Tag: Brian Myrow

Rochester Red Wings� 7,� Indianapolis Indians� 5 (box)

Late inning runs put the Red Wings ahead to stay as the Indians lost at Frontier Field in Rochester, NY tonight.

Pitching was the story in the first half of the game.� Red Wings' starter Anthony Swarzak pitched 5 shutout innings and allowed only one hit, a double by LF Kevin Melillo to lead off the 5th inning.� Swarzak did walk an amazing 5 Tribe batters, though none of them were able to come around and score.� After 3B Akinori Iwamura reached base on a fielding error by Swarzak in the top of the 1st, 1B Brian Myrow walked.� A strikeout and a ground out ended the inning with both still on base.� CF Alex Presley walked in the 2nd and the 4th, and Iwamura and Myrow both walked in the third, but all were left on base.

Indians' starter Daniel McCutchen (photo above) faced only one batter over the minimum in his first 4 innings of work.� Unfortunately that one extra batter, DH Jose Morales blasted a lead-off homer to begin the 2nd inning and give the Red Wings a 1-0 lead.� The Red Wings extended their lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the 5th.� RF Brian Dinkelman led off the inning by slipping a ground ball past Tribe 2B Jim Negrych, for a single into right field.� 2B Brendan harris lined a double into the left-center field gap, and Dinkelman came around to score from first base.� McCutchen walked 1B Brock Peterson.� C Wilson Ramos grounded to short, where SS Argenis Diaz tried to start a double play.� Peterson was out at second base, but Negrych's throw to first base sailed wide to the outfield side of the bag and got past Brian Myrow.� The throwing error let Ramos advance to second base and let Harris score.� 3B Matt Macri singled on a little looper into left field, though Ramos was held at third base.� McCutchen struck out CF Dustin Martin for the second out, but walked SS Trevor Plouffe to load the bases.� McCutchen got out of that when LF Jacque Jones grounded to second base, and no further runs scored, but the Red Wings were ahead� 3-0.

RF Jonathan Van Every got the Indians one run closer with a solo home run to straight-away center field in the top of the 6th.� They took another step closer in the top of the 8th.� Jim Negrych and Alex Presley hit back-to-back singles with one out.� After a pitching change, Van Every struck outs.� Then C Jason Jaramillo, just down from Pittsburgh, grounded to short, but this time it was the Red Wings who had the throwing error.� SS Trevor Plouffe's throw to first got past 1B Peterman, and Negrych scored as Jaramillo was safe at first.� The inning ended when Argenis Diaz struck out.

The Indians were leading the Mud Hens 6-3 in the 6th...

FINAL:� Indianapolis Indians� 6,� Toledo Mud Hens� 4 (box)

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The big news, even before the game began, was the player moves made by the Pittsburgh Pirates.� With pitcher Zach Duke done with his rehab assignment in Altoona and ready to come back onto the Pirates' active roster, someone else had to be removed from the roster.� That someone is reliever Justin Thomas, who has been optioned back to the Indians.

Secondly, the Pirates have announced that they are optioning back-up catcher Jason Jaramillo to Indianapolis.� The reason given is that he has had minimal playing time during the first half of the season, and needs to get the work in.� Jaramillo will become the regular catcher in Indianapolis after the All-Star break.� The Pirates have also moved pitcher Chris Jakubauskas to the 60-day disabled list, opening up a spot on the 40-man roster.� So, who will take his place?

The Pirates intend to make that announcement later in the week.� Possibilities include Indians' Erik Kratz and Luke Carlin, and Altoona Curve catcher Hector Gimenez (who played for the Indians in 2009).� Kratz is the Indians' only representative for the AAA All-Star game, which will be played on Wednesday in Lehigh Valley -- just a short hop from Kratz's home town.� He has a lot of family and friends coming to see him play, though he will not be the starting catcher in the game.� SO -- is the delay in the Pirates' announcement so that they can give Kratz time to participate in the All-Star game?� If he were pulled at the last minute, it might be tricky to get someone else there to represent the Indians.� Carlin has only just come back from his ankle injury and is not entirely up to speed yet.� Gimenez could certainly handle things at the major league level -- but what would that say to Erik Kratz?� "Sure, Erik, you're a great guy and we were considering you for the major league back-up back in March, and sure, you are an All-Star for two years running at the AAA level -- but we're going to promote Gimenez from AA over you.� Oh, and when you get back to Indy, you won't be the starting catcher either."

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Back to the game.. which was delayed for about 15 minutes before even starting, then halted again due to rain in the 2nd inning.� That delay lasted over an hour.

LF Kevin Melillo got the Indians started with a double driven into right field to begin the game.� 3B Akinori Iwamura followed with a single into right field, and Melillo raced around from second to score.�� The Mud Hens came right back in the bottom of the frame, against Tribe starter Dana Eveland. SS Will Rhymes led off with a single through into left field, then Eveland struck out 3B Brent Dlugach.� LF Ryan Strieby doubled, moving Rhymes to third, and DH Jeff Larish brought in both Rhymes and Strieby with a single up the middle, to give the Mud Hens a 2-1 lead.� Eveland walked 1B Jeff Frazier, but then got CF Casper wells to bounce into a double play, ending the inning.

Eveland had gotten two outs and had 2B Max Leon on first base after a single when the rain halted play in the bottom of the 2nd.� The delay was long enough so that Eveland did not come back out, with workhorse Jeremy Powell taking the mound instead.� Powell ended the 2nd inning, then pitched two more scoreless innings, allowing only a walk.

Indianapolis Indians� 3,� Toledo Mud Hens� 1 (box)

RF Jonathan Van Every's (photo) 3-run homer in the top of the 9th gave the Indianapolis Indians the win over the Toledo Mud Hens tonight at Fifth Third Field in Toledo.� SS Argenis Diaz went 3-for-3 at the plate, including a double, and CF Alex Presley went 3-for-4, and also had a double.

The pitchers were kept busy for the first four innings of the game, though neither team scored.� Tribe starter Mike Crotta gave up a double to LF Ryan Strieby with two outs in the 1st and hit 3B Jeff Larish with a pitch, but a line out to Tribe 3B Akinori Iwamura ended the inning.� Crotta worked around a single by CF Casper Wells in the 2nd.� He walked RF Jon Weber in the 3rd, but erased him with a double play.

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Toledo starter Rick Porcello gave up a lone single to Aki Iwamura in the 1st inning, and a double by Alex Presley in the 4th.� The Indians threatened in the 2nd, beginning with a single by Presley.� A balk moved Presley to second base.� C Luke Carlin walked, then Presley was caught trying to steal third base.� Jonathan Van Every also walked, giving the Indians runners on first and second.� Argenis Diaz took a grounder up the middle for a single, and Carlin rounded third and raced for the plate.� The throw in from center field was on-target and on time though, and Carlin was out at the plate.� The Indians also put two runners on base in the 5th, when Diaz doubled off the wall in the right-center field gap, and LF Kevin Melillo walked, but a strikeout and a ground out ended the inning.

The Mud Hens got to Crotta (photo) in the 5th.� Casper Wells walked, and DH Max Leon grounded up the middle, just out of reach of Indians' 2B Jim Negrych, sending Wells to third base. C Jeff Kunkel brought in Wells with a sacrifice fly, and the Mud Hens had a 1-0 lead.� Jon Weber also singled on a line drive into left field.� Leon, eager for an extra run, came around from first base, as LF Kevin Melillo fired the ball in from left field.� The throw sailed over the first cut-off man, but went right to the second cut-off man, Aki Iwamura.� Iwamura relayed the throw to Carlin at the plate, and that throw was nearly perfect.� As Leon slid around to the foul side of the plate and tried to reach in with his left hand to tag the dish, Carlin had the ball in his hand, and only had to lean to his left to tag Leon before Leon could touch anything but dirt with his hand.� That ended the inning, and kept the score tight, at 1-0.

That one run looked bigger and bigger over the next three innings.� The Indians went down in order in the top of the 6th.� Mike Crotta worked around a double by Jeff Larish in the bottom of the 6th, but kept the Mud Hens from scoring again.� Crotta exited after 6 innings, having thrown 99 pitches (64 strikes) and allowed the run on 5 hits and 3 walks, with 7 strikeouts. Wil Ledezma relieved Crotta to begin the 7th.� He walked Casper Wells, then struck out the next three batters.� The Indians' first two batters struck out in the 7th, then Argenis Diaz had his third hit of the game, a line drive into right field.� Diaz was able to get to second base when RF Jon Weber's throw back to the infield zipped right past the first base bag, bounced off the dugout facing, and ended up by the backstop behind home plate.� Diaz was left stranded on base with a ground out.� DH Brandon Moss singled in the 8th, and was also left on base.� Jean Machi retired the side in order in the bottom of the 8th, including two strikeouts.

Columbus Clippers� 10,� Indianapolis Indians� 9 (box)

It felt like a roller coaster ride -- up... then down.... then up.... then down.� The Indians had three home runs... but the Clippers had four homers.� 3B Doug Bernier had 3 hits and 1B Brian Myrow (photos) batted in 4 runs... but the Indians committed 3 fielding errors, one particularly critical.� The Indians had a 5-run 1st inning...� but Charlie Morton gave up 7 runs and let the Clippers catch up.

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The game started in the Indians' favor.� The first five batters of the game all reached base and scored:� Doug Bernier led off with a single lined into center field.� RF Brandon Moss bounced a fly ball off the center field wall, moving Bernier to third.� Brian Myrow singled into right field, scoring both Bernier and Moss.� DH Jeff Clement kept the rally going wtih a single through the right side of the infield, and C Erik Kratz blasted a 3-run home run over the left field wall.� At that point, Clippers' pitcher David Huff suddenly found his control.� He struck out 2B Jim Negrych, CF Alex Presley, and LF Jonathan Van Every, all swinging, to end the inning.

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Charlie Morton (photo) took the mound with a 5-0 lead... which he promptly began to give away.� The first three batters ripped line drives off him -- a single by CF Jose Constanza, a single by SS Josh Rodriguez, and an RBI double by 3B Luis Valbuena.� The only salvation was that when Constanza aimed for third base on Rodriguez's single, Rodriguez at first hesitated, then tried for second on the throw to third.� The hesitation was all the Indians needed to tag him out at second base.� Morton balked, moving Valbuena to third base, and Valbuena scored from there on a ground out by DH Jared Goedert.� Another groundout ended the inning, and the score was 5-2.

The Indians got the two runs right back again.� SS Argenis Diaz was the only member of the lineup to not get in on the fun in the 1st inning, so he started off the 2nd inning with a single off the top of the wall in the right field corner.� Unfortunately, Diaz stumbled as he was rounding first base, so instead of reaching second base, he had to try to scramble back to first, and didn't make it in time.� Doug Bernier doubled off the upper part of the right field wall, making Clippers' RF Jordan Brown chase the ball as it ricocheted back towards the infield.� After a ground out, Brian Myrow lifted a long fly ball over the left field wall, a 2-run shot, to give the Indians a 7-2 lead.

Morton got through the bottom of the 2nd inning, allowing only a walk to C Lou Marson -- maybe he was settling down?� No, that hope was dashed in the 3rd, when two errors, including one by Morton, contributed to 4 runs, only one of which was earned.� With one out, Rodriguez doubled into right field.� Brian Myrow had Valbuena's grounder bounce off his glove and skip a few feet away, but by the time Myrow could get to it and flip over to first base, Valbuena was safe, and Rodriguez had moved to third base.� Goedert tapped one back to the mound, where Morton did the right thing -- field the ball quickly, look at Rodriguez, then start walking toward him, still holding the ball, as Rodriguez was trapped in no-mans'-land on the third base line.� As he continued to approach Rodriguez, Morton threw to C Erik Kratz, who threw on to 3B Doug Bernier as they closed in on Rodriguez, and Valbuena sidled into third base.� Bernier threw to Morton, as the trap closed further, and Morton threw back to.... well, he was aiming for Bernier, I think, but instead the ball sailed over his head, over third base, and into the outfield.� Rodriguez, suddenly rescued from certain death, bolted for the plate and scored, and Valbuena also scored from third base, as Goedert reached second base -- a 2-run error.� The next batter, RF Jordan Brown followed with a home run to straight out center field, and the Clippers were within one run of the Indians, 7-6.

Indianapolis Indians �3, �Columbus Clippers � 2 (box)

The Clippers and the Indians are in the middle of a rain delay in Columbus, Ohio. �The Indians have a slim 3-2 lead, on the strength of a solo home run by DH Jeff Clement (photo) in the 5th inning.

The Clippers got the game going in the bottom of the 1st inning, when Tribe starter Brian Burres gave up a 2-out walk to SS Luis Valbuena, followed by a 2-run home run, a no-doubter, to 3B Jared Goedert. �Burres settled in after that, allowing only one single over the next two innings. �He worked out of a jam in the 4th inning. �With one out, RF Jordan Brown and 1B Wes Hodges smacked back-to-back line drive singles into right field. �A walk to former Indy Indian LF Brian Bixler loaded the bases. �Pitching coach Dean Treanor made a visit to the mound, and Burres responded by striking out C Chris Gimenez, then getting 2B Cord Phelps to fly out to end the inning.

2B Jim Negrych was responsible for the only Indians' hit over the first two innings. �After fouling a pitch off his right shin, Negrych slipped a single through the right side of the infield. �He was left stranded on base when CF Alex Presley's ground out ended the inning.

The 3rd inning began with five Indians' batter reaching base safely. �LF Jonathan Van Every led off with a single that just edged past the diving Clippers' 1B Hodges. �SS Argenis Diaz lined a single into center field. �When RF Kevin Melillo drove the first pitch he saw over RF Jordan Brown's head and off the upper section of the right field wall, both Van Every and Diaz advanced one base -- but just one base, and Van Every was held at third instead of waved around to try to score. �Diaz stopped at second, and Melillo rounded first and started for second -- until he looked up and saw Diaz already standing there. �Melillo scrambled back to the first base bag, just in time to avoid being tagged out. �3B Akinori Iwamura was next, and he also singled, taking a low line drive through the hole at short and into left field. �Van Every scored on that hit, and the bases were still loaded. �1B Brian Myrow worked the count full, and took a walk, and Diaz trotted home from third base to tie the score.

At that point, Clippers' pitcher Josh Tomlin suddenly got his act together again. �With the bases still loaded, he struck out�Jeff Clement and C Erik Kratz on 6 straight pitches. �Jim Negrych ran the count full and fouled off another ball, but then struck out to end the inning and leave the three runners on base.

The Tribe took the lead in the top of the 5th, courtesy of Jeff Clement. �He blasted a towering home run over the right field wall, and even over the building behind the right field wall, and into a net -- the net the Clippers had hung up there after former Indian Garrett Jones had lofted a homer over the building and into the street beyond. �Seems they aren't fond of baseballs falling out of the sky in Columbus.

Louisville Bats �6, �Indianapolis Indians �1 (box)

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Another hot and humid night, and another loss for the Indians at the hands of the Bats at Slugger Field in Louisville, Kentucky tonight. �Starter Hayden Penn (photo) lost his second start in a row, after four consecutive wins, as he allowed all 6 of the Bats' runs on 12 hits and 3 walks, with 3 strikeouts. �The Indians were held to just 2 hits, and barely squeaked out one run.

The Indians just couldn't get much going for the first 7 innings, and never had a runner reach second base safely. �RF Brandon Moss smacked a fly ball into left field in the 2nd inning, which bounced into the corner, but the carom went right to Bats' LF Todd Frazier. �Moss rounded first and headed for second, but Frazier's throw back to second base was right on target, and Moss was tagged out. �2B�Jim Negrych was walked on four pitches with two outs in the 4th, but he was picked off base. �Two runners reached base in the 6th -- but not at the same time. �C Erik Kratz was hit by a pitch but was immediately erased when SS Doug Bernier bounced into a double play. �Pinch-hitter Alex Presley walked after the double play, but he was left stranded on base. �1B Jeff Clement had two close calls -- he took a long fly ball to the warning track in right field in the 5th. �With one out in the 9th, he was robbed of a hit when CF Michael Griffin made a diving catch in right-center field.

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Finally in the 8th inning, the Indians found some offense. � Reds' prospect Aroldis Chapman took the mound for the Bats, and he began by striking out Brandon Moss. �He got a full count on CF Jonathan Van Every, and then put him on first base with a walk. �Chapman struck out Erik Kratz, and the inning looked like it was going to be just like the earlier ones. �Things changed when Chapman threw a wild pitch, and Van Every advanced to second base. �Doug Bernier (photo) singled up the middle, and Van Every raced around third and scored the Indians' only run of the game. �With pinch-hitter Brian Myrow at the plate,�Bernier moved to second base on defensive indifference. �Myrow was hit by a pitch on ball four, and LF Kevin Melillo also walked. �That was three walks in the inning for Chapman, and he was relieved by Daniel Ray Herrera. �With the bases loaded, Herrera got Aki Iwamura to fly out to left field, ending the inning and leaving everyone stranded.

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Louisville Bats �6, �Indianapolis Indians �0 � --- � Game 1 (box)

It was all Louisville in Game 1 as the Bats battered starter Dana Eveland (photo above) in his Indians debut. �Eveland, who had not pitched since before being designated for assignment about two weeks ago, did not make it out of the third inning, and was responsible for 5 of the 6 Bats' runs, on 6 hits and a walk.

The Bats scored one run in the top of the 1st, on a single up the middle by SS Zack Cozart, a grounder by 1B Yonder Alonso to move Cozart to second, and an RBI double down the right field line by LF Todd Frazier. �Eveland began the second inning by giving up a single to RF Wladimir Balantien, then a 2-run homer by 2B Chris Valaika, to boost the Bats' lead to 3-0. � The 3rd inning opened with another home run, by Alonso, a solo blast to straight-out center field, bouncing off the top of the wall and into the ground cover in front of the batter's eye trees. �A double to the wall in the right-center field alley by Frazier followed the home run, then a groundout to second base, moving Frazier to third base.

That was all that manager Frank Kremblas wanted to see from Eveland. �He had thrown 53 pitches (34 strikes) in his 2.1 innings. �Brian Bass, who had pitched a 1-2-3 inning last night, came on in relief of Eveland. �The first batter Bass faced, Balentien, took a long fly ball to center field -- not deep enough for another home run, but plenty deep enough for Frazier to tag up and score from third base. �That run was also charged to Eveland. �Bass hit C Ryan Hanigan with a pitch and walked Valaika (unintentionally intentional?), then struck out Bats' starter Chad Reineke to end the inning.

The Bats kept going against Bass in the 4th. �With one out, Bass walked Cozart, who stole second base. �Alonso doubled into center field, bringing in Cozart from second base.

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Louisville Bats �4, �Indianapolis Indians �2 (box)

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A 3-run first inning and four more double plays gave the Bats the win over the Indians tonight at Victory Field. �Charlie Morton (photo) suffered the loss, and the rehabbing Edinson Volquez (Cincinnati Reds) held the Indians to just 4 hits in 5 innings and took the win.

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Charlie Morton got into trouble right from the start, as five of the first six Bats' who came to the plate in the top of the 1st reached base safely. �CF Gary Matthews Jr led off with a single lined into right field. �Matthews stole second base, as SS Zack Cozart took four pitches for a walk. �After a fly out, LF Todd Frazier doubled to the wall in center field, driving in both Matthews and Cozart, who came around all the way from first base. �3B Juan Francisco followed with another double, down the right field line. �The ball bounced around in the corner, making RF Brandon Moss chase it around before he could pick it up and fire it back to the infield. �That brought in Frazier with the third run of the inning. �RF Danny Dorn was hit by a pitch, and both runners moved up one base when Morton got another out, a grounder back to the mound. �Finally a fly out to Alex Presley in center field ended the inning, with the Bats up 3-0.

That first inning took Morton 28 pitches to get through. �He settled down in the next few innings. �In the 2nd, Morton walked Matthews, but got Cozart to bounce a grounder to behind second base. �SS Doug Bernier went to his left to make a diving stop, then flipped the ball with his glove to 2B Jim Negrych, forcing out Matthews. �Negrych threw on to first base, but Cozart was fast enough to beat the throw and he was safe. �Not a problem for Morton, who just got 1B Yonder Alonso to fly out to end the inning. �Morton retired the side in order in the 3rd, then worked around a single by 2B Chris Valaika in the 4th.

Photo: �Erik Kratz, pitching coach Dean Treanor, and Charlie Morton

The Bats added an unearned run in the 5th inning, as they proved the old warning about walking the lead-off batter. �Cozart walked to lead off the 5th, and moved to second base on a ground out. �Frazier grounded to short, where Doug Bernier made a nice pick-up, but airmailed the ball to first base. �Cozart rounded third and headed for the plate as the Indians chased after the ball, but he scored easily. �The play was initially ruled a hit and a throwing error that allowed the run to score, and the run was earned. �A few innings later, that was changed so that it was not a hit at all, but just an error, making the run unearned.

Louisville Bats �2, �Indianapolis Indians �1 (box)

Four double plays turned by the Bats did in the Indians at Louisville Slugger Field in Louisville, Kentucky tonight. �The Indians posted a total of 6 hits and also were given 3 walks and two more base runners due to Bats' errors, but could not take advantage of any of that, and were unable to bring any of their runners around to score.

The game began hopefully for the Indians, when LF Kevin Melillo led off with a single into right field. �3B Akinori Iwamura (photo) lined a single into left field, moving Melillo to second base. �2B Jim Negrych tried to move both runners up with a sacrifice bunt, but Bats' pitcher Jesus Delgado was fast enough in getting to the ball that he was able to fire to third base for the force out on Melillo. �That halted the Indians' little bit of momentum, and the next two batters went down quickly on a strikeout (1B Jeff Clement) and a line out (RF Brandon Moss).

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The Tribe put a runner on third base in the 2nd inning. �C Erik Kratz took a fly ball into center field for a big double, and he advanced to third on SS Argenis Diaz's ground out. �That was as far as Kratz could get, though, as a fly out ended the inning. �The Indians went down in order in the 3rd.

Starter Brian Burres (photo) retired the first 7 batters he faced. �With one out in the bottom of the 3rd, Bats' 2B Chris Valaika lined the first Bats' hit of the game into left field for a single. �Delgado dropped down a sacrifice bunt, moving Valaika to second base, and he scored from there when CF Gary Matthews doubled into left field, giving the Bats a 1-0 lead.

The double plays started coming in the 4th inning. �Jeff Clement led off the inning with a single slipped into left field, but he was immediately erased when Brandon Moss bounced right to 2B Valaika, who started a 4-6-3 double play. �Argenis Diaz reached base on a throwing error by Bats' 3B Juan Francisco in the 5th. �He was off and running with the swing by�Brian Burres, and when the ball Burres hit landed right in the glove of LF Todd Frazier, Diaz had already rounded second base. � It was an easy play for the Bats to throw the ball back to first, well ahead of Diaz, to double him up.

With one out in the 6th, the Tribe got a little something going again. �Aki Iwamura worked a walk, and Jim Negrych singled through the right side of the infield and into right field. �With two runners on, the Indians looked like they might have a chance to tie the score. �But Jeff Clement bounced to second base, where Chris Valaika started another 4-6-3 double play to end the inning and the threat.

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Argenis Diaz had a busy night at shortstop

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Columbus Clippers �4, �Indianapolis Indians �1 (box)

The Clippers rallied for 2 runs in the top of the 8th, and the Indians could not catch back up tonight at Victory Field. �The win gave Columbus a sweep of the 4-game series with the Indians, and dropped the Indians to 6 games behind the first-place Clippers in the International League Western Division.

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Both teams posted a run in the first inning, and both got out of the other's half of the inning with a double play started by the shortstop. �With one out in the top of the 1st, starter Hayden Penn had the next three batters reach base: �Clippers' DH Josh Rodriguez singled into left field past the diving Tribe SS Argenis Diaz; SS Luis Valbuena tripled down the right field line, scoreing Rodriguez; a walk to RF Jordan Brown put runners on the corners.

Then 1B Wes Hodges bounced a grounder right to Diaz next to second base. �Diaz took three steps to touch second base and force out Brown, then fired over to 1B Brian Myrow to get Hodges and end the inning (photo sequence, with Diaz making the throw as 2B Jim Negrych looking on, as Brown slides in).

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In the bottom of the inning, LF Kevin Melillo led off with a grounder to short. �SS Valbuena fielded the ball without any problem, then airmailed the ball over 1B Hodges' head. �Melillo was credited with a hit, and Valbuena's error sent him to second base. �3B Aki Iwamura walked on four pitches. �Melillo stole third base, as the throw to third from C Lou Marson nearly sailed into left field. �Only a long reach by former Indy Indian 3B Brian Bixler �kept the ball in the infield (photo below). 2B Jim Negrych bounced to short, where Valbuena made the same play Diaz did in the top of the inning -- a few steps to reach the second base bag and force out Iwamura, then the throw to first to get out Negrych. �Brian Myrow flied out to end the inning.

After the double play to get out of the 1st inning, Hayden Penn retired the next 7 batters he faced. �He made two of the plays himself, including fielding a high bouncer along the first base line. �As his momentum took him across the foul line, Penn whirled and tagged out the speedy Jose Constanza as he ran by.

The Clippers took the lead again in the top of the 4th. �With one out, Jordan Brown grounded through the hole and into left field. �Wes Hodges followed with a double into the right-center field alley, bringing Brown all the way around from first base to score, as RF Jonathan Van Every had to swipe at the ball twice before he could pick it up. �Penn finished the inning with two strikeouts.

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Erik Kratz, pitching coach Dean Treanor, and Jeremy Powell confer on the mound

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Columbus Clippers �6, �Indianapolis Indians �1 (box)

The Clippers pounded out 12 hits, with each member of their line-up reaching base at least once, while their pitching staff held the Indians' batters to 3 hits at Victory Field tonight.

Starter Jeremy Powell, back in the Indians' starting rotation again, struck out the first batter he faced, CF Michael Brantley. �The next three batters reached base: �a single slipped past SS Doug Bernier by Clippers' 2B Josh Rodriguez, a walk to DH Luis Valbuena, and a single through the hole into left field by 3B Jared Goedert. � Goedert's hit drove in Rodriguez from second base for the Clippers' first run. �Powell got a second out when LF Jordan Brown hit a high pop fly, caught by Tribe 3B Akinori Iwamura on the infield fly rule (photo). �Then 1B Wes Hodges drove a long fly ball to center field. �CF Alex Presley, who had been playing a little shallow, turned and raced for the wall, and tried for the catch over his shoulder. �He got his glove on the ball at the warning track, but the ball popped into and out of his glove. �Instead of out #3, Hodges had a double, and had driving in two more runs. �(photos below)

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Presley at the wall -- in the second photo, the ball is partly behind Presley's left hand.

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C Erik Kratz (photo) has been named to the International League All-Star Team for the second year in a row. �Last year, Kratz was the MVP of the All-Star game, which was held in Portland, Oregon. �Kratz, who was the starting catcher, walked, doubled, and hit the game-winning 2-run homer for the IL. �This year, Kratz is the back-up catcher for the IL squad. �He is currently hitting .306 for the Indians, with 17 doubles, a triple, 8 home runs, and 30 RBI. �This year's All-Star Game, between the IL stars and the Pacific Coast League stars, will be held at Lehigh Valley, PA, which is just about an hour away from where Kratz grew up. �He'll be able to have lots of family and friends in attendance.

Manager Frank Kremblas has also been named a coach for the International League All-Star Team. �This will be his first time as a coach or manager for an International League All-Star team, though he had much success as a manager in the Pacific Coast League before joining the Pirates' organization.

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Columbus Clippers �7, �Indianapolis Indians �3 (box)

For the second night in a row, the Clippers posted 5 runs in the 4th inning, and for the second night in a row, those 5 runs beat the Indians at Huntington Park in Columbus, Ohio. �Tribe starter Mike Crotta did not make it to that 4th inning, leaving in the 3rd due to an injury to his left lower leg or ankle. �CF Alex Presley (photo) provided all of the Indians' runs on two home run blasts.

Presley got the game off to a good start for the Indians. �LF Kevin Melillo opened the game with a double lined into right field. �Presley drove a long fly over the right field wall for his first home run, which was his second round-tripper since joining the Indians.

Mike Crotta had to work around runners on base in the first two innings. �SS Josh Rodriguez singled in the 1st and stole second base, but was left there. �1B Jordan Brown singled and RF Nick Weglarz walked to begin the 2nd, and they pulled off a double steal when Crotta's attention was diverted, but Crotta got out of that jam by striking out the next two batters, C Lou Marson and CF Jose Constanza.