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Myrow’s Walkoff Single Gives Indians the Win
Indianapolis Indians 8,
�� �Columbus Clippers 7
RF Brian Myrow's (photo) line drive into center field in the bottom of the 9th gave the Indianapolis Indians a walk-off win over the Columbus Clippers at Victory Field tonight. �For the second time in the game, the Indians came roaring back after the Clippers thought they had a definitive lead. �With a 7-5 lead going into the bottom of the 9th and the bottom of the Indians' coming to the plate, the Clippers must have felt fairly secure. �1B Hector Gimenez, DH Robinzon Diaz, and SS Argenis Diaz had combined to go 2-for-9 earlier in the game, with Gimenez eking out a bunt single in the 4th inning�
(the Clippers' pitcher Mike Gosling hoped it would roll foul but it never did), and Robinzon Diaz lining a double down the left field line in the 7th. �But with their closer Greg Aquino on the mound, this bottom of the 9th inning was going to be quick. �Right?
Hector Gimenez led off with a single up the middle into center field. �Pinch hitter Jeff Salazar, (photo) just moved onto the Tribe roster, trickled the first pitch he saw right back to the mound, but Aquino's throw to first base was low and it bounced away from 2B Jesus Marchan who was covering first base. �Argeniz Diaz dropped down an excellent sacrifice bunt, moving Gimenez to third and Salazar to second. �That brought up CF Jose Tabata, who has been hitting very well since joining the Tribe (.321). �The Clippers elected to intentionally walk Tabata, to set up the potential double play, even though the next batter was 2B Pedro Lopez, who has also been on fire at the plate (.344). �Lopez worked the count full, then grounded to shortstop, and the Clippers seemed to have gotten the double play they'd wished for. �SS Niuman Romero had to watch the ball come at him around Jeff Salazar, who was running from second to third in front of him. �
Romero made the scoop and the flip to second base -- but his flip was low and Jose Tabata was sliding in (a clean slide), and 2B Jesus Merchan dropped the ball for the second error in the inning. �Instead of a game-ending double play, they had no more outs and Gimenez had scored. �Clippers 7, Indians 6, and still one out, and the bases still loaded. �
[Photo: Tabata takes a swing]
Enter Brian Myrow, who had singled once earlier in the game. �Myrow took the first pitch for a ball. �Then he lined the next pitch into center field, and the base runners were going on contact. �Jeff Salazar scored easily, and Jose Tabata rounded third and tore for the plate as the throw came in from center field. �The ball got to C Damaso Espino who was trying to block the plate, a slide by Tabata and his leg hooking around as Espino tried for a swipey tag -- and home plate umpire Alan Boyd was signaling safe! �The Indians erupted and pounded on Brian Myrow. �
" I was just trying to get something up so I didn't hit a ground ball", said Myrow in the post-game interview. �"I don't run very well, so they would have gotten a double play (if he'd hit a grounder) and won the game. �But I was able to lift the ball in the air and get a hit."
The Indians and Clippers combined for 28 hits in the game, along with the 15 total runs. �Indians' starter Daniel McCutchen (photo) pitched 6 innings and allowed 4 runs on 10 hits and a walk, as the Clippers put at least one runner on base in every inning, and left 11 runners on base. �The Indians left 6 base runners on.
The Clippers took their first lead in the top of the 2nd inning. �Daniel McCutchen began the inning by walking DH Stephen Head. �Damasco Espino lined a double into left field, moving Head to third base. �Jesus Merchan followed with a single into left-center field, scoring Head with the first run of the game. �RF Mickey Hall bounced a ball back toward the mound, and McCutchen pounced�
on it and fired home, catching Damaso Espino in a run-down: �McCutchen to C Erik Kratz to 3B Neil Walker, and back to McCutchen, who applied the tag as Espino ran right into him. (photo sequence) McCutchen threw on to third base, where Kratz had run to cover. �Merchan slid in safely as the throw from McCutchen, which he had to avoid Espino to make, came in awkwardly to Kratz and bounced out of reach. �Hall also advanced to second base during the run down. �The respite was only temporary, though. �Niuman Romero blasted a 2-1 pitch to the Jackie Robinson (42) sign in the deepest part of Victory Field for a 2-run double, with Merchan and Hall both scoring. �McCutchen got CF Michael Brantley t
o fly out for the second ou
t of the inning, but�
LF Josh Barfield bounced a single off the left field foul line (chalk flying on the bounce) and into the corner, scoring Romero. �The inning ended when Jose Tabata ran back to the deep center field wall and made an over-the-shoulder catch at the wall of 1B Jordan Brown's long fly ball.
The Indians tried to sneak a run across the plate in the bottom of the 1st inning. �Jose Tabata led off with a double into center field, and he moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Pedro Lopez. �Brian Myrow worked a walk. �Clippers' starter Mike Gosling tried to pick Myrow off first base, and as soon as Gosling turned to make the throw to first, Tabata broke for the plate. �Unfortunately, the Clippers were not as surprised as Tabata and manager Frank Kremblas had hoped. �
1B Jordan Brown took the throw from Gosling and fired to the plate, beating Tabata by two or three steps. �An unusual risk to take in the first inning... but maybe it got the Tribe fired up.
Down 4-0 going into the bottom of the 3rd inning, the Indians made their first come back. �With two outs, Pedro Lopez lifted a light fly to short right field, which dropped in between the Clippers' second baseman and right fielder for a single. �Brian Myrow followed with a line drive into left field. �Then LF Tagg Bozied crushed a very very long fly ball to the deepest part of left-center field, between Robinson's (42) and the 418' mark, about 425 feet total, for a 3-run home run. �It was Bozied's 5th homer for the Indians. �Not to be outdone, two pitches later,�
Erik Kratz blasted a solo shot to straight away center field, 420 feet, for the Indians' first back-to-back home runs since June 22nd. �(It was Garrett Jones and Kratz on that day.) �It was Kratz's 10th home run of the season, but his first at Victory Field, and it tied the game at 4-4. �
[Photo: Erik Kratz is congratulated after his home run.]
The Indians managed only two hits over the next three innings: �Hector Gimenez's bunt single in the 4th and a double to the base of the center field wall by Erik Kratz in the 6th. �Daniel McCutchen kept the Clippers scoreless over the middle innings too, but he had to work a lot harder. �He gave up two singles in the 3rd, one in the 4th, a double in the 5th plus a hit batter, and a double in the 6th. �By then he had thrown 108 pitches. �He left the game after the 6th, but since the score was tied, he was not going to figure into the decision. �
Juan Mateo (photo) came on in relief to begin the 7th inning, and that's when the Clippers got their second lead. �Jordan Brown led off with a single lined into left-center field. �Tony Graffanino rolled a bunt slowly down the third base line, and by the time Neil Walker could get to it, it was too late to make the throw to first base. �Stephen Head put down another bunt for a sacrifice, moving the runners to second and third bases. �Damaso Espino singled, driving in both Brown and Graffanino to take the lead. �Jesus Merchan grounded deep behind second base, which Argenis Diaz was able to keep from going into center field. �But Diaz could not successfully make the flip to Pedro Lopez covering second base, and the ball got away from the middle infielders and trickled most of the way to first base, as Merchan was safe at first and Espino made it all the way to third. �Mickey Hall followed with a line drive into left field, and Espino was easily able to score from third base. �Finally, a grounder to second by Niuman Romero let Pedro Lopez begin an inning-ending 4-6-3 (Lopez to Argenis Diaz to Himenez) double play, but the Clippers had a 7-4 lead. �
[Photo: �Pedro Lopez makes the play]
Mateo came back out for the 8th inning. �Michael Brantley led off the inning with a line drive to the wall in the right-center field alley for a triple. �Mateo buckled down, getting Josh Barfield to pop up to Neil Walker at third. �The Indians tried a trick play on Jordan Brown, which didn't really work. �After a coaching visit to the mound, and with a full count, Erik Kratz returned to the plate and held out his left hand to indicate an intentional ball for a walk. �As Mateo came to the plate, at the last second, Kratz hopped back down to take a "real" pitch. �Brown must have seen Kratz moving in time, though, because he was able to adjust and take a swing. �The swing resulted only in a sharp grounder to first, though, where Hector Gimenez made the unassisted put out for the second out of the inning. �A grounder to short ended the inning, leaving Brantley still standing on third base after his triple. �
The Indians scraped out one run in the bottom of the 7th. �Robinzon Diaz led off with a double down the left field line and into the corner. �He held at second base when Argenis Diaz bounced back to the pitcher Zach Jackson, who had relieved Mike Gosling, but a wild pitch allowed Robinzon Diaz to move to third base. �Jose Tabata brought him home with an RBI ground out. �The Indians had crept a bit closer, 7-5.
The Tribe went down in order in the bottom of the 8th. �Jean Machi allowed a lead-off double by Stephen Head and a walk to Mickey Hall in the 9th, but left both runners on base. �That made him the pitcher of record for the Indians in the bottom of the 9th, when the Clippers' two errors and Brian Myrow's walk-off single made Machi and the Indians winners. �It was Machi's first win with the Indians. �
Indians' Hitting Gem of the Game: �Brian Myrow's walk-off single in the 9th, which brought in the tying and winning runs. �
Honorable mention: �Back-to-back home runs by Tagg Bozied (photo) and Erik Kratz.
Indians' Defensive Gems of the Game: �Two double plays : �#1-- In the 7th inning, a grounder by Niuman Romero to Pedro Lopez at second base started the 4-6-3 double play that ended the inning and the Clipper's rally. �#2 -- In the 5th inning, with Tony Graffanino on second after a double and Stephen Head on first after being hit by a pitch, Damaso Espino laid down what he hoped would be a sacrifice bunt. �But Daniel McCutchen was very quick off the mound. �He scooped up the ball and threw to Neil Walker at third, who dragged his foot across the bag, forcing out Graffanino. �Then Walker fired a long relay throw to first base in time to get Espino for the unexpected double play.
[Photo sequence: �In the first inning, Jose Tabata tries to steal home......
�
..... but he's out at the plate.]
NOTES:
Jeff Salazar has officially cleared waivers and was activated onto the Indians' roster today. �
Pitcher Jason Davis was placed on the Disabled List, clearing a roster spot for Salazar. �Davis strained his quad muscle last week. �
In today's Indianapolis Star: �an article by Mark Dent about the off-season activities of some of the Indians, particularly Daniel McCutchen, Brad Lincoln,�Jason Davis, and Steven Jackson.
And, in this morning's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Dejan Kovacevic talks about the various options the Pirates face in trying to decide which players are going to play where. �
Now, I have to admit, when the dust has settled -- it looked to me, and to the people sitting with me, that Tabata was out at the plate. �But, umpire Alan Boyd was right there, not way up in the stands, and he had the best view. �And, the Indians can use a break.
Go Tribe!
[Photos by EmilP and by Nancy Zinni -- MVN]
Lincoln, Walker, and Bozied Sink the Clippers
Indianapolis Indians 5,�� �Columbus Clippers 1
3B Neil Walker and LF Tagg Bozied contributed 2 RBI each to give Brad Lincoln (photo) plenty of run support as he earned his third straight win at Victory Field tonight. �The win broke the Indians' 3-game losing streak and gave Lincoln his 5th win with the Indians. �
Lincoln breezed through his 5 innings of work. �He needed only 63 pitches (43 strikes) to keep the Clippers scoreless. �Lincoln gave up only two hits, both singles to Columbus DH Stephen Head, and after the first batter he faced, LF Josh Barfield, flied out to right field, no other out occurred in the outfield. �Lincoln retired the first 5 batters, then gave up the first single to Head in the 2nd inning -- a liner up the middle that just barely eluded SS Argenis Diaz's dive. �Then he retired the next 8 batters, until he faced Head again in the 5th inning. �Head again singled into center field, but this time he was quickly erased when 1B Damaso Espino bounced into a double play, Argenis Diaz to 2B Pedro Lopez (photo below)�to 1B Jeff Clement (6-4-3).
The Tribe offense got started in the bottom of the 1st inning. �Pedro Lopez and RF Brian Myrow both lined singles into right field, and Myrow's moved Lopez over to third base. �Jeff Clement picked up his 21st RBI with the Indians on a sacrifice fly to bring in Lopez. �
The 1-0 lead held over the next two innings, when the Indians went down quietly. �3B Neil Walker had the only hit over those innings, when he lined a single into left-center field. �He was eliminated moments later, though, when DH Robinzon Diaz bounced into a double play.�
With one out in the 4th inning, Jeff Clement worked a walk off Clippers' starter Ryan Edell. �LF Tagg Bozied followed the walk with a double off the center field wall at the 405-foot mark, and the Indians had two runners in scoring position for Neil Walker. �Walker (photo below) lifted a double just over Clippers' 3B Wes Hodges and into left field, scoring both Clement and Bozied. �
Those were Walkers' 63rd and 64th RBI of the season. �That was all the Indians could get in that inning, as Edell buckled down and struck out both C Erik Kratz and Robinzon Diaz to end the inning. �
The Tribe threatened again in the 5th. �Argenis Diaz opened the inning with a line drive into right field. �CF Jose Tabata dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move Diaz to second base. �Pedro Lopez singled into right field, and Diaz took off. �As he approached third base, manager Frank Kremblas waved him around, and Diaz headed for the plate. �But Clippers' RF Jordan Brown made an on-target throw to the plate, and C Lou Marson plunked himself down in front of the plate, blocking it completely. �The slender Diaz could not get around, under, or through Marson, and he was out at the plate. �
The Pirates have dictated that their minor league pitchers be limited in how many total innings they pitch in the season, so that they do not far exceed the number of innings they pitched in the previous season. �Pitchers who are approaching their season-limit are not prevented from pitching, but they are held to fewer innings in their outings during these last few weeks of the season. �Brad Lincoln was told prior to the game that he would be pitching no more than 5 innings today, so despite the fact that he had dominated the Clippers and had only thrown 63 pitches, he was removed after the 5th inning. �
Jon Meloan (photo) came on to relieve Lincoln and begin the 6th. �He pitched 2 innings, with 3 strikeouts and 3 fly outs, marred by only one hit -- that hit was a solo home run over the right field corner by SS Niuman Romero, for the only run the Clippers would score. �
Tagg Bozied added two more runs for the Tribe in the 8th inning. �With former Indy Indian (2007) Michael Tejera taking over on the mound for Ryan Edell,�Pedro Lopez led off with a walk. �Tejera got Brian Myrow out on a high infield chopper, and he struck out Jeff Clement for the second out. �Then Bozied blasted a long fly ball over the left field scoreboard for a 2-run homer, giving the Indians some extra insurance. �
Corey Hamman pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 8th, with one strikeout. �Jeff Sues pitche the 9th, and made things almost a little too interesting. �He walked the first batter he faced, Niuman Romero, and then gave up a single to LF Josh Barfield (who hit yesterday's game winning homer). �With runners on the corners, Sues bore down and struck out Jesus Merchan. �Then he got Jordan Brown and Wes Hodges to fly out to end the game. �
Indians' Hitting Gems of t
he Game: �The 2-run homer by Tagg Bozied, his 4th of the season, in the 8th, �and the 2-RBI double by Neil Walker, his 30th of the season, in the 4th.
Indians' Defensive Gem of the Game: �Five scoreless innings of work, with only 2 singles, by starter Brad Lincoln.
Brad Lincoln ............... � � � Jeff Sues
NOTES:
�update on the Mariott hotel going up across the street from Victory Field: �lots of glass, which looks very blue. �
Go Tribe!
[Photos by Nancy Zinni -- MVN]
Indians Fall To a Homer in 12 Innings
Columbus Clippers 2,�
�� �Indianapolis Indians 1
�� � � �(12 innings)
A high fly ball over the left field wall by Clippers' LF Josh Barfield made the difference at Victory Field this afternoon, giving the Clippers a win over the Indians in the 12th inning. �The two teams combined for 21 hits, though only 3 runs, as they left a combined 20 base runners on the base paths. �
After five innings with the score tied 1-1, and wasted opportunities by both teams, Barfield stepped to the plate in the top of the 12th to face Indians' reliever Jeremy Powell (photo),�who was beginning his 4th inning on the mound. Barfield placed Powell's first pitch onto the grass berm beyond the left field wall, not far from the foul pole to give the Clippers a 2-1 lead. �3B Wes Hodges followed the home run with a single, and after Tribe 3B Neil Walker raced to the bullpen to catch a foul fly ball by DH Stephen Head, C Lou Marson bounced into a double play that also eliminated Hodges.
The Indians had one last chance to tie it up again in the bottom of the frame, but Clippers' reliever Greg Aquino got three quick outs, and the game was over. �Powell took the loss, his 7th of the season. �
Erik Hacker (photo) had made the start for the Indians. �He pitched 6 innings, and while he had to contend with Clipper runners on base in 4 of them, he only had serious trouble in the 3rd inning. �With one out in the 3rd, SS Niuman Romero looped a single into left field. �Next, CF Michael Brantley lifted a fly into short center field. �Tribe CF Chris Barnwell raced in for the catch but only succeeded in trapping the ball, for another single, as Romero moved to third base. �After Josh Barfield flied out to center field in a more catchable manner, Wes Hodges lined a single into right field, scoring Romero from third. �
Hacker retired the Clippers in order in two innings and worked around a single and a walk in two other innings. �He also had the advantage of SS Argenis Diaz's�(photo) and�2B Pedro Lopez's stellar work in the middle infield today. �
With runners on first and second and no outs in the 2nd inning, 1B Damaso Espino bounced a grounder off Eric Hacker's glove and on to SS Argenis Diaz. �Diaz flipped the ball towards second base, where Lopez had not been just a second before. �Lopez materialized on the second base bag at precisely the right point in time, snatched the flipped ball out of the air with his bare hand, and fired on to first in time to get Espino out. �It was particularly excellent because the ball had been slowed down when it tipped off Hacker's glove, and the play at first was going to be close. �The very next play was almost an instant replay of an outstanding play from last night. �2B Jesus Merchan grounded toward the hole between first and second base, and the ball seemed destined for right field, and an RBI single. �But Lopez, for the second game in a row, ranged to his left almost behind first base, made the diving catch, hopped to his knees and fired to first in time to get Marchan and keep the run from scoring. �
Argenis Diaz and Pedro Lopez combined for another amazing double play in the 6th inning. �DH Stephen Head led off with a walk, and Lou Marson made the mistake of grounding toward second base. �Diaz went to his left and scooped up the ball as he was crossing behind second base. �He flipped the ball toward nothingness at second base, and once again Pedro Lopez appeared, crossing to his right to step on the sack and make the throw to first base for the double play. �Diaz made another diving stop in the hole behind first base in the 9th inning, though on that play he had enough time to jump up to his feet before firing to first base to throw out Niuman Romero to end the inning and the threat. �
Clippers' starter Hector Rondon pitched 7 innings, and he also had to work around two Indians' base runners in every inning after the first two. �Rondon took advantage of the Indians' base running issues and two double plays. �RF Jose Tabata (photo) was hit by a pitch to begin the bottom of the 1st, and went to second base on Pedro Lopez's sacrifice bunt, but he was picked off second base. �In the 3rd inning, C Erik Kratz led off with a double just barely inside the left field line, but when CF Chris Barnwell�
bunted a little too hard and the ball came right back to Rondon on the mound, Rondon was able to turn and catch Kratz too far off second base. �Kratz (photo) was tagged out easily in what was not even much of a run-down. �
The Tribe put two runners on in an unusual way in the 4th inning. �With one out, Pedro Lopez singled into left field. �LF Brian Myrow flied out, then 1B Jeff Clement grounded to Clippers' shortstop Niuman Romero, who was just two steps off second base. �Romero stepped on second, presumably forcing out Lopez at second, and the players from both teams starte
d walking off the field. �Suddenly, everyone stopped -- home plate umpire Brian Reilly was waving his arms and pointing. �C Lou Marson had interfered with Clement -- Clement was safe at first on Catchers' Interference, and so Lopez was safe at second base after all. �Unfortunately, the Indians couldn't capitalize, as DH Larry Broadway grounded out to first base to end the inning. �
[Photo: �Former Indy Indian (1998, 2004-05) Jon Nunnally is now the Clippers' batting coach]
A walk by Erik Kratz and a single by Argenis Diaz put two runners on for the Tribe in the 5th. Both Kratz and Chris Barnwell singled in the 7th, but Kratz was out at second when he tried to stretch it into a double. �Both times, the Indians left the runners stranded.
The Tribe finally tied the game in the 6th inning. �Pedro Lopez led off with his second single of the game, a grounder up the middle. �He advanced to third base when Brian Myrow followed with a double down the right field line and into the corner. �Jeff Clement brought Lopez in with an RBI grounder to short. �Larry Broadway also singled, with a grounder that just slipped past the diving 3B Wes Hodges. �But 3B Neil Walker (photo below) grounded into another double play, and Roncon escaped without further damage. �
With the score tied, the Indians put runners on base in three of the next four innings. �Brian Myrow lined another double into the right field corner in the 8th inning. �Erik Kratz walked in the 9th, but was doubled off first base when Chris Barnwell cracked a low line drive, shoe-top level, down the first base line and right into the glove of 1B Damaso Espino. �Jeff Clement single up the middle in the 11th, but was picked off and caught stealing. �Larry Broadway was hit by a pitch moments later, but he was also left on base. �
The Clippers were not having much better luck over those same innings. �Juan Mateo relieved Eric Hacker and gave up only a soft loopy single into right field by RF Mickey Hall in the 7th inning. �He got the first two outs in the 8th, and then gave way to Corey Hamman (the only lefty in the bullpen),�who was brought in to face the left-handed Stephen Head. �Hamman dispatched Head quickly with a strikeout. �
Jeremy Powell came in from the bullpen to begin the 9th inning, and the four innings he pitched were riddled with difficulties. �In the 9th, a fly ball off the bat of Damaso Espino dropped in between CF Chris Barnwell and RF Jose Tabata amid what appeared to be a communication problem. �Jesus Merchan followed with a grounder deep behind third base. �Neil Walker was able to get to the ball and made an excellent stop, but the combination of a long and wide throw and the speed of Merchan put Merchan safely on first base and Espino on second with one out. �A fly out by Mickey Hall gave Powell the second out. �
Then Pedro Lopez came to the rescue with his diving stop deep in the hole behind first base, to make the third out of the inning.
Powell got out of a bases-loaded jam in the 10th. �Michael Brantley singled, then Powell struck out Josh Barfield. �Next, Powell hit Wes Hodges square in the back with a pitch. �After a pop out by Stephen Head, Powell grazed Lou Marson's hand with another pitch to load the bases. �A fly out to right field ended that threat, and the tie score remained.
The Clippers threatened again in the 11th. �Jesus Merchan led off with a grounder to shortstop. �He beat out SS Argenis Diaz's throw to first, and then advanced to second base when the throw went wild and sailed into the stands. �Mickey Hall sacrifice bunted Merchan to third base. �(Photo sequence) �
C Erik Kratz made the play, and appeared to want to try to throw to third base (since that play worked so well last night), but Jeremy Powell had come off the mound thinking that he might have to make the play, and Powell ended up right next to Kratz and between Kratz and third base -- so Kratz had no choice but to throw to first base. �Niuman Romero attempted a suicide squeeze to bring Merchan home, but instead of dribbling up the baseline, his bunt slipped straight to Jeremy Powell as he came off the mound. �Powell all but fell as he slid to make the play, and flipped the ball to Erik Kratz, who was blocking the plate. �The slender Merchan rammed into Kratz, which was a completely ineffective maneuver -- Kratz was immovable and the ball stayed safely in his glove for the out. �A fly out ended that inning. �Then came the 12th inning and the game-winning homer.
Indians' Hitting Gem of the Game: �Two doubles into the right field corner by Brian Myrow, on two consecutive at-bats. �The first moved Pedro Lopez over to third base in the run-scoring rally in the 6th. �They were Myrow's 21st and 22nd doubles of the season.
Indians' Defensive Gems of the Game: �As described above, two perfectly choreographed double plays by Argenis Diaz and Pedro Lopez, and two diving stops of grounders that looked destined for the outfield by Lopez.
NOTES:
Jeff Salazar (photo) was back with the Indians last night, after clearing waivers. �He should be activated in another day or two. �
Brian Bixler got the start as shortstop for the Pirates this afternoon. �He went 1-for-4 at the plate with a double and two strikeouts.
Go Tribe!
[Photos by Nancy Zinni-- MVN]
Defense Hurts Vasquez and Tribe
Louisville Bats 4,
�� � Indianapolis Indians 2Three errors by the Indianapolis Indians gave the Bats critical unearned runs, and kept Virgil Vasquez and the Indians from the win at Victory Field tonight. �Vasquez (photo) pitched 7 innings and allowed one earned run on 6 hits and a walk, but still suffered the hard-luck loss, his 4th of the season. �The Indians offense was held to just two hits in the game, and they could not capitalize on the few chances they had.
Vasquez began his outing by facing the minimum over the first two innings. �Bats 2B Luis Bolivar grounded a single up the middle to lead off the game. �Vasquez made several throws over to first base to keep Bolivar, who has stolen 22 bases already this season, close to the bag. �Bolivar was safe each time, but he was finally surprised by C Robinzon Diaz, who made a snap throw down to first on a pitch to RF Darnell McDonald, to pick Bolivar off. �
After that first inning, there was�a pattern to the Bats' at-bats: �if Vasquez, or later relievers�Jon Meloan�and�Jean Machi,�got the first Louisville batter of the inning out, then not only would the Bats not score that inning, but they would go down in order. �If the first batter reached base, then the Bats would score. �
In the 3rd inning, Vasquez gave up two line drives to the first two batters of the inning, SS Chris Valaika and C Chris Denove. �Pitcher Travis Wood did what was expected -- he dropped down a bunt, to the left of the mound in front of the plate (photo sequence). �Vasquez leapt off the mound and pounced on the ball. �
C Robinzon Diaz shouted and pointed for Vasquez to throw to first base, but Vasquez had other ideas. �He whirled and threw to third base, where 3B Neil Walker,�who had initially began charging into the infield grass, had gone back to cover the bag. �With the lead runner Valaika sliding into third, Walker made the catch to force out Valaika (as Robinzon Diaz is still pointing over to first base).
But the inning wasn't over. �With one out and runners on first and second, Luis Bolivar grounded to Neil Walker, but the hop played Walker instead of the other way around, and the ball bounced off Walker's chest and away from him -- �bases loaded. �
CF Chris Heisey popped up to Walker on the third base line for the second out of the inning, and it looked like Vasquez might get out of the inning. �The next batter, Darnell McDonald, hit a swinging bunt that landed just in front of the plate right near the third base line. �Robinzon Diaz scrambled to snatch up the ball and turned to tag the lead runner Denove as he ran past. �As Diaz lunged at Denove, Denove ran into Diaz's gloved hand -- and the ball popped out of his glove. �Denove was safe at the plate, and Diaz was charged with the second error of the inning. �3B Juan Francisco flied out to end the inning, with the Bats ahead 1-0.
Bats' starter Travis Wood had also held the Indians scoreless in the first two innings. �He allowed the Tribe's first base runner in the bottom of the 3rd, when he walked Robinzon Diaz to begin the inning. �Wood struck out SS Argenis Diaz and got Virgil Vasquez to ground out. �Then CF Jose Tabata got the Tribe's first hit of the game -- a booming home run, 370 feet long, over the right field wall, bringing in Robinzon Diaz and giving the Indians a 2-1 lead. �
Virgil Vasquez continued the pattern he'd set with the Bats' at-bats. �He retired the side in the 4th inning, but then gave up a lead-off single to Chris Denove in the 5th inning. �Another bunt by Travis Wood, this one a�
sacrifice, moved Denove to second base, and Luis Bolivar smacked a line drive off Vasquez's glove and into center field, scoring Denove to tie the game at 2-2. �In the 6th, it was 3B Juan Francisco who had the lead-off hit, on a short fly that dropped into center field, just out of everyone's reach. �Francisco advanced to second base when 2B Todd Frazier, just brought up from AA, worked a walk. �Vasquez got a pop out and a fly out, and it looked like he was goin
g to get the third out when Denove grounded right to SS Argenis Diaz. �But just as Diaz was reaching down for the ball, his foot slipped and the ball slid right under his glove and into left field as Diaz fell to the ground. �It was ruled an error, and Francisco came in to score the go-ahead run. �Bats 3, Indians 2.
[Photo: �Neil Walker catches Chris Heisey's pop up, with Chris Denove on third base.]
Vasquez again retired the Bats in order in the 7th inning. �He was relieved after that, having thrown exactly 100 pitches, 66 of them strikes. �He exited on the losing side, through no fault of his own. �Jon Meloan (photo) came on to pitch the 8th inning. �He also retired the Bats in order, on an outstanding diving stop of a grounder by 2B Pedro Lopez, a strikeout, and a fly out. �It took Meloan 12 pitches. �
Jean Machi took the mound for the 9th inning. �In his previous 5 appearances with the Indians (6.1 innings), Machi had not allowed any hits, and only one earned run. �He broke that streak tonight. �The first batter Machi faced, Chris Valaika, slammed a long fly ball over the left field wall, which LF�Brian Myrow could only turn and watch sail over his head. �Machi gave up another hit, a bloop single to Chris Denove, before getting three outs to end the inning. �
The two runs in the 3rd inning were all the Indians were able to get. �Travis Wood allowed the Tribe only one base runner over the 4th through 7th innings, when Argenis Diaz reached base on a fielding error by 2B Todd Frazier in the 5th. �Wood struck out the side in the 7th inning. �
[Photo: �Manager Frank Kremblas gives the signs]
The Indians had one big chance in the 8th inning. �With reliever Federico Baez on in relief of Wood, the Indians collected their second hit of the game. �Robinzon Diaz led off with a line drive into left field. �Argenis Diaz �bunted Robinzon Diaz to second base. �Pinch-hitter Larry Broadway, in for the pitchers' spot, worked a walk to put two runners on base for Jose Tabata, who stepped to the plate with a .351 average. �Tabata was patient and he also worked a walk. �That brought up Pedro Lopez and his .329 average with the bases loaded and one out. �But Lopez was not patient, and he slapped the first pitch from Baez right to SS Chris Valaika. �The easy 6-4-3 double play ended the inning, and the Tribe again failed to capitalize on their opportunity. �The Indians went down in order in the 9th, and the Bats had their 4th win in the 6-game split series. �
The Indians will have 5 more games against the Bats, in another split series to wrap up the season. �Tomorrow the Tribe will begin a 4-game series against the Columbus Clippers at Victory Field.
Indians' Hitting Gem of the Game: �Only two hits to choose from, and the better of the two was Jose Tabata's (photo) 3rd home run since joining the Tribe.
Indians' Defensive Gems of the Game: �#1 -- Virgil Vasquez's play on Travis Wood's bunt in the 3rd inning, getting the lead runner out at third. �#2 -- 2B Pedro Lopez's diving stop of Juan Francisco's grounder toward right field in the 8th inning. �The ball looked like a sure single, but Lopez went far to his right and made a full-out dive, just managing to snag the ball in his glove. �Then he hopped up and thew from his knees to Jeff Clement at first base in time to make the out. �
�
Go Tribe!
[photos by Nancy Zinni -- MVN]
Bats Rain Down On Indians
Louisville Bats 15,�
�� Indianapolis Indians 6
The rain began in the third inning at Victory Field tonight, and that's about when the Bats began raining hits and runs down on the Indianapolis Indians. �The rain got heavier and lighter but didn't ever completely stop. �The Bats scored a few more and a few less and were even held scoreless for a couple of innings, but their steady rain didn't ever completely stop either. �
When it was over, the Bats had posted 18 hits and 15 runs, and took advantage of 2 errors by the Indians. �Five of their runs were unearned. �The Indians had 12 hits and 6 runs, but when the Bats made errors, they didn't turn the errors to their advantage. �
It wasn't too bad for the first three batters of the game. �Ty Taubenheim (photo above),�making his first start in several weeks, got into trouble in the first inning. �He hit the first batter of the game, 2B Luis Bolivar, who then stole second base. �Rehabbing 3B Scott Rolen smacked the ball right back to the mound, and Taubenheim quickly whirled and charged at Bolivar, who had ventured far off second base. �Taubenheim fired to SS Argenis Diaz, who chased Bolivar toward third base and tagged him for the out. �Rolen made it to second base while the play was developing. �RF Darnell McDonald grounded sharply between shortstop and third, but 3B Neil Walker (photo sequence) robbed him of a hit with a full-out dive to his left and a quick hop up to fire to first base in time. �
Rolen went to third on the play, and you could see Walker thinking, almost as if a little cartoon cloud had appeared in the air over his head, that maybe he could tag out Rolen as he ran past. �But Walker was a few steps back on the infield dirt, and Rolen was out of his reach. �Walker was still able to throw to first in time to get McDonald. �LF Juan Francisco, who the Indians have seen swing at almost anything, singled into right field, scoring Rolen. �CF Chris Heisey grounded to third, and Neil Walker made another outstanding stop, with his momentum carrying him well into foul territory. �His throw to first might have been on time, but 1B Jeff Clement dropped the ball just as Heisey crossed the bag. �
Bats' 1B Wes Bankston brought both Francisco and Heisey in with a double that fell in just out of RF Tagg Bozied's�reach in right field. �Finally, Taubenheim ended the inning with a strikeout of SS Chris Valaika. �
Taubenheim kept the Bats scoreless in the 2nd inning. �Neil Walker made another outstanding play at third, charging onto the infield grass to scoop up a ball to the left of the mound, which Taubenheim might have been able to get to, to throw out C Corky Miller. �Luis Bolivar reached base when his bunt trickled down the third base line and never did slide across the foul line, but Taubenheim struck out Scott Rolen to end the inning. �
The Indians were still in the game at that point. �CF Jose Tabata led off the bottom of the 1st with a single that bounced off the back of the mound and continued into center field. �He also stole second base, and moved to third on LF Brian Myrow's single that slipped past 3B Scott Rolen and into left field before Rolen could react. �Jeff Clement brought Tabata across the plate with a sacrifice fly. �Tagg Bozied led off the 2nd inning with a bloop broken bat single over second base and into center field. �Neil Walker surprised the Bats by dropping down a perfect sacrifice bunt, his first sac bunt of the season, to move Bozied to second base. �A wild pitch put Bozied on third base, and Argenis Diaz popped a single into short right-center field, to score Bozied. �The Indians were within one run of the Bats, 3-2. �
[Photo: �Chris Barnwell and Ty Taubenheim]
Then it got ugly.
Third Inning: �The dark clouds moved in, the wind changed direction and picked up, and the rain began to fall. �The Bats batted around, scoring 4 runs after Taubenheim had gotten two outs. �A double, an error, a double, a walk, two singles, and a passed ball. �With Chris Heisey on second base after a double, Wes Bankston grounded to short. �Instead of throwing to first to get what would have been a near-certain third out on Bankston, SS Argenis Diaz was distracted by Heisey running past him, and threw to third base. �If the throw had been on target, and if Neil Walker hadn't been as surprised as everyone else by the throw, Walker might have had a chance of making the catch and tagging out Heisey. �But
Walker just barely got there and the throw was wide and in the dirt. � As the ball skipped over towards the Indians' dugout, Heisey rounded third and scored easily, and Bankston made it to second base. �Taubenheim was pulled after 8 of the batters, and the newest member of the Tribe, Jeff Sues, came on in relief with the bases loaded. �His third pitch became the passed ball, which scored Corky Miller from third. �A fly out ended the inning.
Fourth Inning: �Sues (photo) stayed in the game, and had gotten two quick outs. �Then Chris Heisey lifted a long fly ball to straight-away center field. �Jose Tabata went back, back, back -- and then there was suddenly a wall in the way. �Tabata slammed into the wall as the ball hit the wall and both bounced. �The ball trailed away along the warning track towards left field, and by the time Brian Myrow could come over to chase it down, Heisey had an inside-the-park home run. �Tabata took a few moments to get up and walk around. �He was checked out by trainer Jose Ministral, and was able to remain in the game.
Fifth Inning: Sues gave up back-to-back singles to lead off the inning. �A sacrifice bunt put the runners on second and third, and a sacrifice fly by Luis Bolivar and a single by Scott Rolen scored two runs.
Eighth Inning: �The Bats batted around again for another 4 runs. �Corey Hamman, who had just pitched 2 scoreless innings, began the inning with a walk, a double, and a single for one run. �Then a grounder got under Neil Walker's glove and past him, and another run came in. �For the second time in a week, Larry Broadway (photo) came on to pitch for the Indians. �Broadway had pitched 2 scoreless innings for the Indians already this season, but today was not as good. �He gave up back-to-back singles to the first two batters he faced, bringing in two more runs. �
Ninth Inning: �Not one, but two position players taking the mound. �Chris Barnwell (photo below) came on to pitch. �He got Michael Griffin to ground out to third, then gave up a booming home run to Darnell McDonald. �Juan Francisco tapped what he thought was a foul ball, but the home plate umpire called it fair. �C Erik Kratz just needed to take three steps forward, pick up the ball, and tag Francisco. �Barnwell walked Chris Heisey, and then got Wes Bankston to fly out. �
Taubenheim was charged with the loss, his 9th of the season. �He made 67 pitches (45 strikes) in his 2.2 innings, and gave up 3 earned runs and 4 unearned runs, on 9 hits and a walk. �Sues was responsible for 3 runs. �Hamman was responsible for 4 runs, though one was unearned. �Larry Broadway was the only pitcher who was not charged with an earned run, though he let the inherited runners score.
Bats' LF Juan Francisco made a very wild throw to the plate in the 5th inning, moving two runners into scoring position with one out. �But the Indians' couldn't capitalize, as Erik Kratz struck out and Argenis Diaz grounded out to end the inning and leave the runners in place. �
1B Wes Bankston made a fielding error on Neil Walker's grounder behind the first base bag in the 8th inning. �The Indians couldn't take advantage, though, and a line out, a grounder force out, and a fly out later, the Indians left another runner on base.
There were a few positives for the Tribe:
Brian Myrow went 4-for-4 at the plate, with a double and three singles, a walk, and 2 RBI.
Jose Tabata went 3-for-5 with a double. �
Neil Walker went 2-for-3, with two RBI singles. �He had the sacrifice bunt in the 2nd inning, and reached base on a fielding error by Bats' 1B Wes Bankston in the 8th. �He ended the game with a sharp line drive right into Bankston's glove in the 9th.
The Tribe scored one run in the 3rd inning. �Brian Myrow and Jeff Clement had back-to-back walks with one out, and Neil Walker's first RBI single brought Myrow in. �
[Photo: �Larry Broadway on the mound]
Walker brought in another run in the 5th inning. �Myrow led off with a double, and Jeff Clement walked. �Walker lined a single into left field, scoring Myrow from second base. �
The Indians didn't give up. �They scored two more runs in the 9th inning, which opened with three straight hits: �a single by Jose Tabata, a double into the right field corner by Pedro Lopez, and Brian Myrow's fourth hit of the night, which scored both Tabata and Lopez. �
Pedro Lopez's double in the 9th extended his hitting streak to 7 games.
Tagg Bozied extended his hitting streak to 8 games.
Corey Hamman pitched 2 scoreless innings, allowing only a walk, in the 6th and 7th innings.
[Photo: �Chris Barnwell considers his next pitch]
Indians' Hitting Gems of the Game: �Brian Myrow's 4 hits, with 2 RBI. �
Indians' Defensive Gems of the Game: �Several strong plays at third by Neil Walker, and a double play by the middle infield, Pedro Lopez to Argenis Diaz to Jeff Clement (4-6-3) in the 3rd inning. �
Ty Taubenheim and Jeff Sues take their turns at the plate (note no battin
g gloves for Sues)
NOTES:
Phil Dumatrait's rehab time is over, and he has been added back onto the Pirates' 40-man and 25-man active rosters. �The Pirates made space for him on the active roster by placing Jeff Karstens on the bereavement list (his grandmother is ill). �To make room on the 40-man roster, Evan Meek was moved to the 60-day disabled list. �Meek was on the DL with an oblique strain, and this means the end of his season. �
Go Tribe!
[Photos by Nancy Zinni -- MVN]
