PIRATES PROSPECTSPITTSBURGH PIRATES MINOR LEAGUE NEWS, TRANSACTIONS, AND ARTICLES

Four Indians pitchers combined to shut out the Bisons this afternoon at Coca-Cola Field in Buffalo, NY. �The game featured the Indians' debut of reliever Mike Koplove, who signed a minor league contract with the Pirates this week, and a strong start of 5.2 innings by Ty Taubenheim, (photo)�for his third win of the season. �

Taubenheim sailed through the his first five innings of work. �He gave up a 2-out single to RF Matt Watson in the first inning, then proceeded to retire the next 14 batters he faced. �That took him into the 6th inning. �With one out in the 6th, pinch hitter Michel Abreu singled and CF Cory Sullivan walked. �Taubenheim got LF Jesus Feliciano to bound a grounder to 2B Brian Bixler, who tossed to SS Luis Cruz covering second for the force out. �But Sullivan's slide into second base disrupted Cruz enough so that his throw on to first base was not in time, leaving Feliciano safe at first. �Mike Koplove came out of the bullpen to make his first appearance in the Pirates' organization, relieving Taubenheim. �Koplove needed only 2 pitches to take care of Matt Watson on a ground out. �Taubenheim had made 81 pitches in his 5.2 innings (45 strikes), and had allowed 2 hits and a walk, plus 4 strikeouts.

The Indians' offense was led by the middle infielders -- Brian Bixler (photo) and Luis Cruz, batting 1-2 in the order, had two hits each. �Cruz's first single and a single by CF Jeff Salazar came back-to-back in the first inning, but a double play ended the inning. �C Adam Melhuse added a 2-out single in the 2nd inning, but was left stranded on base. �

In the top of the 3rd, Ty Taubenheim started the inning with a walk. �Brian Bixler�dropped down a perfectly placed bunt, which landed out of reach of both the pitcher Jon Niese and 3B Mike Lamb. �By the time Lamb could pick it up, Bixler was already crossing the first base bag. �Luis Cruz�crushed a double to center field, which came close to being a homer, but it bounced off the top of the wall for a double. �Taubenheim scored easily, and the speedy Bixler was able to score from first base, reaching the plate well before the throw in from the outfield. �Cruz went to third base on the throw. �LF Jeff Salazar was hit by a pitch, giving the Indians runners on the corners with no outs, but they could not get those runners in, as a strikeout and a grounder for a double play ended the inning.

The Indians threatened again in the top of the 7th, when Tim McNab relieved the starter Niese. �McNab walked 3B Chris Barnwell and pinch hitter Virgil Vasquez (don't laugh -- his batting average is .286), but then got a fly out and a grounder force out to end the inning. �The Tribe also put two runners on base in the 8th, when Jeff Salazar led off with a walk. 1B Steve Pearce grounded to 3B Mike Lamb, who started what looked like it was going to be an easy double play. �But Pearce hustled down the line and beat the throw to first base, and when everyone looked up, Salazar was still standing on second base. �He had been ruled safe because he too had beaten the throw. �Unfortunately a strikeout and a ground out ended that threat without any further runs scoring. �Brian Bixler picked up his second hit in the 9th inning, when he doubled off the center field wall. �Barnwell had the Indians' only other hit, also a double, in the 4th. �

Mike Koplove's debut was limited to just those two pitches, as Juan Mateo came on to pitch the 7th for the Indians. �Mateo gave up two singles, to 1B Wily Mo Pena and C Rene Rivera. �Rivera's hit glanced off 1B Steve Pearce's glove and ricocheted into foul territory, and Wily Mo Pena was able to reach third base on the play. �A timely double play got Mateo out of trouble -- 2B Jonathan Malo topped a grounder back to Mateo, who whirled and fired to Luis Cruz covering second, and then on to Pearce at first to end the inning without a run scoring. �Mateo also gave up a double and a single in the 8th, again putting runners on the corners with one out. �This time a grounder to third gave 3B Chris Barnwell the opportunity to hold the runner on third base, then throw to second to get the force out. �A pop out ended the inning without a run scoring. �

Chris Bootcheck (photo) relieved Mateo to pitch the 9th. �He struck out Wily Mo Pena and got a quick ground out on Mike Lamb, then gave up a single to Rene Rivera. �A grounder for a force out at second by Jonathan Malo ended the game and gave Bootcheck his save. �

Indians' Hitting Gem of the Game -- Luis Cruz's (photo) double in the 3rd inning, which brought in the Indians' only two runs. �It was the second day in a row that Cruz had the Tribe's big RBI.

Indians' Defensive Gem of the Game -- Th e double play in the 7th inning, w hich ended a serious threat by the Bisons, going 1-6-3 (Mateo to Cruz to Pearce). �

NOTES:

The Indians have won the first two games of this series, and they would like to take more from the Bisons, who have the worst record in the International League (16-38). �The Tribe won the first two games in the four-game series at Syracuse, but went on to lose the next two games. �When they won the first two games against Syracuse in the four-game home series, the two teams split the last two games. �The Tribe also won the first two games against Pawtucket at home, but then lost the next two games. �

Go Tribe!

[Photo by Nancy Zinni -- MVN]