on three pitches to end the inning. �
[Photo: �Argenis Diaz catches a pop up]
The first hit Taubenheim gave up came in the 4th inning, and it was a trickly little grounder that wound its way to the left side of the mound and around behind it. �SS Argenis Diaz came charging in, but couldn't get the bare-handed pick up in time, and rehabbing Bats' catcher Ryan Hanigan was safe at first. �But Taubenheim was unfazed. �He got another rehabbing Bat, RF Jay Bruce, to ground to second base, where 2B Pedro Lopez started a 4-6-3 double play (Lopez to Argenis Diaz to 1B Hector Gimenez). �In fact, Taubenheim was largely unimpressed by the two rehabbing Bats (from the Cincinnati Reds). �He gave up that little hit to Hanigan, but got him to ground out in two other at-bats, and he retired Bruce on that double play grounder and two easy fly outs. �
Taubenheim gave up two more hits, both in the 5th inning. �With two outs, SS Chris Valaika and CF Lew Ford stroked back-to-back singles into just about the same spot in left-center field. �Taubenheim ended the inning with a pop out by Travis Wood, leaving both base runners stranded. �
The Indians' batters put runners on base in every inning but two. �They posted a total of 10 hits, with each position player in the line-up but one collecting at least one hit. �CF Brian Bixler got things started with a slow infield grounder to third base. �The speedy Bixler was able to beat out the throw from 3B Juan Francisco. �Pedro Lopez dropped down a perfect bunt, to move Bixler on to second base. �RF Jose Tabata laced a double into the right-center field alley, which bounced off the warning track and to the base of the wall, as Bixler raced around from second base to score (photo). �
The Indians held that 1-0 lead for the next six innings, but could not add to it. �They put one base runner on base with a single in each of the 2nd, 3rd, 6th, and 7th innings (Robinzon Diaz, Jose Tabata, Hector Gimenez, and Pedro Lopez) but each time left the runners on base. �In fact, only Robinzon Diaz, in the 2nd inning, was able to progress as far as second base. �
The Tribe's best chance to score again came in the 4th inning. �This was the point at which Travis Wood had just been waiting out the power-surge delay and had been at the plate and on base. �Erik Kratz led off with a line drive single into left field. �After a strikeout by Robinzon Diaz, Hector Gimenez grounded a single through the hole and into left field. �Argenis Diaz followed with a grounder deep to short. �Bats' SS Chris Valaika was able to keep the ball from getting through and into left field, but he came up off
-balance and his throw to first base was wide. �The Tribe had the bases loaded and one out -- and could not capitalize. �Ty Taubenheim (photo, at the plate) lifted a short fly ball into right field, too shallow for Kratz to tag up and score from third base. �Brian Bixler was up next. �He worked the count full, and then swung and missed at strike three, and all three base runners were left on base. �
After Taubenheim's performance, another rehabbing major leaguer, Jeff Karstens (photo),�entered the game for the Indians. � Karstens, working his way back from a lower back strain, pitched 2 innings. �He retired the Bats in order in the 6th, then worked out of a jam in the 7th. �With one out, a strikeout on 1B Wes Bankston, Karstens gave up singles to Juan Francisco and 2B Todd Frazier. �Chris Valaika grounded a slow roller to short, where Argenis Diaz had to work around the base umpire and Francisco as he ran past. �He had time to get the force out of Frazier at second base, leaving runners on the corners. �An infield pop up ended the inning without a run scoring. �
Jorge Julio took over for Karstens to begin the 8th inning, and that's when the wheels fell off. �Like many bad innings, it began with a lead-off walk, to C Chris Denove, who had entered the game in a double-switch. �Luis Bolivar dropped down a sacrifice bunt on the first-base side of the infield. �1B Hector Gimenez charged in to scoop the ball, but instead of throwing to first for the sacrifice, he tried to get the lead runner, Denove, who was going into second base. �Gimenez's (photo) throw was off-balance,�
and it glanced off Argenis Diaz's glove and into center field. �Brian Bixler was backing up and the ball didn't get far, so Denove did not advance further. �The play was ruled a sacrifice bunt for Bolivar and a fielder's choice. � RF Michael Griffin, who had also entered the game in the double-switch, put down another sacrifice bunt, right in front of the plate. �This time, Erik Kratz jumped out from behind the plate, but missed the bare-handed pick-up of the ball, and all three runners were safe. �That play was ruled a sacrifice and an error on Kratz. �With the bases loaded and no outs, pinch-hitter Danny Dorn drilled a double down the right field line and into the corner, driving in Denove and Bolivar to give the Bats the tying and the go-ahead runs. �When Julio threw a wild pitch, Griffin also scored, and Dorn advanced to third base. �After a ground out, Juan Francisco singled into left field, and Dorn came across the plate with the fourth run of the inning. �The inning ended when Todd Frazier bounced to short, and Argenis Diaz started a 6-4-3 (Argenis Diaz to Pedro Lopez to Hector Gimenez) double play. �Julio allowed one more hit in the top of the 9th, but got two strikeouts to keep the Bats from scoring again. �
The Indians got one of the runs back in the bottom of the 8th. �Erik Kratz worked a one-out walk, and then surprised the Bats by stealing second base. �It was Kratz's 7th stolen base of the season, giving him more stolen bases this season than he has had all totalled for the rest of his career. �The steal put Kratz into scoring position for Robinzon Diaz, who singled into left-center field, scoring Kratz. �A double play erased Diaz to end the inning, and the Tribe went down in order in their last chance in the bottom of the 9th. �
The loss drops the Indians down below the .500 mark again. �
Indians' Hitting Gem of the Game: �Jose Tabata's RBI double in the 1st inning, which plated Brian Bixler for the first run of the game.
Indians' Defensive Gem of the Game: �Brian Bixler has now played quite a few games in center field for the Indians, and he's making it look like he belongs there. �He made a number of plays in center look fairly routine. �And then, in the 3rd inning, he made a spectacular catch of a long fly ball off the bat of Chris Valaika. �Bixler had to run back and to his left, going into the alley in right-center. �He made the catch still running, with his glove hand (left) extended, on the warning track, then ran into the wall and rolled off on the bounce.�
Photos: �
Yoslan Herrera made a pinch-hitting appearance in the 7th inning (and struck out)..... Jean Machi watches from the dugout
NOTES:
The Indians are auctioning off their game-worn black alternate jerseys. �Go to the auction site and make your bids! �The auction will be going on for the next week. �Can you guess whose jersey has the most bids so far? �(answer below)
Jon Meloan, who was Designated for Assignment by the Pirates last week, was claimed off waivers by the Oakland A's, and assigned to AAA Sacramento in the Pacific Coast League. �
How many positions can Chris Barnwell play? �He has played all around the infield and in the outfield for the Indians, and he has made two pitching appearances for the Tribe. �And tonight, he was wearing catching gear and working as the bullpen catcher.
Speaking of bullpen catchers... that's the answer to the question -- bullpen catcher Ryan Lewis' (photo, wearing the jersey in question) jersey has the most bids so far (8 as of just now). �
A few other players' jerseys have one or two bi
ds. �
Go Tribe!
[Photos by Nancy Zinni -- MVN]
Hacker Pitches Well In Tough Indians’ Loss
Toledo Mud Hens 2,
�� � Indianapolis Indians 1
Two errors leading to two runs and missed opportunities by the Indians all but handed the game to the Toledo Mud Hens tonight at Victory Field. �Starter Eric Hacker (photo, with catcher Erik Kratz) matched his season-high 7 innings of work and allowed one unearned run, but did not factor into the decision. �RF Jose Tabata led the offense with two hits, a single and a triple. �
Hacker often struggles in the first few innings of his starts, but tonight it was not so much of a problem for him. �He walked former Indy Indian (2007) CF Don Kelly in the first inning, and gave up a single to 1B Max Leon in the 2nd inning, but left both runners stranded. �Hacker was helped out by a very nice catch by Jose Tabata on a fly ball off the bat of Mud Hens' 2B Scott Sizemore in the 1st inning. �
Sizemore's ball headed down the right field line, and Tabata had to come charging in and to his left. �He made the catch just in fair territory (photo), but his momentum carried him into foul territory (which is narrow in that area), up the visitors' bullpen mound, into the low railing at the stands, and partly over the railing-- his upper body going into the stands. �
The Indians went down in order in the 1st inning, but got onto the scoreboard in the 2nd against Mud Hens' starter Ryan Ketchner. �LF Tagg Bozied began the bottom of the 2nd with another drive down the right field line, which landed just a few feet fair, for �a double. �DH Hector Gimenez slipped a grounder just past the Mud Hens SS Audy Ciriaco and through the hole into left field. �It wasn't deep enough to score Bozied, who had to stop at third base. �A fly out by 1B Robinzon Diaz was also too short for Bozied to tag up, but SS Argenis Diaz came through for the Tribe. �Gimenez took off toward second base as Argenis was swinging, so the Hens' 2B Scott Sizemore also broke for second, to cover the base in case of a throw from the catcher. �
That put him out of position and moving in the wrong direction when Argenis made contact and blooped the ball into short right field -- where the second baseman would ordinarily be able to get to it. �By the time Sizemore reversed direction and ran over, the ball had fallen in for a single. �Bozied singled, and Gimenez reached third base. A strikeout ended the inning, with runners still on the corners. �
Ketchner held the Indians scoreless for the rest of his 7 innings. �Twice the Tribe got a base runner as far as third base, but were not able to bring him home. �2B Brian Bixler�(photo) led off the 3rd inning with a single off the shortstop's glove and into left-center field. �Bixler stole second base, and after two outs, Tagg Bozied walked. �With Erik Kratz at the plate, Bozied was caught off first base and easily tagged out, Ketchner to 1B Max Leon to SS Audy Ciriaco, becoming the third out before Bixler could cross the plate. �
With one out in the 6th inning, Jose Tabata (photo) slammed a triple off the wall just to the left of straight-away center field. �The throw in from CF Don Kelly got to third base at about the same time as Tabata did, but it was high and got away from 3B Will Rhymes. �But Tagg Bozied struck out and Erik Kratz popped out in foul territory, and Tabata was left on third base. �
Eric Hacker continued his fine work for 7 innings also. �He worked around singles by Will Rhymes and Scott Sizemore in the 3rd inning, gettting a ground out and striking out the dangerous DH Mike Hessman to end the inning. �The first two batters in the 6th inning, RF Brent Clevlen and LF Jeff Frazier, both singled also. �But Hacker got Max Leon to bounce a grounder to 2B Pedro Lopez, who was charging toward second base. �Lopez made the flip to SS Argenis Diaz, who fired on to Robinzon Diaz at first base for a perfectly timed double play. �A little tapper back to the mound ended that inning with Clevlen still standing on third base. �
The only run allowed by Hacker came in the 5th inning. �With one out, C Keith Hernandez grounded to third base, but the ball popped out of 3B Chris Barnwell's (photo)�glove and bounced away into foul territory for an error. �A grounder back to Hacker moved Hernandez to second base. �He scored an unearned run when Scott Sizemore lifted a bloop single into right-center field, and the game was tied at 1-1. �Don Kelly's line drive single put runners on the corners, but Mike Hessman flied out, and no further runs scored. �
Hacker had one more jam to work out of before his night would be done. �In the 7th inning, Will Rhymes hit a one-out double down into the Indians' bullpen. �Scott Sizemore followed w
ith a sharply hit grounder to short. �Argenis Diaz went deep into the hole to make the play, and then surprised the Mud Hens and Rhymes by firing the ball to Chris Barnwell at third base. �Barnwell put the tag down in time, and Rhymes was out. �An easy grounder to second base ended the inning. �Hacker threw a total of 103 pitches (65 strikes) in his 7 innings, allowing 8 hits and one walk, with 4 strikeouts. �He left with the score tied, so was not involved in the decision.
[Photo: �Robinzon Diaz holds Don Kelly on at first base]
Juan Mateo came on in relief of Hacker to begin the 8th inning, and that's when the next unearned run scored. �After getting Mike Hessman to pop out, Mateo gave up a swinging bunt hit to Brent Clevlen -- the ball trickled to that spot between third base and the mound where no one can get to it. �Jeff Frazier popped up into foul territory just beyond the first base bag. �2B Pedro Lopez sped over and reached the spot where the ball was coming down, but instead of making a two-handed secure catch, Lopez flipped out his glove for a basket catch -- and the ball hit the glove and fell to the ground. �The Victory Field crowd, which is usually quite forgiving of young players who make mistakes, dropped balls, booted grounders, and wild throws, this time did not appreciate the lazy-looking way Lopez flipped his glove. �He drew some rare boos from the sparse crowd. �
[Photo: �Brian Bixler in center field]
Given a new life, Jeff Frazier took advantage of it. �He lined a single up the middle, which moved Brent Clevlen to third base. �Max Leon grounded to short, and it looked like a double play. �Frazier was indeed out at second base, but Leon raced to first and just barely beat out the throw from Pedro Lopez. �He was safe at first, and the go-ahead run scored. �Mateo came back out to retire the Mud Hens in order in the 9th inning. �
Zach Simons relieved Ryan Ketchner in the bottom of the 8th inning. �The Indians again had a runner on third base, and in fact had the bases loaded with one out, but could not score. �Chris Barnwell led off with a single, but was out at second base when Brian Bixler's bunt was hit a little too hard and went right back to Simons on the mound. Simons was able to whirl and throw to second in time to force out Barnwell. �Pedro Lopez singled up the middle, and a soft grounder to third base moved slowly enough for Jose Tabata to beat out the throw to first, and the bases were loaded. �But Tagg Bozied's (photo below) fly ball to left field was too short for Bixler to tag up and score from third base, and the threat ended when Erik Kratz grounded to short for a force out. �The Indians also went down in order in the 9th inning, and the Mud Hens had the win.
The Mud Hens' victory puts them again in sole possession of second place in the International League West Division. �Toledo will finish the season with 5 games against the Columbus Clippers. �The Indians will next play 3 games against the Louisville Bats (first place in the IL West) at Victory Field, then 2 final games against the Bats in Louisville. �
Indians' Hitting Gem of the Game: �Jose Tabata's first triple with the Indians, off the wall in center field.
Indians' Defensive Gem of the Game: �Quick thinking by both Argenis Diaz and Chris Barnwell in the 7th inning, when Diaz fielded Scott Sizemore's grounder deep in the hole, then fired to third base. �Barnwell had to scramble to get to the bag in time, but he did it, and was able to apply the tag in time too, so the Indians had the out on the lead runner.
NOTES:
Neil Walker made his first major league start today, at third base for the Pirates in an afternoon game in Cincinnati. �He went 0-for-4 at the plate, and for the second day in a row, Reds' 2B Brandon Phillips made a great diving stop to rob Walker of a hit. �He struck out twice, but the entire Pirates' lineup struck out 14 times in the game. �Walker committed an error in the 6th inning when he dropped a grounder, recovered quickly, picked it up and fired to first base. �It wasn't dropping the ball, it was the throw that pulled 1B Garrett Jones' foot off the bag that gave Walker the error. �After that play, Walker pulled off a couple of very good defensive plays at third. �The Pirates still lost, 5-3. �
Garrett Jones homered in the game -- Jones' 18th homer in his little more than two months with the Pirates, and the Pirates 10,000th run in the history of the franchise. �The ball was recovered by Reds' personnel (I wonder what trade they had to make for that??), and that ball along with Jones' bat will go to the Pirate's official artifacts collection. �
Brian Myrow, who left the game after injuring his right leg yesterday, has a strain of his right calf. �If it were not the end of the season, it would have meant he'd be out for a few weeks, but now it just means that his season is over. �He will be focusing on getting the leg healthy and ready for winter ball.
Go Tribe!
[Photos by Nancy Zinni -- MVN]
Hacker Pitches Well In Tough Indians’ Loss
Toledo Mud Hens 2,
�� � Indianapolis Indians 1
Two errors leading to two runs and missed opportunities by the Indians all but handed the game to the Toledo Mud Hens tonight at Victory Field. �Starter Eric Hacker (photo, with catcher Erik Kratz) matched his season-high 7 innings of work and allowed one unearned run, but did not factor into the decision. �RF Jose Tabata led the offense with two hits, a single and a triple. �
Hacker often struggles in the first few innings of his starts, but tonight it was not so much of a problem for him. �He walked former Indy Indian (2007) CF Don Kelly in the first inning, and gave up a single to 1B Max Leon in the 2nd inning, but left both runners stranded. �Hacker was helped out by a very nice catch by Jose Tabata on a fly ball off the bat of Mud Hens' 2B Scott Sizemore in the 1st inning. �
Sizemore's ball headed down the right field line, and Tabata had to come charging in and to his left. �He made the catch just in fair territory (photo), but his momentum carried him into foul territory (which is narrow in that area), up the visitors' bullpen mound, into the low railing at the stands, and partly over the railing-- his upper body going into the stands. �
The Indians went down in order in the 1st inning, but got onto the scoreboard in the 2nd against Mud Hens' starter Ryan Ketchner. �LF Tagg Bozied began the bottom of the 2nd with another drive down the right field line, which landed just a few feet fair, for �a double. �DH Hector Gimenez slipped a grounder just past the Mud Hens SS Audy Ciriaco and through the hole into left field. �It wasn't deep enough to score Bozied, who had to stop at third base. �A fly out by 1B Robinzon Diaz was also too short for Bozied to tag up, but SS Argenis Diaz came through for the Tribe. �Gimenez took off toward second base as Argenis was swinging, so the Hens' 2B Scott Sizemore also broke for second, to cover the base in case of a throw from the catcher. �
That put him out of position and moving in the wrong direction when Argenis made contact and blooped the ball into short right field -- where the second baseman would ordinarily be able to get to it. �By the time Sizemore reversed direction and ran over, the ball had fallen in for a single. �Bozied singled, and Gimenez reached third base. A strikeout ended the inning, with runners still on the corners. �
Ketchner held the Indians scoreless for the rest of his 7 innings. �Twice the Tribe got a base runner as far as third base, but were not able to bring him home. �2B Brian Bixler�(photo) led off the 3rd inning with a single off the shortstop's glove and into left-center field. �Bixler stole second base, and after two outs, Tagg Bozied walked. �With Erik Kratz at the plate, Bozied was caught off first base and easily tagged out, Ketchner to 1B Max Leon to SS Audy Ciriaco, becoming the third out before Bixler could cross the plate. �
With one out in the 6th inning, Jose Tabata (photo) slammed a triple off the wall just to the left of straight-away center field. �The throw in from CF Don Kelly got to third base at about the same time as Tabata did, but it was high and got away from 3B Will Rhymes. �But Tagg Bozied struck out and Erik Kratz popped out in foul territory, and Tabata was left on third base. �
Eric Hacker continued his fine work for 7 innings also. �He worked around singles by Will Rhymes and Scott Sizemore in the 3rd inning, gettting a ground out and striking out the dangerous DH Mike Hessman to end the inning. �The first two batters in the 6th inning, RF Brent Clevlen and LF Jeff Frazier, both singled also. �But Hacker got Max Leon to bounce a grounder to 2B Pedro Lopez, who was charging toward second base. �Lopez made the flip to SS Argenis Diaz, who fired on to Robinzon Diaz at first base for a perfectly timed double play. �A little tapper back to the mound ended that inning with Clevlen still standing on third base. �
The only run allowed by Hacker came in the 5th inning. �With one out, C Keith Hernandez grounded to third base, but the ball popped out of 3B Chris Barnwell's (photo)�glove and bounced away into foul territory for an error. �A grounder back to Hacker moved Hernandez to second base. �He scored an unearned run when Scott Sizemore lifted a bloop single into right-center field, and the game was tied at 1-1. �Don Kelly's line drive single put runners on the corners, but Mike Hessman flied out, and no further runs scored. �
Hacker had one more jam to work out of before his night would be done. �In the 7th inning, Will Rhymes hit a one-out double down into the Indians' bullp
en. �Scott Sizemore followed w
ith a sharply hit grounder to short. �Argenis Diaz went deep into the hole to make the play, and then surprised the Mud Hens and Rhymes by firing the ball to Chris Barnwell at third base. �Barnwell put the tag down in time, and Rhymes was out. �An easy grounder to second base ended the inning. �Hacker threw a total of 103 pitches (65 strikes) in his 7 innings, allowing 8 hits and one walk, with 4 strikeouts. �He left with the score tied, so was not involved in the decision.
[Photo: �Robinzon Diaz holds Don Kelly on at first base]
Juan Mateo came on in relief of Hacker to begin the 8th inning, and that's when the next unearned run scored. �After getting Mike Hessman to pop out, Mateo gave up a swinging bunt hit to Brent Clevlen -- the ball trickled to that spot between third base and the mound where no one can get to it. �Jeff Frazier popped up into foul territory just beyond the first base bag. �2B Pedro Lopez sped over and reached the spot where the ball was coming down, but instead of making a two-handed secure catch, Lopez flipped out his glove for a basket catch -- and the ball hit the glove and fell to the ground. �The Victory Field crowd, which is usually quite forgiving of young players who make mistakes, dropped balls, booted grounders, and wild throws, this time did not appreciate the lazy-looking way Lopez flipped his glove. �He drew some rare boos from the sparse crowd. �
[Photo: �Brian Bixler in center field]
Given a new life, Jeff Frazier took advantage of it. �He lined a single up the middle, which moved Brent Clevlen to third base. �Max Leon grounded to short, and it looked like a double play. �Frazier was indeed out at second base, but Leon raced to first and just barely beat out the throw from Pedro Lopez. �He was safe at first, and the go-ahead run scored. �Mateo came back out to retire the Mud Hens in order in the 9th inning. �
Zach Simons relieved Ryan Ketchner in the bottom of the 8th inning. �The Indians again had a runner on third base, and in fact had the bases loaded with one out, but could not score. �Chris Barnwell led off with a single, but was out at second base when Brian Bixler's bunt was hit a little too hard and went right back to Simons on the mound. Simons was able to whirl and throw to second in time to force out Barnwell. �Pedro Lopez singled up the middle, and a soft grounder to third base moved slowly enough for Jose Tabata to beat out the throw to first, and the bases were loaded. �But Tagg Bozied's (photo below) fly ball to left field was too short for Bixler to tag up and score from third base, and the threat ended when Erik Kratz grounded to short for a force out. �The Indians also went down in order in the 9th inning, and the Mud Hens had the win.
The Mud Hens' victory puts them again in sole possession of second place in the International League West Division. �Toledo will finish the season with 5 games against the Columbus Clippers. �The Indians will next play 3 games against the Louisville Bats (first place in the IL West) at Victory Field, then 2 final games against the Bats in Louisville. �
Indians' Hitting Gem of the Game: �Jose Tabata's first triple with the Indians, off the wall in center field.
Indians' Defensive Gem of the Game: �Quick thinking by both Argenis Diaz and Chris Barnwell in the 7th inning, when Diaz fielded Scott Sizemore's grounder deep in the hole, then fired to third base. �Barnwell had to scramble to get to the bag in time, but he did it, and was able to apply the tag in time too, so the Indians had the out on the lead runner.
NOTES:
Neil Walker made his first major league start today, at third base for the Pirates in an afternoon game in Cincinnati. �He went 0-for-4 at the plate, and for the second day in a row, Reds' 2B Brandon Phillips made a great diving stop to rob Walker of a hit. �He struck out twice, but the entire Pirates' lineup struck out 14 times in the game. �Walker committed an error in the 6th inning when he dropped a grounder, recovered quickly, picked it up and fired to first base. �It wasn't dropping the ball, it was the throw that pulled 1B Garrett Jones' foot off the bag that gave Walker the error. �After that play, Walker pulled off a couple of very good defensive plays at third. �The Pirates still lost, 5-3. �
Garrett Jones homered in the game -- Jones' 18th homer in his little more than two months with the Pirates, and the Pirates 10,000th run in the history of the franchise. �The ball was recovered by Reds' personnel (I wonder what trade they had to make for that??), and that ball along with Jones' bat will go to the Pirate's official artifacts collection. �
Brian Myrow, who left the game after injuring his right leg yesterday, has a strain of his right calf. �If it were not the end of the season, it would have meant he'd be out for a few weeks, but now it just means that his season is over. �He will be focusing on getting the leg healthy and ready for winter ball.
Go Tribe!
[Photos by Nancy Zinni -- MVN]
Herrera Wins As Tribe Shuts Out Mud Hens
Indianapolis Indians 3,
�� � Toledo Mud Hens 0
Yoslan Herrera arrived at Victory Field just about 2 hours before game time, but it was plenty of time for him. �Herrera earned his second AAA victory, and his first this year, as he combined with relievers Jeff Sues and Jean Machi to shut out the Toledo Mud Hens tonight at Victory Field. �
Herrera looked like he'd been here all season. �He needed only 89 pitches to get through 5.1 innings, as he scattered 3 hits and 2 walks. �Over the first three innings, Herrera allowed only one base runner, Mud Hens' 3B Mike Hessman, who walked to lead off the 2nd inning. �The first hit he allowed came in the 4th inning, also to Hessman, and that was just a dribbly little swinging bunt that wobbled down the third base line as Herrera and 3B Robinzon Diaz didn't touch it, hoping it would go foul (it didn't). �
Herrera allowed two base runners in the 5th inning, when with 2 outs, 1B Max Leon lined a single into left field and SS Audy Ciriaco (just promoted from class A) slipped a grounder just past the diving 2B Brian Bixler for another single. �Herrera got out of the jam when Toledo's 2B Will Rhymes drove a screaming line drive down the first base line and right into the glove of 1B Larry Broadway. �
Herrera began the 6th inning with a strikeout, but then walked former Indy Indian (2007) CF Don Kelly. �That was the end of Herrera's night, and he sat in the dugout to watch the rest of the contest. �Jeff Sues came in from the bullpen to face Mike Hessman. �While Hessman was at the plate, Kelly tried to steal second base, but was gunned down by C Erik Kratz for the second out of the inning. �Sues walked Hessman, but then got RF Brent Clevlen to line out to SS Argenis Diaz, who made a perfectly-timed leap to snatch the ball out of the air. �
Meanwhile, the Indians' batters were quiet through the first three innings as well. �They too had only one base runner over those three innings, as CF Jeff Salazar took a 4-pitch walk in the bottom of the 1st inning. �They got busy in the 4th inning. �With one out, RF Jose Tabata (photo),�who had entered the game in the 2nd inning to replace Brian Myrow, lifted a long fly ball off the wall in the right-center field alley, for a double. �LF Tagg Bozied walked, and Larry Broadway followed with a single through the hole and into right field, driving in Tabata with the first run of the game. �The throw in to the plate from right field was on time and to the plate, but Tabata slid wide around Mud Hens' C Dane Sardinha to avoid the tag, then reached back in to touch the plate with his left hand behind Sardinha. �DH Hector Gimenez grounded to third base, where Mike Hessman made the scoop and fired to second, forcing out Broadway, but between Broadway's slide disrupting Hens' 2B Will Rhymes and the grounder moving slowly enough, Gimenez was able to beat out the throw to first base, allowing Bozied to cross the plate. �
The Indians added another run in the 6th inning. �Jose Tabata led off with a walk. �Tagg Bozied (photo) followed with a long fly ball into the right-center field alley, to the base of the wall. �Mud Hens CF Don Kelly and RF Brent Clevlen converged, and it appeared that the ball glanced off Kelly's glove -- and then he had trouble picking it up. �Bozied was safe at second base with a double, no error charged, and Tabata sped around from first base to score the insurance run. �Larry Broadway came close to adding two more runs, with another long fly, but this one was caught by Kelly on the warning track in center field, missing a home run but not by much. �Bozied tagged up and advanced to third base. �The Mud Hens elected to intentionally walk Hector Gimenez, hoping to set up a double play. �This time the Indians did just as the Hens hoped -- Erik Kratz bounced to third base, and Mike Hessman began the 5-4-3 double play. �The Tribe had a 3-0 lead, and that was all they'd need.
The Indians put base runners on in each of the next two innings, but were not able to score again. �Brian Bixler (photo) reached in the 7th on an error by the Mud Hens' SS Audy Ciriaco, when the ball bounced off his glove and into left field. �In the 8th, Tagg Bozied grounded up the middle for a single, and Larry Broadway followed with a grounder to third base that took a weird hop up and over Mike Hessman's shoulder. �Ciriaco was in perfect position backing up Hessman, and he was able to catch the ball as it came down from the hop, but it wasn't in time to throw out Broadway. �Both were left on base, though, as a fly out and a pop up ended th
e inning. �
After he finished the 6th inning for Yoslan Herrera, Jeff Sues pitched two perfect innings. �Jean Machi came on to pitch a perfect 9th inning, earning his 5th save with the Indians. �
The Indians posted a total of 5 hits in the game, with Tagg Bozied and Larry Broadway claiming two hits each. �Jose Tabata had the other hit. �Brian Bixler had a 15-game hitting streak going when he was called up to the Pirates at the end of July, but that streak ended (either back then or today, depending on your point of view) when Bixler went hitless tonight (a walk, two strikeouts, and reached on an error). �
One bit of bad news, and it isn't clear how bad: �in the top of the 2nd inning, in the middle of Dane Sardinha's at-bat, Sardinha lined a ball down the right field line that sliced foul. �Brian Myrow, playing right field, turned to chase after the ball, but took one step and came up limping and unable to stand on his right leg. �It's not clear what had caused the problem -- he didn't trip or stumble or fall. �Trainer Jose Ministral came to check him out, and Myrow limped off the field. �No word at this point as to what he had injured or how bad it is.
[Photo above: �Jeff Salazar and Brian Myrow]
The win puts the Indians one game above .500 for the second time this season. �
Indians' Hitting Gems of the Game: �Two doubles: �#1 by Jose Tabata which got the Indians' rally started in the 4th inning; �#2 by Tagg Bozied in the 6th inning, which drove in Tabata from first base with the Indians' third run. �Bozied was interviewed after the game, and he said that he'd "figured he was going to try to pitch me into a double play with a fastball. �Fortunately, I was able to get a pitch up. �I got a pretty good swing on it, and luckily, Tabata can really run."
Indians' Defensive Gems of the Game: �Three leaping plays. �In the top of the 1st, Scott Sizemore hit a high chopper that bounced in front of the plate and up over the mound. �Pitcher Yoslan Herrera made a huge leap from the top of the mound to snatch the ball out of the air, then landed back on the mound and fire to first base for the out. �Then, in the top of the 3rd, Herrera did it again. �This time it was Audy Ciriaco who hit the high chop, and Herrera again made a leap and took the ball out of the air. �Argenis Diaz made the leap in the 6th inning. �With two outs and a runner on first base, Brent Clevlen hit a line drive that seemed destined for left field. �Diaz saw the ball coming at him, timed his leap perfectly, and came down with the ball in his mitt for the third out of the inning. �
NOTES:
Neil Walker made his major league debut tonight with the Pittsburgh Pirates in Cincinnati. �He made a pinch-hit appearance for starter Charlie Morton in the 6th inning. �Walker grounded a 2-1 pitch toward second base, where Reds' 2B Brandon Phillips made a diving stop, and then threw from his knees to first base, robbing Walker of a hit. �
Erik Kratz was named to the International League Post-Season All-Star team. �He leads all IL catchers with 11 homers and 42 RBI. � Don Kelly was named the All-Star team's Utility Player, as he played mostly outfield, but also all over the infield this year for the Mud Hens.�
Shelly Duncan of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees was named the IL's MVP, leading the league in home runs (29) and RBI (92) with just a week left to go. � �
Brian Myrow was named the International League Player of the Week for last week. �Myrow went 15-for-25 (.600) last week, with 3 homers and 13 RBI. �He has hit .356 for the month of August, and .332 since joining the Indians in June. �He has 8 home runs with the Indians and 34 RBI. �
The Pirates have acquired LHP�Bobby Livingston�from the Cleveland Indians. �Livingston is a 26-year old who was the Mariners' 4th round draft pick in 2001. �He moved up through the Mariners' organization, reaching AAA Tacoma in 2005, and making his major league debut with the Mariners in 2006 (3 games). �Livingston was claimed off waivers by the Reds at the end of 2006, and pitched for Cincinnati and AAA Louisville in 2007, until he suffered a torn labrum in August of that year. �He worked his way back in 2008, with a few games at the Gulf Coast League level and the A+ level, then 9 starts with Louisville. �This season, Livingston has split his time between 4 teams: �AA Bowie and AAA Norfolk in the Orioles' organization, and AA Akron and one game with AAA Columbus in the Cleveland organization. � Most recently, he has been with Akron, where he's made 9 starts, going 56.1 innings for a 2-5 record and a 5.59 ERA. �He has allowed 59 hits, 11 walks, and 23 strikeouts. �Livingston was in the Indians' dugout this evening.
Go Tribe!
[Photos by Nancy Zinni-- MVN]
Walker and Vasquez Called Up; More Promotions
The Pirates began their September call-ups a day early, by bringing up Daniel McCutchen to take the start of yesterday's afternoon game. �Then they took the next step, by summoning RHP/starter�Virgil Vasquez and 3B Neil Walker.Vasquez (photo) has been with the Pirates earlier this season, most recently at the end of July and early August. �He has made 7 appearances, all starts, for a total of 34 innings. �He's allowed 46 hits and 23 runs, with 15 walks and 21 strikeouts. �His record with the Pirates in 2-5, and his ERA is 6.07. �Vasquez was more effective for the Indians this season. �He made 19 starts, with a 7-4 record and a 3.93 ERA. �IN 107.2 innings, he allowed 116 hits and 47 earned runs, with 16 walks and 72 strikeouts. �
Walker (photo), a Pittsburgh-area native, will be joining the major league club for the first time. �He got off to a slow start this season for the Indians, and missed most of June and about half of July due to a knee injury, suffered when he dove into first base. �But since coming back from a stint on the Disabled List, and particularly since July 30th, Walker has been on fire. �His overall batting average rose from .219 at the end of July to .264, due to a .339 average for August. �He has a total of 14 home runs (2nd on the Indians), 6 of which came during this last big push. �He's had 34 RBI during this time, and a team-leading 69 for the season. �His 31 doubles also lead the team, and tie him for 6th in the International League. �
LATER:
More Promotions �(Like a chain reaction):
Yoslan Herrera has been promoted from Altoona to Indianapolis, and he will make the start tonight for the Indians. �Herrera has made two appearances already this season for Indy, going a total of 4.2 innings and allowing 5 hits and one run (a home run), with 3 walks and 2 strikeouts.
Donnie Veal will make the start in Altoona instead of Herrera.
Moises Robles has been promoted from Lynchburg to Altoona. �He has made 28 relief appearances for the Hillcats, earning a 0-2 record and a 4.43 ERA in 42.2 innings. �He has allowed 48 hits and 21 earned runs, with 7 walks and 26 strikeouts. �Robles also made 3 appearances for the Curve earlier this season, allowing 5 runs on 9 hits and 2 walks, with 5 strikeouts in 5 innings. �
Noah Krol�has been moved up from West Virginia to Lynchburg. �Krol has made 21 relief appearances for the Power, with a 5-0 record and 2 saves. �In 37 innings, he has allowed 39 hits and 12 earned runs, with 11 walks and 32 strikeouts.�
Mud Hens Slip Past Indians
Toledo Mud Hens 3,�
�� � Indianapolis Indians 2
The Indianapolis Indians were held to just 3 hits, while the Toledo Mud Hens took advantage of a depleted Indians' pitching staff to post 13 hits and take the win tonight at Victory Field.
The Indians have lost three of their starting pitchers: �Daniel McCutchen was called up to Pittsburgh to make the start today, Virgil Vasquez is ready for a call-up tomorrow, and Brad Lincoln will be leaving the Indians tomorrow to join Team USA. �They also have some relievers who have worked quite a lot lately (Juan Mateo and Jean Machi), and one more reliever, Jeff Sues, who was told that he would be "unavailable" today -- possibly for a call up tomorrow. �
So, it fell to Jeremy Powell (photo above) to come out of the bullpen to make the start for the Indians tonight. �Powell stepped right up, and pitched 5 innings, allowing only 1 run, while scattering 7 hits, no walks, and with 3 strikeouts. �Powell worked around base runners in each of the first 4 innings. �A lone single by former Indy Indian (2007) Don Kelly in the 1st inning (photo-- Kelly steals second base) �and another lone single by LF Wilkin Ramirez in the 4th were no problem. �In the 2nd inning, Powell gave up a single to DH Jeff Frazier, who took a line drive over the leaping 3B Neil Walker and into left field, then a bouncer off the back of the mound and into center field to RF Brent Clevlen. �But Powell struck out two batters and got C Dusty Ryan to pop up to end the inning with the runners still on base.
Powell's only serious trouble came in the 3rd inning. �SS Will Rhymes began by lining a single into center field. �2B Scott Sizemore dropped down a bunt that neither Powell nor Neil Walker nor C Erik Kratz could get to fast enough, and Sizemore was safe at first base. �Then Powell got Don Kelly to ground to short, where SS Argenis Diaz had to work around the base umpire �to begin a 6-4-3 (Diaz to 2B Pedro Lopez to 1B Larry Broadway) double play (photo sequence). �That left Powell and the Indians with two outs and a runner (Rhymes) on third base. �1B Mike Hessman smashed a grounder to third base, where it took an unexpected hop just before it got to Neil Walker. �The ball hit Walker's shoulder or chest and ricocheted toward second
base. �Argenis Diaz had been positioned behind Walker to back him up, but when the ball headed toward second, Diaz had to chase after it too. �Rhymes came in to score easily, and Hessman was safe at first base. �Another grounder to third, this time without the goofy hop, retired the side. �
The Indians were quiet at the plate all evening, though they collected more walks (5) than they did hits (3). �The first 5 Indians' batters went down in order, until Neil Walker worked the count full, fouled off another pitch, and then took ball four for a walk. �But the inning ended when Walker was thrown out trying to steal second base. �
[Photo: Erik Kratz, Jeff Salazar, and Brian Myrow]
Three more walks by Mud Hens' starter Scot Drucker gave the Indians a run in the bottom of the 3rd inning to tie the game. �With one out, Erik Kratz walked on 5 pitches, and Argenis Diaz singled up the middle, with the ball bouncing on the second base bag and into center field. �Drucker struck out RF Jose Tabata, then walked the next two batters, Pedro Lopez and CF Jeff Salazar, on 10 pitches. �Salazar's walk forced in Kratz from third base with the tying run.
Doubles accounted for the Indians' run in the 4th inning. �LF Tagg Bozied (photo) began with a double up the third base line and into left field, where it veered into the Indians' bullpen and then bounced back out toward the outfield. �Two outs later, Erik Kratz lined another double up the right field line and into the corner, scoring Bozied easily from second base with the go-ahead run. �Indians 2, Mud Hens 1.
Unfortunately, that was all the hitting the Indians woul
d do in the game. �Drucker settled in and retired the next 10 batters he faced, finishing the 4th inning and then throwing three hitless and scoreless innings. �Reliever Freddy Dolsi also retired the Indians in order in the 8th inning. �Dolsi gave up a 4-pitch walk to DH Brian Myrow to lead off the bottom of the 9th. �Brian Bixler, just back from Pittsburgh, came in to pinch-run for Myrow. �Tagg Bozied reached base safely when his grounder bounced off 3B Brent Dlugach's chest, and then Dlugach's rushed throw to first base was wide. �Bixler never got a chance to show off his speed, though, as both runners stayed exactly where they were. �Neil Walker's bunt attempt went up instead of down, and Dolsi was able to catch it in the air for the first out. �Two fly ball outs ended the inning and the Indians' hopes. �
The newest Indian, Jorge Julio (photo),�made his Indians' debut in the 6th inning in relief of Jeremy Powell. �Julio pitched two innings and held on to the Indians' slim lead. �Julio gave up a one-out single to Brent Dlugach in the 6th. �He struck out Jeff Frazier, but strike three was a wild pitch, and Dlugach was able to advance to second base. �Wilkin Ramirez also struck out swinging, and again strike three was a wild pitch. �This time the ball got all the way to the backstop before Erik Kratz could track it down, and Dlugach reached third base. �A fielder's choice ended the inning, with Dlugach still standing on third. �Julio also gave up a single to Will Rhymes in the 7th, but quickly erased him with a double play. �
Corey Hamman took the mound for the Indians in the 8th inning, and that's when trouble showed up. �Back-to-back doubles by Don Kelly, who then stole third base, and Mike Hessman brought Kelly in with the tying run. �After a line out to 2B Pedro Lopez robbed Brent Dlugach of a hit and some RBI, Jeff Frazier drove another double to the left-center field wall, in almost the same spot that Hessman hit. �Both of those hits would have been home runs in many other International League Parks. �Frazier's double scored Hessman with the go-ahead run. �Hamman walked two more batters to load the bases, but struck out Will Rhymes to end the inning without further damage. �
With the bullpen so depleted, manager Frank Kremblas had said that both Chris Barnwell and Larry Broadway were going to be fair game for coming in from the bullpen to pitch in these last few games. �It was Barnwell (photo) who was tapped to pitch the 9th inning for the Indians. �This was Barnwell's 10th career pitching appearance. �He gave up a lead-off line drive single to Scott Sizemore, then took an infield pop up himself for the first out of the inning. �Back-to-back walks to Mike Hessman and Brent Dlugach loaded the bases for Barnwell. �Jeff Frazier worked a full count and fouled off more pitches, but ultimately struck out for the second out. �Then a long fly ball by Wilkin Ramirez had the crowd holding their breaths -- until it was clear that the ball would not only stay in the park but land in Jeff Salazar's mitt to end the inning and the threat. �
Indians' Hitting Gem of the Game: �Erik Kratz's line drive double into the right field corner, which scored Tagg Bozied with the go-ahead run in the 4th inning.
[Photo: the brothers-in-law, Don Kelly and Neil Walker, both at third base]
Indians' Defensive Gem of the Game: �The second double play turned by the Indians, in the 7th inning. �With Jorge Julio on the mound, �one out, Will Rhymes on first, and the Indians ahead by one run, Scott Sizemore grounded to second base. �2B Pedro Lopez had to charge to his right to snag the ball, and though he could have stepped on second base himself, his momentum was moving in the wrong direction for a good throw to first base. �Lopez flipped the ball to SS Argenis Diaz, who was moving to his left. �Diaz took the flip, stepped on second base, and fired to Larry Broadway at first base, to turn two and keep the Indians in the lead, at least for awhile longer. �
Jose Tabata................ Neil Walker
NOTES:
Daniel McCutchen made his major league debut this afternoon in Cincinnati. He pitched 6 innings but was not involved in the decision -- Reds 4, Pirates 3. The first batter McCutchen �faced, Drew Stubbs, took McCutchen's second pitch�into the left field seats for a home run. �Then McCutchen retired the next 5 batters, gave up a walk, and retired 2 more. �Stubbs singled again in the 3rd inning, and two more singles brought in 2 runs. �McCutchen pitched three more innings and allowed only a walk and a single over those innings. �In the top of the second, McCutchen hit an RBI single in his first major league at-bat.
In order to make room for Daniel McCutchen on the 40-man roster, the Pirates have designated reliever Jon Meloan for assignment. �He will be unavailable for at least 72 hours.� �This is not that the Pirates were not pleased with his performance, but that someone had to go, and Meloan lost out to the
numbers. �Meloan had made 6 appearances for the Indians, for a total of 7.2 innings. �He gave up 3 hits, one earned run, and one walk, while striking out 8 batters. �He had no record with the Indians, but a 1.17 ERA and batters were hitting .120 against him. �The Indians were Meloan's third International League team this season. �He also appeared in 25 games for Columbus and 10 games for Durham. �
Expect a flurry of roster moves tomorrow, when the major league teams can expand their active roster. �The Indians still do not know who will take the mound for them tomorrow.
Go Tribe!
[Photos by Nancy Zinni -- MVN]
