PIRATES PROSPECTSPITTSBURGH PIRATES MINOR LEAGUE NEWS, TRANSACTIONS, AND ARTICLES

The Indians turned on the power and scored 10 runs on 13 hits, all in three big innings, at Knights' Stadium in the suburbs of Charlotte, NC tonight. �The Knights suffered from a lack of power, a power outage at their stadium, and 5 errors, and were overwhelmed by the Tribe from the second inning on. �Ty Taubenheim (photo) made his second strong start in a row, earning his second win of the season. �LF Jeff Salazar and C Erik Kratz each had three hits for the Indians, with two doubles for Kratz and one double for Salazar. �CF Andrew McCutchen and SS Luis Cruz each homered for the Indians. �

The Indians got going quickly in the top of the 2nd inning, and the first of the Knights' errors helped. �They were facing Noblesville, Indiana (just outside of Indianapolis) native Wes Whisler, who came into the game with a 5-2 record and a 1.72 ERA. �RF Garrett Jones led off with a single, and stole second base. �Adam Melhuse, doing DH duty tonight, grounded to third base, where former Indy Indian Andy Phillips had a little trouble with the ball, then his throw to first went into the dirt. �Jones scored easily from second base (unearned), and when the dust had settled, Melhuse was standing on third base. �Erik Kratz kept things going by smacking a double off the center field wall, scoring Melhuse. � Luis Cruz added two more runs with a line drive that sailed over the left field wall for a 2-run homer, and the Indians had a 4-0 lead. �

Tribe starter Ty Taubenheim got out of a first-inning jam thanks to some quick defense behind him. �Former Pirate farmhand Brent Lillibridge made the first out of the inning, then 2B Eider Torres lined a single into center field. �Andy Phillips grounded sharply towards the hole at short, but Luis Cruz, playing shortstop tonight, made a diving stop, then used his glove to shovel the ball to Brian Bixler, the second baseman for the night. �Bixler (photo) caught the glove-scoop as he was facing left field, then had to whirl and fire to first base, getting the ball to 1B Steve Pearce just in time to get the inning-ending double play.

Taubenheim gave up one run in the bottom of the 2nd inning. �Three singles, a liner into right field by RF Josh Kroeger, a slow roller to third base by 1B Daryle Ward, and another line drive into right by DH Brian Myrow loaded the bases with one out. �A sacrifice fly by C Donny Lucy scored Kroeger from third base, cutting the Indians' lead to 4-1.

Taubenheim continued to give up hits and allow batters to reach base -- at least one in each of the next 4 innings -- but kept the base runners from crossing the plate. �Two timely ground outs, including a fine play by SS Luis Cruz got him out of the 3rd inning. �A double play erased a walk in the 4th inning and one more runner was left on base. �In the 5th, a hurried throw by Steve Pearce to Taubenheim on a little grounder to first base bounced off Taubenheim's glove. �It was ruled a throwing error on Pearce. �3B Neil Walker saved that inning with a perfectly timed leap into the air, to rob former teammate Andy Phillips of an extra-base hit. A strikeout with two runners on base ended the 6th inning. �Taubenheim pitched 6 innings, and gave up one run on 7 hits and 2 walks, with 2 strikeouts. �He had thrown 88 pitches, 56 for strikes.

The Indians took advantage of mistakes by the Knights to score again in the 5th and 7th �innings. �The first mistake was by Wes Whisler, who served up an 0-2 pitch to CF Andrew McCutchen (photo) that McCutchen deposited over the center field wall. �Brian Bixler and LF Jeff Salazar followed the homer with back-to-back singles. �Bixler and Salazar started a double steal, and when Knight's catcher Lucy went to make the throw to third to get Bixler, he had trouble getting the ball out of his glove. �In his excitement, he made the throw -- and the ball sailed into left field. �Bixler scored easily, and Salazar went to third base on the error. �Steve Pearce grounded back to Whisler, but Salazar had to hold at third. �Garrett Jones grounded to shortstop, which should have been the end of the inning, but SS Brent Lillibridge's throw to first base went into the dirt. �Jones was hustling down the line, and he was safe at first, just beating the throw, which allowed Salazar to score. �The Indians led 7-1.

Just as the 6th inning ended on a strikeout by Taubenheim, the power went out at Knights' Stadium. �Concourse and seating area lights, and one light standard in right-center field remained on. �Most of the playing field was plunged into semi-darkness, and the game was interrupted as the field staff tried to get the power back on. �After about 20 minutes, light was restored, and the game resumed. �

Former Indy Indian John Van Benschoten (photo, from 2008), who signed a minor league deal with the White Sox in the off season, came on in relief for the Knights to begin the 7th inning. �Van Benschoten had been in the Knights' starting rotation, and was even scheduled to get the start tonight. �The combination of some back strain and a lot of hits and runs allowed pushed Van Benschoten into the bullpen. �Brian Bixler greeted his former teammate with an infield single. �Jeff Salazar dropped a double in between LF Michael Restovich and CF Miguel Negron, and then the ball got past Negron, as Bixler raced toward home. �A poor throw in to the plate was ruled a throwing error, and Bixler scored. �Steve Pearce also singled, for the third consecutive hit, and the Tribe had runners on the corners. �Garrett Jones bounced a grounder to Andy Phillips, who thought he'd have a double play. �But Phillips' throw to second base went into the outfield, and Salazar scored as Jones raced around to third base. �Neil Walker lifted a long fly ball, which only reached the warning track in left field, but was still an RBI sacrifice fly as Jones scored. �Van Benschoten walked Adam Melhuse, and Erik Kratz slipped his third hit of the night through the hole and into left field for a single. �A pop up and a strikeout ended the inning with the bases loaded, but the Tribe had increased their lead to 10-1. �

In the top of the 9th, the Knights' committed their 5th error of the game. �Neil Walker grounded to shortstop, and Brent Lillibridge hesitated, then fired the ball over 1B Daryle Ward's head and into the stands. �Walker went to second base on the error. �Unlike the first four errors of the game, this one did not hurt the Knights. �John Van Benschoten got two more outs to end the inning and leave Walker standing on second. �

Indians' Hitting Gems of the Game: �Home runs by Luis Cruz and Andrew McCutchen. �Cruz's came in the 4-run 2nd inning, and McCutchen's in the 3-run 5th, and both were off Indiana native Wes Whisler. �Cruz's home run was�his first �homer, and his first multi-RBI game, since April 22nd, only the second day with the Tribe after having started the season with the Pirates. �McCutchen's last home run came a month ago, on April 21st.

Indians' Defensive Gem of the Game: �Several good plays, including one by Luis Cruz in the 3rd and the leaping catch by Neil Walker in the 5th. �Probably the best was the double play in the first inning: �a diving stop by Cruz and an excellent relay by Brian Bixler.

NOTES:

Minor League Roster Move: �The Pirates owed the Dodgers a Player To Be Named Later as part of the trade for Delwyn Young. �The PTBNL was named today: �Altoona's righty reliever Eric Krebs. �Krebs, a 16th round pick for the Pirates in 2005, had made 10 relief appearances for the Curve, earning a 2-4 record and a 4.86 ERA. �In 16.2 innings, he allowed 9 earned runs on 11 hits, with 17 walks and 15 strikeouts. �Krebs will be assigned to AA Chattanooga.

Sean Smith will be taking Krebs' spot on the Curve roster.

Jeff Salazar extended his hitting streak to 11 games, and he did it right away in the top of the 1st inning with a single just out of the reach of Knights' 2B Eider Torres and into right field. �Yesterday, he waited until his last at-bat, in the 9th inning, to get his hit. �

This was Erik Kratz's fifth 3-hit game of the season. �

The Tribe has now turned at least one double play in 12 straight games.

Indians' radio broadcaster Scott McCauley said on the air that he took some photos of the stadium with the lights out, and he has one up on his blog already. �(Thanks for the link, Scott!).

Former Indy Indian Chris Duffy has been designated for assignment by the Brewers. �If he clears waivers, he will go to AAA Nashville. �

How often does this happen? �While the Indians and the Knights were playing, their parent clubs, the Pirates and the White Sox, were beginning a 3-game series against each other in Chicago.

Go Tribe!

[Photos by Nancy Zinni -- MVN]

Brad Lincoln pitched 9 innings and allowed only 2 hits and 2 walks, while striking out 4 batters in his 8th start of the season.