Tag: Brandon Jones

Sunday afternoon action for the Indians -- completing last night's suspended game (third one in 10 days) and then the regularly scheduled game.

Charlotte Knights �8, �Indianapolis Indians �4 (box)

When we left our heros (read more about the beginning of the game here), the Knights had just taken a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the 5th inning. �1B Brian Myrow gave the Indians their first 2 runs in the top of the 1st with a 2-run homer. �A single by 3B Pedro Alvarez and an RBI double by RF Brandon Moss added another run in the top of the 4th.

Jeremy Powell (photo) made the start for the Tribe, and had pitched 4.1 innings, allowing 4 runs on 4 hits and a walk, with 2 strikeouts when the game was suspended due to power outages. �Powell had allowed only one hit in the first 3 innings, but that one hit was a solo homer by Knights' DH Stefan Gartrell in the 2nd inning. �Powell got into trouble in the 4th inning, when he gave up a walk, a single, and a 2-RBI double to LF Jordan Danks, all coming with 2 outs in the inning.

The score was tied at 3-3 when the lights went out the first time. �That delay lasted only a short time, and the Indians threatened in the top of the 5th when play resumed. �A missed catch error by the Charlotte first baseman put CF Jose Tabata on second base, and Tabata stole third. �But he remained there as a strikeout, a walk, and another strikeout ended the inning. �Jeremy Powell was able to come back out and begin the bottom of the 5th, but the first batter, 2B Luis Rodriguez, homered to give Charlotte a 4-3 lead. �Powell got one out and had 2 strikes on the next batter, CF Buck Coats, when the power went out again.

Of course, neither starting pitcher returned when the game resumed this afternoon. �Brian Bass (photo) took the mound for the Indians, inheriting a 1-2 count on Buck Coats. �Bass needed just one pitch to get Coats to swing at strike three (strikeout credited to Bass). �Then he needed just one more pitch to get former Pirate farmhand SS Brent Lillibridge to pop out, ending the inning.

The Knights got the best of Bass in the 6th inning, though. �1B Dayan Viciedo led off with a line drive into center field on the first pitch he saw from Bass. �RF Josh Kroeger walked, and Gartrell moved both runners up a base with a sacrifice bunt. �Danks singled into right field, scoring Viciedo. �Bass got a strikeout, but a sacrifice fly by Rodriguez scored Kroeger from third base. �3B Javier Colina singled also, driving in Gartrell, and the Knights had increased their lead to 7-3.

Corey Hamman took over for Bass for the last two innings. �He allowed only one hit, but that hit was a solo home run by Brent Lillibridge in the 7th, to give Charlotte an 8-3 lead. �Hamman worked around a hit batter in the 8th inning, striking out a total of 3 batters over the two innings.

Charlotte replaced their starting pitcher with Noblesville, Indiana native (and 2001 Indiana "Mr. Baseball") Wes Whisler. �Whisler had been struggling in some recent appearances, particularly during the month of May, but he did not have much trouble with the Indians. �He retired the first 10 Tribe batters he faced in order, taking him into the top of the 9th. �With one out in the 9th, the Indians started a rally against Whisler, putting four batters in a row on base. �C Luke Carlin started with an infield hit to deep short, then Brandon Moss and SS Doug Bernier followed with two more singles. �Bernier's single scored Carlin. �2B Argenis Diaz worked a walk to load the bases. �The Knights took that opportunity to relieve Whisler and bring in reliever Greg Aquino. �Aquino faced only Jose Tabata, and on a 2-2 pitch, got Tabata to bounce to short, where Lillibridge started a 6-4-3 double play, cutting short the Tribe rally and ending the game.

Jeremy Powell was charged with the loss, his 5th of the season. �Doug Bernier and Brandon Moss each had two hits, a single and a double, and one RBI in the game.

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Indians' Hitting Gem of the Game: �Brian Myrow's home run in the top of the 1st, his 4th blast of the season.

Regularly scheduled game -- click "read more"

What is it with the suspended games?

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Indianapolis Indians �3, �Charlotte Knights �1 (box)

When lightning and rain suspended this game on Friday night, it was a pitching duel between the Indians' Brad Lincoln and the Knights' Matt Zaleski. Lincoln had allowed one hit and one walk in 5 innings, while striking out 7 batters. �Zaleski had held the Tribe batters to 2 hits (a double to 1B Brian Myrow and a single to DH Brandon Moss), no walks, and he had struck out 6 batters.

The game was resumed at 6 pm on Saturday, and LF Kevin Melillo (photo) got the restart off with a bang -- he slammed the first pitch from reliever Kyle McCulloch over the right field wall for a solo home run.

Anthony Claggett took over for Lincoln for the second part of the game. �With one out in the bottom of the 6th, Claggett gave up a solo homer to CF Buck Coats, to tie the game at 1-1. �Claggett went on to retire three Knights in order in the 7th inning.

The Tribe broke the tie in the top of the 7th. �C Erik Kratz led off the inning with a double to deep center field. �A single by Brandon Moss moved Kratz to third base. �With the runners on the corners, 2B Brian Friday bounced a grounder to third base, starting a double play. �Kratz scored from third base, though (no RBI), and the Indians had a 2-1 lead. �Another double play squelched a rally in the 8th inning, when CF Jose Tabata singled, but was doubled off first when Melillo lined out right to the Knights' first baseman.

Charlotte threatened in the bottom of the 8th. �Claggett (photo) began the inning by hitting RF Jordan Danks with a pitch. �DH �Donny Lucy dropped a sacrifice bunt, which Claggett fielded cleanly, but Friday could not make the catch on Claggett's throw to first. �The error put Knights on the corners. �Another sacrifice bunt by 2B CJ Retherford moved Lucy to second base, but Danks had to hold at third. �That was all for Claggett. �Justin Thomas came in from the bullpen, and he ended the inning with a foul pop out to 3B Pedro Alvarez and a strikeout, leaving two runners in scoring position.

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Alvarez gave the Tribe an insurance run in the top of the 9th. �His 11th home run of the season left the yard over the left field wall, giving the Indians a 3-1 lead. �The next three Indians' batters went down in order, and Jean Machi finished the game for the Tribe by doing the same to the Knights in the bottom of the frame. �Machi earned his 7th save of the season. �Claggett was charged with a Blown Save, due to the home run in the bottom of the 6th, but he was also given the win, since he was the pitcher of record when the Indians scored in the top of the 7th. �That homer was only the 2nd, and the last, �hit of the game for the Knights.

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Indians' Hitting Gems of the Game: �Home runs by Kevin Melillo and Pedro Alvarez. �Melillo's was his second of the season and the second in two games (over three days). �Alvarez's homer was his 11th of the season and his 44th RBI.

Indians' Defensive Gem of the Game: �Five one-hit innings by Brad Lincoln �(photo), needing only 61 pitches to do it. �He dominated the Knights, and made it look easy.

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(Click on "Read more" for the second game)

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Indianapolis Indians at Charlotte Knights �0-0 after 5 innings (box)

The Indians and the Knights got through 5 innings of a scoreless pitching duel before lightning in the immediate area and impending rain halted play after 5 complete innings. �The rain began shortly after the game was halted, and it continued for several hours, causing the game to be suspended.

One thing was certain in those five innings, though. �Brad Lincoln (photo) is ready. �He totally dominated the Knights, and�did everything in his power to prove that he is ready for Pittsburgh. �He faced only two batters over the minimum for those 5 innings that preceded the rain/lightning delay. �Lincoln gave up a walk to Tyler Flowers in the 2nd inning. �In the 3rd, Buck Coats squeaked a line drive single past SS Argenis Diaz. �After the single, Lincoln retired the next 7 batters in order. �He struck out 5 batters, including two in the 2nd and two in the 5th. �While his mound opponent had thrown 89 pitches, Lincoln needed only 61 pitches to get through 5 innings.

Knights' starter Matt Zaleski was also pitching effectively, though not as efficiently. �He gave up two hits -- a double to 1B Brian Myrow in the 1st inning, and an infield single to deep short to DH�Brandon Moss to lead off the 5th. �Moss made it as far as second base on 2B Brian Friday's sacrifice fly, but neither Myrow nor Moss could get past second base. �The Tribe had two runners on base in the 2nd inning, when C Erik Kratz was hit by a pitch and Friday reached base on a fielding error by SS Brent Lillibridge. �Both of them were left stranded also.

The game will resume on Saturday at 6 pm, picking up where they left off in the top of the 6th. �Unfortunately for the starting pitchers, they will not be returning to the mound, and with the score tied, Zaleski will not be able to figure into the decision. �If the Indians score what turns out to be the winning runs in the top of the 6th, when Lincoln is still the pitcher of record, he could get the win, otherwise, he won't figure into the decision either. �This game will be completed as a 9-inning game (or longer if no one scores). �The game that was scheduled for Saturday will follow, and it appears that it will also be played as a 9-inning game.

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NOTES:

Roster moves: �The Pirates have placed starter Charlie Morton on the Disabled List. �He will be spending some time at Pirate City in Bradenton, working on some rehab. �Jeff Karstens will be moving from the bullpen to the starting rotation, opening up a bullpen spot. �Steven Jackson (photo) has been promoted from the Indians to the Pirates, where he will take that bullpen spot. �Jackson has appeared in 17 games for the Indians, all in relief. �In 26.1 innings, he has allowed 30 hits and 12 runs (10 earned) for a 3.42 ERA. �He has walked 11 and struck out 15.

Jackson pitched in tonight's Pirates-Braves game. �He entered the game in the 6th inning in relief of Zach Duke, with one out, two runs in, and runners on first and second. �Jackson ended the inning with a strikeout of 1B Troy Glaus and a foul pop out by SS Yunel Escobar, preventing any further scoring. �He returned to pitch the 7th, allowing only a single to former Pirate C David Ross, but getting two fly outs (one by former Pirate CF Nate McLouth) and a strikeout.

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Go Tribe!

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(photos by Nancy)

Indianapolis Indians �9, �Charlotte Knights �7 (box)

3B Pedro Alvarez tallied 4 hits and an RBI, while LF Kevin Melillo and SS Argenis Diaz each contributed 2 hits and 2 RBI, as the Tribe bullpen bailed out starter Hayden Penn for a victory over the Knights in the suburbs of Charlotte, NC.

Penn (photo) got into trouble early, surrendering runs to the Knights in each of the first four innings of the game. �He walked 6 batters and gave up 8 hits for 6 runs over 3.2 innings of work. �Penn began the bottom of the 1st by giving up a triple to Knights' LF Buck Coats and an RBI single by former Pirate farmhand SS Brent Lilibridge. �C Luke Carlin threw out Lillibridge trying to steal second base, which probably saved another run from scoring -- a single by 1B Dayan Viciedo might have scored Lillibridge from second base. �After a walk by DH Josh Kroeger, a strikeout and a pop out ended the inning. �A walk, and singles by Coats and Lillibridge added another run in the 2nd inning.

Penn had needed 20 pitches to get through the first inning, and 22 for the second inning. �He continued to struggle in the 3rd inning, using another 22 pitches. �The 3rd began with a walk to Kroeger, then a strikeout. �RF Stefan Gartrell's 2-run homer to right-center field gave the Knights a total of 4 runs. �Two more batters reached, on a walk and a throwing error by 2B Brian Friday, but 2B CJ Retherford flied out and 3B Luis Rodriguez was doubled up when he tried to tag up and advance on the throw in from center field.

Penn quickly got into more trouble when he came back out to begin the 4th inning. �A walk by Coats and a single by Lillibridge started the inning, and a sacrifice bunt by Viciedo moved the runners up to second and third bases. �Kroeger struck out, but a walk to C Tyler Flowers loaded the bases for Gartrell. �Gartrell licked his chops and drove in two more runs with a line drive double into right field. �That was all for Penn, who finished with 84 pitches (only 42 strikes). �Justin Thomas relieved Penn, and ended the inning without letting in any more runs.

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Indianapolis Indians �4, �Gwinnett Braves �2 (box)

CF Brandon Moss's (photo left)�double in the 8th inning made all the difference at Victory Field tonight, as the Indians beat the Braves to close this home stand. �Daniel McCutchen (photo above) made the start for the Tribe, pitching 7 strong innings, but he did not factor into the decision. �Reliever Steven Jackson got the win, his first of the season with the Indians.

McCutchen was reactivated from the Disabled List earlier today, where he had missed one start due to a tired arm. �His arm didn't look at all tired today. �Of his 7 innings, he buzzed through four of them, retiring the side in order (1st, 3rd, 5th, and 6th). �He gave up a lead-off hit to SS Brandon Hicks in the 7th inning, but erased Hicks on a double play, then got another ground out to end that inning.

The Braves caused McCutchen some problems in the 2nd inning. �1B Freddie Freeman led off with a line drive into left field for a double. �After a sacrifice bunt to move Freeman to third base, McCutchen gave up three consecutive singles. �Hicks singled into left field, scoring Freeman. �Hicks tried to steal second base, but was thrown out on a perfect throw by C Luke Carlin. Braves' C Clint Sammons and 2B Luis Bolivar both singled also, but McCutchen got Braves' starter Chris Resop to bounce to first base, ending the inning with Sammons and Bolivar still on base.

(Photo: �Luke Carlin and Daniel McCutchen discuss strategy)

Resop dominated the Indians' batters over the first two innings. �He struck out four batters and got two fly outs. �He allowed only Luke Carlin to reach base, after working the count full, fouling off another pitch, then finally taking ball four.

But Resop's control started slipping in the 3rd inning. �SS Brian Friday led off with a ball along the left field line, and his aggressive base running put him on second base, just ahead of the throw back into the infield. �Daniel McCutchen dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move Friday to third base. �LF Jose Tabata smacked a ball back to the mound, which ricocheted off Resop's glove with a high bounce toward second base. �The bounce was high enough so that by the time 2B Luis Bolivar waited until the ball came down and threw to first, the speedy Tabata had enough time to beat out the throw. �Friday scored easily from third base, and the score was tied at 1-1. �Tabata reached third base on a single into center field by 2B Kevin Melillo, but 1B Brian Myrow bounced into a 3-6-3 (1B Freddie Freeman to SS Brandon Hicks and back to Freeman) to end the inning.

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Kratz celebrates his home run.

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Gwinnett Braves �6, �Indianapolis Indians �3 (box)

With two outs in the top of the 9th, the Braves broke a 3-3 tie, scoring 3 runs and holding on to take the win at Victory Field this afternoon.

Reliever Wil Ledezma (photo, with Luke Carlin) had pitched a scoreless 8th inning, then started the 9th with a fly out and a pop out. �Then things fell apart. �Pinch-hitter Matt Young tapped a slow roller to second base, which 2B Brian Friday fielded, but had no time to throw to first before Young got there. �CF Gregor Blanco worked the count full, fouled off a couple more pitches from Ledezma, then took a walk. �3B Wes Timmons followed with a single lined into right field, scoring Young with the go-ahead run. �Ledezma was relieved by Jean Machi, and the Tribe still had hope -- they had come from behind to tie the score twice already in this game.

Machi struck out the first batter he faced, 1B Barbaro Canizares, but strike three was a wild pitch. �Blanco scored easily from third base as C Luke Carlin chased nearly to the backstop after the ball. �But Machi did not run in to cover the plate, and the second runner, Timmons saw that (or at least Gwinnett's manager Dave Brundage saw it). �Timmons had been heading to third, and just kept going. �He was about 10 feet from the plate when Machi woke up and realized he was not where he ought to have been, and by then it was way too late -- 2 runs scored on one wild pitch. �With Canizares on first, RF Mitch Jones doubled down to the left field corner. �The Braves decided to intentionally walk SS Brandon Hicks because the pitcher, reliever Craig Kimbrel, was hitting in the 6th spot in the batting order (after a double switch). �Kimbrel hit for himself, and Machi was able to get the strikeout to end�the inning. �Machi had thrown 19 pitches, but only 8 were strikes.

The Tribe had one more chance in the bottom of the 9th, now down by 3 runs. �Kimbrel, who had retired three Indians in order in the 8th, struck out Luke Carlin to begin the bottom of the 9th. �He walked Brian Friday next, then struck out SS Argenis Diaz. �Pedro Alvarez, who was getting a day off from third base, came on to pinch-hit, and after a full count plus some foul balls, he also walked. �But 3B Doug Bernier struck out to end the game and earn Kimbrel his first win of the season.

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Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees �10, �Indianapolis Indians �7 (box)

This was the completion of the suspended game from last night. �(Take a look here to read more about the first 3.5 innings.)

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The start of the restart was delayed about 40 minutes because of the threat of rain. �The tarp was put down, but when the rain never happened, it was pulled, and play began. �Despite worrisome weather forcasts, it didn't rain for the rest of the evening, and there was even a bit of sunshine.

The Yankees took the field for the restart, holding an 8-5 lead. �Starter Jeremy Powell had made a shaky start, allowing all 8 runs on 7 hits and 3 walks. �The Yankees had batted around in the top of the 4th, as Powell struggled on a wet and slippery mound and his teammates behind him battled soggy grass. �Steven Jackson came on in relief of Powell, but 5 runs came in �to give the Yankees the lead.

On the restart, Anthony Claggett (photo) took the mound for the Indians. �Claggett just didn't have it tonight. �He walked 6 batters in 1.1 innings, though miraculously did not give up any runs. �He walked the first two batters in the top of the 5th, then got a double play, which eliminated one runner but put the lead runner (LF Chad Huffman) on third base. �Two more walks loaded the bases, but a grounder to SS Argenis Diaz gave Claggett a force out at second base, and he had escaped his self-made jam.

The next inning was more of the same, though. �The first batter flied out, with CF Jose Tabata first coming in, then having to reverse, and then make a running over-the-shoulder catch. �Claggett put the next three batters on base, with a walk to DH Jon Weber, a hit by C Jesus Montero, and a walk to Huffman. �That was enough for manager Frank Kremblas to see. �Claggett left having walked 6 of the 10 batters he faced.

Vinnie Chulk (photo) was next out of the bullpen. �He came into the game with one out and the bases loaded -- and proceeded to strike out RF Reid Gorecki and get 3B Matt Cusick to end the inning and leave those three runners right where he found them.

Chulk came back out for the 7th inning. �He gave up a single into right field to CF Greg Golson. �A grounder moved Golson to second base. �Chulk got a gift next. �He tried to pick Golson off second base, but his throw was wide and got into center field, and Golson raced to third base. �But the umpires pointed him back to second base -- home plate ump Mark Lollo had called time out just a split second before Chulk turned and made the throw to second, making the whole thing a "no play". �Then it turned out to be moot. �A single by 1B PJ Pilittere, who had taken over for David Winfree, singled down the right field line, and Golson scored anyway.

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Pedro Alvarez takes a warm-up swing.

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Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre Yankees �7, �Indianapolis Indians �5 (box)

Former Indianapolis Indian/Pittsburgh Pirate pitcher Romulo Sanchez (photo) returned to Victory Field this afternoon, making the start for the Yankees. �It was not such a happy homecoming as far as the Indians were concerned. �Sanchez pitched 6 scoreless innings, allowing only one hit, and striking out 7 batters.

Sanchez was effectively wild, allowing 6 walks over those 6 innings. �He was able to pitch only one 1-2-3 inning, in the 5th. �He walked 1B Brian Myrow and 3B Pedro Alvarez with two outs in the 1st, and LF Kevin Melillo with two outs in the 2nd. �CF Jose Tabata led off the 3rd with a walk, but he was thrown out trying to steal second base. �Tabata also led off the 6th with a walk, and two outs later, Alvarez walked again too. �Other than when Tabata was thrown out in the 3rd, all the other walks resulted only in runners left on base.

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RF Brandon Moss was the only Tribe batter to get a hit off Sanchez. �With two outs in the 4th, Moss squirted a single into right field. �But with C Erik Kratz at the plate, Moss took off a little too early from first base, making it easy for Sanchez to throw him out trying to steal second.

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Tribe starter Mike Crotta sailed through the top of the 1st, needing only 8 pitches to retire three batters. �Then his pitches started rising, and the Yankees starting hitting. �RF David Winfree led off the 2nd inning with a single into left field. �DH Jon Weber slipped a single through the hole into right field, putting Winfree on third base. �C Jesus Montero, a top Yankee prospect, grounded to short, where SS Argenis Diaz (left photo above) started a double play, with 2B Neil Walker (right photo above) making the turn at second base.

It got Crotta two outs, but Winfree was able to score from third base on the play. �1B Chad Huffman kept the inning going with a double over Brandon Moss's head in right field, as Moss first started to come in, then had to turn and try to make the catch as he ran back toward the wall. �CF Reid Gorecki plated Huffman with a single through the hole vacated on the right side by the Indians' defensive shift. �A ground out by 3B Matt Cusick ended the inning, but the Yankees had a 2-0 lead.

Crotta (photo) was still having trouble in the 3rd inning. �LF Kevin Russo led off with a line drive into left field for a double. �After a strikeout, SS Eduardo Nunez singled into right field, and Russo raced around from second base. �Brandon Moss came up throwing from right field and he fired straight in to Erik Kratz. �Kratz blocked the plate and caught the ball just as Russo arrived at the plate. �But with Russo barrelling into him, Kratz never got a good hold on the ball, and when the dust settled, Russo had crossed the plate but the ball was no longer in Kratz's possession. �Yankees 3, Indians 0

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Toledo Mud Hens �3, �Indianapolis Indians �0 (box)

On any other day, six perfect innings and 10 strikeouts would have been more than enough for Brad Lincoln. On any other day, that one tough inning and a 3-run homer would have been shrugged off. �Not today, though. �Not when Toledo pitcher Enrique Gonzalez pitched a 2-hit complete game shutout, to win only his second game of the season, and send the Indians home from Toledo having lost the 4-game series 1 to 3.

Five days ago, Lincoln began his start against the Rochester Red Wings by retiring the first 13 batters he faced. �This morning, he retired the first 16 batters he faced, taking a perfect game into the 6th inning. �He had struck out 7 batters up to that point, including striking out the side in the 5th.

Then in the 6th, it fell apart. � Lincoln got a bit of a gift for the first out of the inning, when the wind held up RF Ben Guez's huge fly ball long enough for LF Kevin Melillo to make the catch on the warning track. �LF Deik Scram broke up the perfect bid with a single just past 2B Neil Walker's desperate dive and into right field. �C Max St. Pierre popped out, and for a moment, it looked like Lincoln would not be in too much trouble.

Back to the top of the Mud Hen's batting order, 3B Will Rhymes dropped down a perfect bunt to the left of the mound. �Lincoln scrambled over and picked up the ball with his bare hand, but he was rushing and his back foot slid as he made the throw to first base. �The throw went wide to the outfield side and up the foul line. �Rhymes was credited with a hit, and Lincoln charged with a throwing error. �With runners on second and third bases and two outs, Lincoln delivered up a 2-1 pitch that SS Brent Dlugach blasted into the wind and over the left field wall for a 3-run homer. �CF Ryan Raburn followed the homer with his fifth double of the series, bounding down the right field line. �Lincoln then walked 1B Jeff Larish, but left both Raburn and Larish on base when he ended the inning with a fly out.

Those four hits and three runs were all the Mud Hens would need. �Lincoln struck out the side again in the 7th, bringing his strikeout total to 10. �Lincoln had made 89 pitches (57 strikes). �Reliever Vinnie Chulk took the mound for the 8th inning. �He gave up an infield hit to St. Pierre, when Neil Walker made another dive for a grounder. �This time Walker was able to stop the ball from going into the outfield, but he did not have time to make a throw, and St. Pierre was on first. �Raburn singled with two outs, but Chulk ended the inning without allowing a run to score.

Enrique Gonzalez let four Indians batters reach base as he pitched 9 innings and threw 119 pitches (79 strikes). �1B Brian Myrow was hit on the jersey by a pitch in the top of the 1st inning. �Kevin Melillo drilled a double down the right field line in the 2nd inning. �CF Jose Tabata lined a single into right field in the 3rd, and he moved to second base on a wild pitch by Gonzalez. �The next 14 Indians' batters went down in order, until Melillo walked to lead off the 8th inning. �But Melillo was caught stealing in a strike-out-throw-out double play (RF Brandon Moss struck out). �The Tribe went down quietly in the 9th, as Gonzalez struck out Neil Walker and Brian Myrow to end the game.

The loss drops the Indians down to third place in the International League Western Division standings and moves the Mud Hens up to second place. �Toledo is now 2.5 games behind the first-place Columbus Clippers, and the Indians are 3 games behind. �The Louisville Bats are in fourth place, 8.5 games behind Columbus.

The Indians return to Victory Field on Tuesday, to begin an 8-game home stand: �4 games against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, and 4 against the Gwinnett Braves.

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Indians' Hitting Gem of the Game: �There were only two hits to choose from, and Kevin Melillo's was a double.

Indians' Defensive Gem of the Game: �A career-high 10 strikeouts for Brad Lincoln, and 6 + 1 perfect innings of work.

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NOTES:

Enrique Gonzalez struck out 9 Tribe batters, including striking out Brandon Moss 3 times.

3B Pedro Alvarez went 0-for-3 with a strikeout. �Neil Walker was 0-for-4 with a strikeout.

UPDATE: �The Indians have placed starter Daniel McCutchen on the Disabled List due to arm fatigue. �He might miss one or two starts. �Sounds like Jeremy Powell is back into the starting rotation.

Go Tribe!

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(photo by Nancy)

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Toledo Mud Hens �6, �Indianapolis Indians �5 (box)

The Indians' bullpen collapsed out from under them this afternoon at Fifth Third Field in Toledo, Ohio, allowing the Mud Hens to score 4 runs in the last two innings, and giving the Hens the walk-off win.

The Tribe was ahead 5-2 going into the bottom of the 8th inning. �Starter Hayden Penn had allowed one earned and one unearned run in his 5 innings of work, and had pitched a little better than he did in his first Indians' start last week. �Steven Jackson came on in relief to pitch the 6th and 7th innings, and he had retired 6 batters in order. �Wil Ledezma (photo)�took over for Jackson to begin the 8th, and he was greeted by a triple into the right field corner by Toledo 2B Will Rhymes. �SS Brent Dlugach followed with a grounder to short, but SS Brian Friday's throw to first pulled 1B Brian Myrow off the bag. �It was initally ruled an error on Friday, but later changed to a hit for Dlugach, since Friday had made the play pretty deep into the hole. �Rhymes scored easily on the play, and the Mud Hens had crept a little closer, 5-3. �Those were the first runs Ledezma had given up since joining the Indians.

CF Ryan Raburn was up next, and he singled into right field, through the space 2B Neil Walker had vacated when he had to move to cover second base as Dlugach took off from first. �Dlugach rounded second and stopped at third base. �Ledezma got a gift when he picked Raburn off first base, and caught him stealing, with the throw going from Ledezma to Myrow to Friday covering second. �Friday made a quick turn, keeping Dlugach standing on third base. �He didn't stay there long, though, as 1B Jeff Larish's grounder behind first base brought Dlugach in easily. �A strikeout ended the inning, and the Indians were clinging to a slim 5-4 lead.

The Indians could only get a stuttering attempt at a rally going in the top of the 9th. �RF Brandon Moss singled up the middle, but when he tried to steal second on the early part of pitcher Robbie Weinhardt's motion, he was easily thrown out -- making a somewhat ungraceful slide, but finishing with a graceful flip, and kicking SS Dlugach's glove right off his hand in the process. �Moss ran back to the dugout unhurt and laughing. �LF Kevin Melillo walked, but a ground out forced him out at second to end the inning.

No one was laughing in the bottom of the inning. �Jean Machi (photo), who came on to pitch for the Indians, had allowed only 2 earned runs in his first 10 appearances this season (both of those in one game), but now has given up runs in each of his last 3 outings. �Today he did not even record an out. �It began with 3B Max Leon's double over Kevin Melillo's head in left field. �RF Ben Guez singled through the hole into left field, moving Leon to third base. �A single by RF Deik Scram, who had had come into the game with only one hit during the month of May (1-for-24) chose this time to find his second hit of the month, a line drive into right field which scored Leon from third base to tie the score at 5-5. �It was over moments later, when former Indy Indian C Robinzon Diaz lifted a fly ball into right field, allowing Guez to come around from second base and score the winning run.

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Toledo Mud Hens �7, �Indianapolis Indians �3 (box)

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Former Indian Phil Dumatrait made a strong start for his new team, the Mud Hens, as they shut down the Indians at Fifth Third Field in Toledo on Saturday evening. �Indians' starter Daniel McCutchen (photo) struggled through his 6 innings, allowing 12 hits and 7 runs. �The Tribe batters were held to just 6 hits, and only one of their three runs was earned.

The Mud Hens jumped out to an early lead, as they collected 7 hits off McCutchen in the first two innings. �2B Will Rhymes began the bottom of the 1st with a single up the middle. �He stole second base, then moved on to third when C Luke Carlin's throw to second was off-target. �Rhymes had to hold at third base on a ground out to short, but CF Ryan Rayburn doubled into left field to bring in Rhymes. �1B Jeff Larish followed with another double, scoring Rayburn. �DH Jeff Frazier was hit by a pitch, putting runners on first and second. �3B Max Leon singled next, and Larish scored from second base. �Two ground outs ended the inning, but the Mud Hens had a 3-0 lead.

McCutchen continued to have trouble in the 2nd inning. �RF Ben Guez took McCutchen's second pitch of the inning over the left field wall for a solo home run. �After a ground out, SS Brent Dlugach lined a single into center field, and Ryan Raburn doubled for the second time, scoring Dlugach. �McCutchen settled down a bit after a brief visit from pitching coach Dean Treanor, and ended the inning with two ground outs. �Mud Hens now up 5-0.

The Tribe batters were slow to get started in this game. �CF Jose Tabata was the only batter to reach base in the first two innings, on a double into left field. �Things looked up a bit in the 3rd inning. �Luke Carlin led off with a walk, then in a reversal of the first inning play, it was Carlin who stole second base and proceeded to third base when Mud Hens' C Max St. Pierre made a throwing error. �Carlin scored on SS Brian Friday's (photo)�ground out to second.

McCutchen was looking better over the 3rd and 4th innings. �He gave up just one single, to Guez, to lead off the 4th. �Luke Carlin removed Guez from the base paths by throwing him out trying to steal. �But trouble came back to McCutchen in the 5th. �Back-to-back doubles led off the inning -- Ryan Raburn with his third triple of the game, and Jeff Larish to follow with a liner down the right field line. �Raburn scored, then Larish came in on St. Pierre's single into center field. �McCutchen pitched one more inning, allowing a single by Rhymes in the 6th, but erasing him quickly with a timely double play. �McCutchen threw 81 pitches (56 strikes) over his 6 innings, which is not a lot considering that he gave up 12 hits and 7 runs. �He needed 17 pitches in the 1st inning, when three of the eight batters hit the first pitch they saw, and McCutchen hit Frazier with his first pitch.

Indianapolis Indians 8, �Toledo Mud Hens 1 (box)

The Indians scored in four consecutive innings on Friday night, then added one more run in the top of the 9th for good measure, as they cruised past the Mud Hens in Toledo. �Mike Crotta (photo) made the start for the Indians, and pitched 7 innings, allowing just one run on 7 hits, no walks. �He struck out 5 batters. �Three Indians homered -- 3B Pedro Alvarez, DH Brian Friday, and 1B Neil Walker -- as the Tribe collected 10 hits.

The first three innings were quiet for both teams. �Crotta gave up a double to SS Brent Dlugach in the 2nd inning and single to former Indy Indian C Robinzon Diaz in the 3rd, but stranded both of them on base. �The Indians put only one runner on base over those innings, when SS Doug Bernier made Mud Hens' 3B Will Rhymes dive for a grounder behind the bag, but still beat out his throw to first base. �Bernier was still left on base at the end of the inning.

The Indians dented the scoreboard in the top of the 4th. �Neil Walker led off with a walk, then stole his 10th consecutive base of the season. �Pedro Alvarez drove in Walker with a huge home run over the 406' sign in right-center field, and the Tribe was up 2-0.

Brian Friday added another run in the 5th inning with his first home run of the season, a long fly ball over the left field wall. �Then the Tribe kept going with a run in the 6th. �With one out, Alvarez walked, and a wild pitch moved him to second base. �RF Brandon Jones singled up the middle, and Alvarez raced around from second base to score. �That gave the Indians a 4-0 lead and sent the Toledo starter Ryan Ketchner to the showers. �Scot Drucker struck out C Erik Kratz and LF Brandon Moss to end the inning.