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Indians’ 9th Inning Effort Falls Short
Charlotte Knights 8,�
�� �Indianapolis Indians 7A two-out 9th inning rally fell short for the Indianapolis Indians at Victory Field this afternoon, allowing the Charlotte Knights to avoid being swept by the Tribe in the 4-game series. �The Knights scored 6 runs in the 2nd inning and the Indians spent the rest of the game trying to catch up. �Brad Lincoln (photo) suffered the loss, his 2nd of the season with the Tribe, and was only able to pitch 3 innings -- the shortest of his 8 starts with the Tribe. �
Brad Lincoln began the game with a walk to Knight's lead-off batter SS Brent Lillibridge. �There was a scary moment when Lincoln made a pick-off throw to first, and the ball hit Lillibridge, possibly on the back of his head. �The ball ricocheted to just in front of the Knights' dugout, but Lillibridge was still prone on the ground at first and was not able to advance. �Both Indians' trainer Jose Ministral (who knows Lillibridge from his time in the Pirates' organization)�
and the Knights' trainer came out to check on him. �Lillibridge was able to stand, and take a test-jog down the right field line, and so he stayed in the game, and stole second base a few minutes later. �But Lincoln retired the next three batters on fly outs and a pop out to end the inning. �(Photo: �Brian Myrow makes the catch on a fly ball.)
The Indians scored two runs in the bottom of the frame. �Knights' Daniel Hudson was making his AAA debut, and it didn't begin in the best manner. �Lead-off man 2B Brian Bixler surprised Hudson by dropping down a perfect bunt on the first pitch he saw, and beat out Hudson's throw to first for a hit. �Hudson was a little rattled, and he hit RF Jose Tabata on the 3-2 pitch, then walked LF Brian Myrow, also on a 3-2 pitch. �Hudson struck out DH Jeff Clement, but then 1B Tagg Bozied smacked what would be the first of 3 hits into right field, for an RBI single, scoring Bixler. �3B Neil Walker followed with a sacrifice fly into left field, scoring Tabata. �C Robinzon Diaz flied out to end the inning, with the Indians ahead 2-0.
[Photo: Pitching coach Ray Searage confers with Robinzon Diaz and Brad Lincoln]
Unfortunately that was the last time the Indians had the lead. �Disaster struck in the top of the 2nd inning, and Brad Lincoln was the victim. �He began the inning well, getting C Cole Armstrong to ground out to Brian Bixler at second base, with an excellent backhanded stop by Bixler. �1B Wilson Betemit and 3B Josh Fields hit back-to-back singles. �Lincoln struck out LF Stefan Gartrell for the second out, and things were not looking too bad. �But 5 straight RBI hits brought in 6 runs: �2B Keith Ginter's single scored Betemit; Brent Lillibridge's double scored Fields; CF Miguel Negron's double scored Ginter and Lillibridge; RF Josh Kroeger's single scored Negron; and DH Michael Restovich's single scored Kroeger, who had stolen second base (photo below).
The inning took Lincoln 34 pitches, which is just over the Pirates' organizational limit for number of pitches any pitcher can throw in one inning. �Pirates' Director of Player Development Kyle Stark was in the stadium, so maybe the Indians got his permission, because Lincoln came back out to pitch the 3rd inning, which is not usually what the Pirates do. �Lincoln needed only 8 pitches to get through the 3rd inning, but with those pitches, he gave up a lead-off double to Wilson Betemit and an RBI double to Stefan Gartrell, to give the Knights' a 7-2 lead. �The inning ended when Gartrell was thrown out trying to steal third. �
The Indians kept battling. �They managed only a lone single by Brian Bixler in the 2nd inning and another single by Tagg Bozied in the 3rd. �They did get to Daniel Hudson in the 4th inning, when they began the inning with three consecutive hits: �a double down the line and into the left field corner by Robinzon Diaz, an RBI single into left field by CF Chris Barnwell (and he advanced to second base on a high throw in from the outfield),�and a twisting loopy single into right field by SS Argenis Diaz (photo),�which moved Barnwell to third base. �Brian Bixler hit a fly to right field, too short for Barnwell to score from third, but Argenis Diaz was able to move to second base on the throw in from right field. �Jose Tabata smashed a grounder up the middle, which SS Brent Lillibridge was able to stop with an outstretched dive. �He had no throw, though, and Barnwell scored. �Brian Myrow's sacrifice fly brought in Argenis Diaz, and the Indians were making progress: �Knights 7, Indians 5.
Daniel Hudson was relieved after 4 innings, and Jhonny Nunez came on in relief. �Nunez allowed only one hit over his two innings. �That hit was a blast off the bat of Brian Bixler, which cleared the left field wall and hit the light pole in the left field berm for his 9th homer of the season (photo). �The Indians were within one run of the Knights, 7-6.
Ty Taubenheim relieved Brad Lincoln to begin the 4th inning, and he kept the Knights scoreless for three innings. �He allowed a single to Miguel Negron and walked Michael Restovich in the 4th inning, but left them stranded. �Stefan Gartrell reached base safely in the 5th inning on a throwing error by SS Argenis Diaz. �1B Tagg Bozied made a great stretch, nearly flat on the ground toward the outfield side of the bag, to reach the ball and make the catch in time, but when he landed on the ground, the ball popped out of Bozied's glove and Gartrell was ruled safe. �Taubenheim was aided by two excellent fielding plays behind him. �LF Brian Myrow ended the 5th inning with a running backhanded catch of Keith Ginter's fly ball, slamming up against the left field wall to make the catch. �
3B Neil Walker (photo) made a charging bare-handed scoop of a dribbly little grounder off the bat of Miguel Negron in the 6th inning, then fired across his body while still moving to throw Negron out in plenty of time at first base. �
Steven Jackson came on to pitch the 7th inning, and he gave up one more run, which the Knights would turn out to need. �Michael Restovich led off with a 4-pitch walk. �Cole Armstrong grounded a single through the hole and into right field. �Stefan Gartrell's double into the left field corner brought in Restovich, to give the Knights an 8-6 lead. �
Denny Bautista handled the last two innings on the mound for the Tribe. �He kept the Knights scoreless despite a single by Josh Kroeger in the 8th, and an unusual play in the 9th. �Cole Armstrong led off with a single into right field. Wilson Betemit also grounded to the right side of the infield, and it was just out of Tagg Bozied's reach, heading for the hole and into right field -- until it hit Armstrong as he was running past. �Armstrong was out, hit by a batted ball, with Bozied getting credit for the put out (the rules say the put out goes to the nearest fielder, even though he didn't really have to do anything). �Betemit was safe on first, credited with a hit. �Bautista was not fazed -- he struck out the next two batters, on a total of 7 pitches. �
The Tribe had only two base runners reach in the 7th and 8th innings, both on walks. �Brian Myrow worked the count full and then looked at ball four in the 7th, for the second time in the game. �Chris Barnwell took a 4-pitch walk in the 8th. �Both were left stranded on base. �
That set up the Indians for a last-ditch effort 9th inning rally. �With 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th, Jeff Clement (photo) lifted a long fly ball to right-center field. �It was caught perfectly -- but not by someone in a Knights' uniform. �The catch was made by a small outfielder on the grass berm who was wearing an Indians' Knot Hole Club t-shirt. �Clement's 5th home run in 9 days again brought the Indians within one run of the Knights. �Tagg Bozied followed the homer with a double into the left-center field alley. �Neil Walker was next, and he was patient enough to work a walk (in the past, he might have swung at some of those outside pitches). �That brought up Robinzon Diaz. �Diaz hit the first pitch he saw, but it went more up than out, and settled into RF Josh Kroeger's glove to end the game. �
The loss kept the Indians from the sweep. �The season series against the Knights still went to the Indians, 5 games to 3. �The loss drops the Indians to two games below .500 again.
[Photo: Neil Walker congratulates Jeff Clement on his home run.]
This was the Indians' last game of the season against a team that is not in the West Division. �All the rest of the Tribe's games are going to be against the Louisville Bats, the Columbus Clippers, and the Toledo MudHens. �(And they will all be heartily sick of one another by the end of the next 4 weeks.) �
Indians' Hitting Gems of the Game: �Home runs by Brian Bixler (photo) and Jeff Clement. �Both brought the Indians within one run of the Knights. �
Indians' Defensive Gems of the Game: �Brian Myrow's running backhanded catch of Keith Ginter's fly in the 5th inning, bouncing off the left field scoreboard as soon as he made the catch.
Honorable Mention: �The diving catch of Jeff Clement's home run by the small outfielder on the berm, who had wisely brought a mitt to the game, and who appeared to be about 12 years old or so. �You can see the catch on the video clips on the official Indians website. ��
NOTES:�
Brian Bixler's 3 hits (a homer and two singles) extended his hitting streak to 11 games. �
Tagg Bozied's 3 hits (a double and two singles) extended his hitting streak to 6 games.
Neil Walker went 0-for-3 with a sacrifice fly and a walk, and that ended his hitting streak at 8 games. �He has 17 RBI over his last 9 games. �
Bullpen catcher Ryan Lewis likes to do this, but doesn't get to very often:
Neil Walker "helped" the kid who was running in a race on the base paths against the mascot Rowdie. �
Go Tribe!
[Photos by Nancy Zinni -- MVN]
Grand Slam for Ford; Wins for Owens and Erickson;
Saturday in the Pirates' minor league organization:
GCL Yankees 8, GCL Bradenton Pirates 4
A 4-run 3rd inning locked it up for the Yankees. �Starter Ryan Beckman gave up two runs in the bottom of the 1st inning when the first three batters to come to the plate singled, double, and singled. �He retired the Yankees in order in the 2nd inning, but got into trouble again in the 3rd. �with one out, a single, a walk, and a passed ball put two runners into scoring position. �A throwing error by 2B Gift Ngoepe brought both runners in, and a home run added two more runs. �That was the end of Beckman's outing. �Papiro Juan relieved Beckman, and ended the 3rd inning with a pop out and a ground out, then he gave up a walk and a single in the scoreless 4th inning. �
The Pirates scored a run in four of the first five innings. �In the 1st, Gift Ngoepe led off with a single, went to second on a bunt, stole third base, and scored on 1B Gerlis Rodriguez's ground out. �LF Rogelios Noris homered in the 2nd inning, for the third time in two days, to give the Pirates another run in the 2nd inning. �C Ramon Cabrera homered to lead off the 4th. �Then CF Edwin Roman led off the 5th with a ground rule double, and went on to third base on a wild pitch. �A ground out by Rodriguez scored Roman. �
The Pirates' 4 runs weren't enough to catch the Yankees, and the Yankees added two more runs in the last 4 innings, off Mitchell Fienemann. �A solo homer added one run in the 5th, and another solo homer made it 8-4 in the 7th. �
New Hampshire Fisher Cats 10, Altoona Curve 6
Former Curve Sean Smith and the Fisher Cats�kept ahead of the Curve, despite a grand slam and a total of 5 RBI by 2B Shelby Ford (photo). �Smith pitched 3 shutout innings, holding the Curve to 2 hits and a walk, while striking out 4 batters. �Curve starter Danny Moskos lasted only 2.2 innings, and surrendered 5 runs in the 3rd inning. �The Fisher Cats batted around in that inning. �Moskos walked three of the first four batters and also gave up a single, so that the third walk forced in a run. �A sacrifice fly brought in a second run. �A wild pitch and a double added two more, and an RBI single plated run #5. �At that point, Moskos was relieved by Michael Dubee, who finished the inning and pitched a scoreless 4th. �
The Curve came back in the top of the 5th. �Three consecutive walks, to C Steve Lerud, DH Jeff Corsaletti, and CF Gorkys Hernandez, began the inning. �Shelby Ford came to the plate with the bases loaded, and blasted the 3-2 pitch over the left field wall for the grand slam. �
Unfortunately, the Fisher Cats had another big inning in the bottom of the 5th, this time sending 11 batters to the plate as they scored 5 more runs. �With Michael Dubee still on the mound, a walk, a missed catch error on a bunt, and another bunt put Fisher Cats on second and third bases. �A wild pitch scored one run, and a single brought in the second. �A walk and a double added the third run. �Jeff Sues relieved Dubee, but a walk and a double gave the Fisher Cats two more runs before the inning ended. �
SS Ray Chang scored a run for the Curve in the 6th, when he was hit by a pitch, went to second base when Steve Lerud walked, moved to third on a ground out, and scored on Shelby Ford's RBI single. �In the 7th inning, the Curve added one more run. �RF Miles Durham walked, and moved to second base on a ground out. �Chang singled to third base, and a throwing error by the Fisher Cats' third baseman allowed Durham to score. �Chang injured his left ankle going to first base, and had to come out of the game, replaced by pinch-runner Angel Gonzalez. �That was all the scoring the Curve would do though.
Jeff Sues pitched scoreless innings in the 6th and 7th, and Corey Hamman pitched a scoreless 9th, aided by a double play. �3B Pedro Alvarez went 0-for-4 with a walk in the game.
Lynchburg Hillcats 3, Myrtle Beach 2
The Hillcats and the Pelicans did all the scoring in just two innings in this game. �Hillcats' starter Rudy Owens earned his first A+ level win with 5 scoreless innings of work. �Owens scattered 3 hits but no walks over those 5 innings and struck out 6 Pelicans. �
Lynchburg broke the scoreless tie in the 6th inning. �CF Jose De Los Santos led off the inning with a single, then (of course) stole his 48th base of the season (second in the Carolina League). �He moved to third base on SS Chase d'Arnaud's fly out, and scored on 2B Josh Harrison's RBI single. �Harrison also stole second base (his 2nd) and advanced to third base when 3B Jordy Mercer reached on a fielding error. �In keeping with the pattern, Mercer stole second base (his 8th) too. �LF Jared Keel's single brought in both Har
rison and M
ercer, to send the Pelicans' starter to the showers and give the Hillcats a 3-0 lead. �
Ramon Aguero relieved Rudy Owens to begin the bottom of the 6th inning, and he pitched 3 scoreless innings, allowing only a single and a walk. �The Pelicans made a last-chance effort to catch up in the 9th. �With closer RJ Rodriguez on the mound, the Pelicans got a walk and a double, and scored both base runners on a fielding error by Josh Harrison. �Another single put runners on first and second bases, but Rodriguez got the next batter to ground to third base, where Jordy Mercer stepped on the bag to force out the lead runner, then fired to first to complete the game-ending double play. �Rodriguez earned his league-leading 23rd save.
West Virginia Power 3, Hickory Crawdads 1
Three Power pitchers combined for a 4-hit 1-run win over the Crawdads. ��Casey Erickson earned his 4th win and dropped his ERA with the Power to 1.05, by allowing one run on 2 hits over 5 innings of work. �Erickson struck out 6 batters and did not walk any. �He retired the first 7 batters he faced, before giving up a solo home run for the Crawdads' only run of the game. �Erickson then went on to allow only a single over the next 2 innings. �
Diego Moreno pitched 3 scoreless innings, allowing one hit and one walk. �He also struck out 6 batters. �Noah Krol pitched the 9th inning, and he struck out one and allowed one hit, to earn his first save of the season. �
The Power scored their first run in the 3rd inning. �CF Starling Marte tripled and scored on a passed ball by the Crawdads' catcher. �They added two more runs in the 4th. �3B Jeremy Farrell doubled and RF Austin McClune walked. �SS Greg Picart brought in Farrell with an RBI single, and C Josue Peley plated McClune when he grounded into a force out. � The Power also had the bases loaded in the 5th inning, on a walk to LF Robbie Grossman, a double by DH Tony Sanchez, and an intentional walk to Jeremy Farrell. �A strikeout and a ground out ended that inning without a run scoring. �
Hudson Valley Renegades 4, �State College Spikes 2
The Spikes and the Renegades engaged in a pitching duel, but the Renegades came out on top. �The Spikes were held to just 3 hits -- a single by DH Justin Byler, a double by SS Brock Holt,�and a triple by 3B Pat Irvine. �Irvine scored the Spikes' first run, when his triple led off the 2nd inning. �He scored on LF Butch Biela's RBI ground out. �The Spikes went down in order in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th innings, then scored one more run in the 6th. �Holt led off with his double (ground rule), and advanced to third base on a wild pitch. �1B Aaron Baker walked, and Byler's single brought in Holt. �Another walk to Irvine loaded the bases, but a double play ended the inning without another run scoring. �CF Evan Chambers was the only base runner for the Spikes in the last 3 innings, when he walked in the 8th inning.
Kyle McPherson got the start for the Spikes. �He took the loss, allowing 3 runs on 4 hits over 6 innings of work. �A hit batter and two doubles brought in two of the runs in the 3rd inning. �A single, a stolen base, and an RBI single added another run in the 5th inning. �Nate Baker pitched the last 2 innings and allowed an unearned run in the 8th. �After a bunt single, C Craig Parry's throwing error when he tried to catch the base runner stealing allowed the runner to reach third base. �Another single scored the runner from third. �
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Thanks to Evan for helping set this up.
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