Tag: Brian Burres

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Charlie Morton is here (far right)

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Columbus Clippers �5, �Indianapolis Indians �1 (box)

There's a reason that the Columbus Clippers are in first place, and today the Indians saw why. �Stellar pitching by Columbus starter Yohan Pino combined with a 2-hit, 4-RBI day by former Indian SS Brian Bixler (photo) gave the game to the Clippers this afternoon at Victory Field.

Hayden Penn made the start for the Indians, but suffered the loss as he allowed 4 runs on 9 hits in 6.1 innings. �Brian Bixler had a hand in each of those 4 runs, plus the run given up by reliever Jean Machi. Penn began the game well, retiring the first six batters in order, including getting Bixler to pop out to Tribe 2B Doug Bernier in the top of the 1st. �Penn struck out two batters in the 2nd inning. �There was also a moment in the 2nd that made the crowd gasp. �LF Nick Weglarz smacked a sharp one right back to the mound on one bounce. �The ball hit Penn (like yesterday with Powell, it wasn't clear where on his body he'd been hit). �The ricochet off Penn went high into the air, and came back down right at 3B Pedro Alvarez, who was playing over toward the shortstop position. �Alvarez caught the bounce, and threw to first base to make the out on Weglarz. �Manager Frank Kremblas and trainer Thomas Pribyl leapt out of the dugout, but they took only two or three steps onto the field before Penn vigorously waved them off. �He was fine, and he proved it by striking out the next batter to end the inning.

Columbus made their first move in the 3rd inning. �Penn (photo) gave up singles to DH Brian Buscher and 2B Josh Rodriguez to open the inning. �A sacrifice bunt by RF Jose Constanza moved both runners up one base. �Penn struck out CF Michael Brantly for the second out of the inning. �That brought up Brian Bixler, who lifted a bloopy ball into short right field just inside the foul line -- right in no-mans'-land, where neither RF Kevin Melillo, 1B Brian Myrow, nor 2B Doug Bernier could reach it. �That brought in both Buscher and Rodriguez, two RBI for Bixler, to give the Clippers a 2-0 lead.

Penn gave up a ground rule double to 3B Jared Goedert in the 4th inning, but left him on base. �Then he got into trouble with lead-off hits again in the 5th inning. �This time Rodriguez got on with a grounder up the middle, but he was erased when Penn picked him off first. � Constanza beat out what was supposed to be a bunt when, the ball got stuck in Penn's mitt -- by the time he pulled it out and made the throw, Constanza beat the throw easily. �Michael Brantly walked on four pitches, as Constanza stole both second and third bases. �C Luke Carlin double-clutched on his throw to second base for the first steal, and Constanza was in well ahead of the throw. �Carlin made a good throw to third on that steal, but 3B Pedro Alvarez couldn't hold onto the ball, and Constanza was safe. �With runners on the corners, guess who came to the plate again? �Brian Bixler, of course. �Bixler doubled for the second time in the game, taking this ball down into the right field corner for one RBI as Constanza scored easily. �With Brantley at third and Bixler at second, Penn bore down and got a pop out and a fly out to end the inning. �Clippers 3, Indians 0.

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Help is on the way!

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Indianapolis Indians �7, �Columbus Clippers �2 (box)

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Solid pitching and enthusiastic offense was just what the Indians needed, as they defeated the Columbus Clippers for the second straight night. �The win assures the Tribe of at least an even split of this critical 4-game series, which means that they can not slip further down in the standings than where they were when the series began -- 6.5 games behind the Clippers. �Currently, the Indians have climbed to 4.5 games behind the first-place Clippers, and one game behind the second-place Toledo Mud Hens (who lost to the Rochester Red Wings tonight, 8-4).

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After a quiet first inning for both teams,the Indians got going in the bottom of the 2nd. �3B Pedro Alvarez led off with a line drive into right field, which landed just in front of Clippers' RF Chris Gimenez. �CF Jonathan Van Every slipped a single through the right side of the infield, keeping Gimenez busy in right field. �C Erik Kratz bounced to third base, and it looked like it was going to be a double play, but Van Every slid hard (but clean) into second base, where he threw former Indy Indian 2B Brian Bixler off balance enough so that Bixler could not make the throw to first base. �With Alvarez on third and Kratz on first, DH Brandon Jones blasted a 3-run homer over the fence in right-center, which landed on the grass in front of the scoreboard (photo). �Indians up, 3-0.

The Indians doubled their lead with another 3 runs in the 3rd inning. �The first four batters of the inning pounded Columbus starter Jeanmar Gomez with four straight hits. �LF Brandon Moss began with a double that put a visible pock-mark in the padding on the center field wall. �1B Brian Myrow blooped a single into right field, moving Moss to third. �Pedro Alvarez's hit was a single that squeaked through the right side of the infield just out Bixler's reach, and that brought Moss across the plate. �Jonathan Van Every (photo) lined another single into right field, to load the bases for Erik Kratz. �Kratz could only manage a weak tap towards third base, which was easily turned into a 5-4-3 double play, also erasing Van Every at second base. �Myrow scored from third on the play, though Kratz does not get credit for an RBI. �Brandon Jones drove in Alvarez with a double lined into right-center field, for his 4th RBI of the game.

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Pirates' pitcher Chris Jakubauskas was released from the hospital in Houston this morning. �The diagnosis is a concussion, but's he's ok. �He's probably got an amazing headache, but isn't dizzy....

... You'll be dizzy, though, with all of the roster moves resulting from Jakubauskas going onto the 15-day disabled list.

Pitcher Brian Burres was recalled from Indianapolis. �He could make a start for the Pirates

Pitcher Brian Bass is being called up from Indy and placed onto the Pirates' 40-man roster. �He can also start if needed.

To make room on the 40-man roster, OF Brandon Jones has been Designated For Assignment. �He will have to pass through waivers, and if he does, then the Pirates could sign him to a minor league contract.

Pitcher�Daniel McCutchen was optioned back to Indianapolis. �This time, McCutchen will really report to Indy. � He'll be able to take Jakubauskas's spot in the Indy rotation, which got a bit of a break because of Saturday's rain out.

That still leaves a spot open on the Pirates' roster, but it's likely that Jeff Karstens will be called up to make the start on Tuesday.

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And there's rain and thunderstorms predicted for Louisville this afternoon and evening, so the Indians and the Bats may not get to play today either.

Not really a "prospect", but a veteran who had a very good year in 2009:

Jean Machi is a Venezuelan native who was first signed by the Phillies in 2000. �He came to the US for the 2002 season, and spent two seasons in the Phillies' organization here, then one more season (2004) back in the Venezuelan Summer League. �He was selected by Tampa Bay in the Rule 5 draft, and spent two seasons in their organization, then moved on to Toronto, who signed him as a free agent. �In 2006 with Tampa Bay's AA level team, he earned a 6-1 record, 16 saves, and a 2.55 ERA in 48 relief appearances. �The following season for the Blue Jays' AA affiliate, Machi made another 48 appearances and earned a 2-4 record, just 2 saves, and a 3.53 ERA. �Machi missed the early part of 2008 due to injuries, and he had a tougher time when he got back onto the mound -- a 4.65 ERA and a 2-6 record in 21 appearances. �That lead him to the Pirates and a minor league contract for the 2009 season. �The right-hander was sent to AA Altoona in the middle of the April, and in 28 relief appearances, he earned a 2-3 record with 6 saves and a 2.08 ERA. �He pitched 34.2 innings, and allowed 8 earned runs on 28 hits and 13 walks, with 25 strikeouts. �That was a significant drop in his walk rate -- 3.4 BB/9 innings, compared to 5.2 BB/ 9 innings in 2008. �His ERA was just 0.84 in 10.2 innings in April, up to 3.11 ERA in 8.2 innings in May, and 2.77 ERA in 13 innings in July.