Tag: Doug Bernier

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.

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.

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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Indianapolis Indians � 9, �Louisville Bats �7 (box)

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The Indianapolis Indians and the Louisville Bats traded home runs at Slugger Field in Louisville, Kentucky tonight, but it was the Indians who held on for the win, ending their 8-game losing streak. �The Indians, who had not had a home run in almost a week, tonight had long bombs by RF Brandon Moss (photo), 3B Akinori Iwamura, and 1B Jeff Clement, while the Bats hit four home runs -- two by 3B Juan Francisco, and one each by CF Gary Matthews Jr and lF Yonder Alonso.

The game began ominously for the Indians, as their first inning looked like many of the innings they've had during their losing streak. �LF Kevin Melillo led off with a walk and stole second base. �Aki Iwamura also walked, but 2B Jim Negrych bounced right to the Bats' 2B Wilkin Castillo, who started a 2-6-3 double play. �Jeff Clement flied out to end the inning. �It was the 13th double play the Indians had batted into in the past 5 games. �The Tribe did fall victim to another double play, but not until the 9th inning, and not until after they had clearly broken their tough streak.

Things started looking up in the 2nd inning. �The Bats' starting pitcher, Mark Serrano, had just been brought up from their A+ Lynchburg Hillcats' affiliate to make a spot start because their scheduled starter Matt Maloney had been called up to Cincinnati to make a start. �Once they got going, the Indians were able to take advantage of the A+ level pitcher. �Brandon Moss led off the 2nd with a line drive into center field for a double, and CF Alex Presley beat out a bunt for an infield single, moving Moss over to third base. �A balk by Serrano let Moss score and put Presley on second base. �C Erik Kratz lined a single in to left field, which moved Presley to third base. � SS Argenis Diaz grounded back to the mound, and Serrano made the scoop then looked at Presley, who stopped in his tracks. �But instead of charging at Presley and probably catching him in a run-down, or whirling and throwing fast to second base to start a double play, Serrano hesitated. �He did throw to second, where he forced out Kratz, but that was the only out he got, and Presley scored on the play, and the Indians had a 2-0 lead.

With Jeremy Powell (photo) on the mound for the Indians, the Bats got the two runs right back in the bottom of the inning. �Juan Francisco started the Bats' scoring with a solo home run over the wall in right field. �RF Danny Dorn followed the homer with a double into right field. �Erik Kratz tried to pick Dorn off second base, and the when his throw got past second base, Dorn moved to third on the throwing error. �That put him in position to score an unearned run on SS Chris Valaika's sacrifice fly to tie the game.

Brandon Moss gave the Indians the lead again in the top of the 3rd. �With two outs, Jeff Clement singled through the hole into right field, and Moss blasted a 2-run homer over the wall in the right field corner. �Indians ahead, 4-2.

The Bats responded again in the bottom of the 3rd, also with two outs. �C Ryan Hanigan doubled to the base of the wall in right-center field, and he scored on Yonder Alonso's single. �Juan Francisco tied the game again in the 4th inning with his second home run of the game, another solo shot.

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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.

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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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Doug Bernier, Argenis Diaz, and Jim Negrych

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

LF Kevin Melillo (photo) launched a pitch into the night in the bottom of the 9th at Victory Field, and when it landed in the grass berm in front of the right field scoreboard, the Indians had a walk-off win over the Toledo Mud Hens. �They also had a sweep of the 4-game series against Toledo, and combined with the Columbus Clippers' loss to the Gwinnett Braves tonight, that puts the Indians 2 games behind the first-place Clippers in the International League Western Division, and drops Toledo to 3 games behind the Indians.

Compared to last night, when the Indians cranked out 19 hits, tonight's game began rather quietly. �Only one Tribe batter reached base in the first three innings, and that was 1B Steve Pearce, who led off the 2nd inning with a line drive just over the head of Toledo SS Brent Dlugach. �Pearce stole second base, but he was left there when a flu out and two strikeouts ended the inning.

Indians' starter Brian Burres also held the Mud Hens scoreless in the early innings. �He worked his way out of a jam in the top of the 1st. �Lead-off batter 2B Will Rhymes singled up the middle, and Brent Dlugach walked. �LF Jeff Frazier made the first out, on a short fly ball to center, with CF Alex Presley making a very nice running catch. �Burres and the Indians caught a break when Rhymes made a base-running mistake: �with Burres looking right at him, Rhymes led off second base, then went a little too far, and was caught in the middle of nowhere when Burres came off the mound. �Rhymes was easily thrown out at third base, with 3B Doug Bernier putting down the tag (photo below).

Brent Dlugach advanced to second base while Burres and Bernier were taking care of Rhymes. � Another walk, to 1B Ryan Strieby, put two runners on base with two outs. �Burress got out of the inning by striking out 3B Jeff Larish.

Bernier allowed just one hit over the next three innings. �He retired the side in order in both the 2nd and 3rd innings. �Jeff Frazier led off the 4th with a double into left-center field, but he was still standing there on second base when Burres struck out Strieby, Larish, and RF Wilkin Ramirez and was out of the inning.

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Manager Frank Kremblas congratulates Alex Presley after his first AAA home run.

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Indianapolis Indians �15, �Toledo Mud Hens �3 (box)

Indianapolis' Victory Field will celebrate its 15th anniversary in a couple of weeks, and in all that time, no player has ever hit for the cycle there.... until today. �Tribe LF Alex Presley, in his third AAA-level game, went 5-for-6 today, and hit for the cycle. �Presley tripled in the 1st inning, singled in the 2nd, homered in the third (photo), and doubled in the 5th. �Then he added a single on the first pitch he saw in the 6th inning, for good measure.

Presley had come close to hitting for the cycle 5 weeks ago. �On May 24th, playing with the AA Altoona Curve against the Akron Aeros in Akron, Presley went 4-for-5, and missed hitting for the cycle because he missed off the single. �He substituted a second home run for that single, and set a new Altoona Curve record with 8 RBI in the game.

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And Presley was not the only Indian batter hitting today. �The Indians piled up 19 hits, and scored 15 runs, both of which were season highs, surpassing the 14 runs on 18 hits they had on April 9th of this year. �Their 5 home runs in the game was also the best this season, and while they have hit back-to-back home runs often enough, it was the first time the Indians have hit back-to-back-to-back home runs at Victory Field.

The game did not start out so amazingly for the Indians. �With starter Hayden Penn (photo) on the mound, the Mud Hens began the game by scoring 3 runs in the top of the 1st. �Penn walked the first batter of the game, SS Will Rhymes, and that adage about lead-off walks turned out to be true in this instance. �2B Justin Henry, making his AAA debut with Toledo, singled with a line drive into left field. �Penn seemed to get things under control for a few minutes, getting 1B Jeff Frazier to fly out and striking out LF Ryan Strieby. �Rhymes tagged up and advanced to third base on the fly out, and Henry stole second base on the strikeout. � Then Penn gave up a single to 1B Jeff Larish, scoring both Rhymes and Henry. �CF Wilkin Ramirez followed with a triple to the deep part of left-center field, bringing in Larish. �Penn finished the inning with a strikeout, but the Indians were behind, 3-0.

But.... it seems that Hayden Penn has this curious lucky streak going. �In his previous two starts at Victory Field, the Indians supplied Penn with a whole lot of run support in the early innings, allowing him to coast to a win. �On June 11th against Pawtucket, Penn allowed a run in the top of the 1st, and the Tribe batters came back with 6 runs in the bottom of the 1st, plus one run in the 2nd and 2 runs in the 3rd, and eventually win the game 10-3, with Penn credited for the win. �On June 22nd against the Bulls, Penn did not allow a run in the early innings (only allowed one unearned run that night), but benefited from 3 Tribe runs in the 2nd and 2 more runs in the 3rd. �Penn again got the win, as the Indians took the 9-1 victory. �Penn's luck held out this afternoon, too.

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Doug Bernier is congratulated on his home run.

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Indianapolis Indians �9, �Durham Bulls �1 (box)

The outfield berm was a very good place to be tonight if you were at Victory Field and were looking to catch a souvenir. �The Indians blasted four home runs on their way to 9 runs on 12 hits, as they got revenge for being one-hit by the Bulls last night. �Not to be outdone by the offense, starter Hayden Penn pitched 6 strong innings, as he struck out a season-high 9 batters and allowed only one unearned run.

The Indians' offensive onslaught began in the 2nd inning. �C Erik Kratz led off the inning with a sinking line drive into left field for a hit. �DH Jeff Clement (photo) followed with a long high bomb over the right field wall and onto the grass berm for a 2-run homer. �Moments later, CF Jonathan Van Every got into the act with a long blast of his own, which landed in the right field berm about 75 feet to the left of Clement's. �The Indians had a 3-0 lead.

The Indians kept it going in the 2nd inning. �With one out, 2B Jim Negrych singled, but before another pitch was thrown to the plate, Bulls' starter Heath Phillips turned and threw to first base. �It looked like Negrych's foot slipped a bit as he tried to dive back to the base, and it was enough delay that he was picked off. �1B Steve Pearce walked with two outs, and Erik Kratz brought him in with another home run (photo) -- this one was a drive down the left field line, which stayed just barely inside the foul pole.

The fourth home run belonged to SS Doug Bernier. Bernier had singled to lead off the 1st inning, but had been left on base. �In the 5th, he led off the inning with a home run rocketed over the left field wall and into the grass berm on that side of the field.

The Tribe added two more runs off Indiana native Heath Phillips in the 6th inning -- not by way of home runs. �Jeff Clement led off the inning with a walk, and 3B Brian Myrow lined a single into left field, moving Clement to second base. �Jonathan Van Every drove in Clement with a line drive single into right field. �RF Brandon Jones' sacrifice fly to deep center field allowed Myrow to score, and the Indians had 8 runs of Phillips, on 10 hits.