Tag: Erik Kratz

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Pedro Ciriaco, airborne over Brian Bixler

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Syracuse Chiefs� 11,� Indianapolis Indians� 4 (box)

Six stolen bases by the Chiefs, wild pitches, and double plays that weren't turned made the difference as Syracuse defeated the Indianapolis Indians at Victory Field tonight.� Starter Joe Martinez (photo) made his second start for the Indians, giving up 8 of the Chiefs' 17 hits.� The Indians were held to 6 hits, including two home runs, by LF Kevin Melillo and 1B John Bowker.

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Lead-off batter Kevin Melillo got the Indians off on the right foot, by taking the second pitch thrown by Syracuse starter Erik Arnesen down the right field line and over the fence just inside the foul pole for a solo home run.� The Indians went on to score one run in four of the first five innings.

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RF Brandon Moss nearly had a double moments after Melillo's homer.� Moss lifted a long fly to the deep part of left-center field, with both Syracuse LF Leonard Davis and CF Michael Martinez chasing after it.� Martinez called off Davis and had slowed, reaching up for the ball -- when the ball bounced into and out of his glove and dropped to the ground for a two-base error.� John Bowker worked a walk, putting two Tribe runners on base, but a strikeout ended the inning.

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C Jason Jaramillo led off the bottom of the 2nd inning with a single grounded off Arnesen's glove and up the middle, and 2B Brian Friday lined a single into left field, again giving the Indians two base runners.� Joe Martinez did what every good pitcher should be able to do in this situation:� he dropped down a perfect sacrifice bunt (photo).� But the Chiefs put on the wheel play, with 3B Seth Bynum charging in to field the bunt.� Bynum fired the ball to former Indy Indian SS Brian Bixler, who was covering third base, forcing out the lead runner Jaramillo.� Friday was safe at second base, and Martinez safe at first.� Kevin Melillo grounded to second, which also resulted in a force out.� Martinez was out at second base, but Bixler took a tick too long getting the ball out of his glove after he fielded it, and there was no time for 2B Danny Espinosa to get Melillo out at first.� Friday advanced to third on the play, and when Arnesen hit 3B Mitch Jones with a pitch, the Indians had the bases loaded with two outs and Alex Presley at the plate.� The first pitch from Arnesen to Presley hit the dirt about 3 feet in front of home plate and bounced all the way to the backstop, and Friday was easily able to score from third base, to give the Indians a 2-0 lead.

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Erik Kratz is a good sport.

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Indianapolis Indians� 4,� Syracuse Chiefs� 3 (box)

2B Brian Friday (photo) and CF Alex Presley were the big heroes in the bottom of the 9th inning, giving the Indianapolis Indians a walk-off win over the Syracuse Chiefs at Victory Field tonight.� Friday, Presley, and SS Pedro Ciriaco all had 2 hits in the game and all had a hit in the 9th, and reliever Justin Thomas earned the win.

The Indians were clinging to a 2-1 lead going into the 9th inning.� Justin Thomas had come on in relief in the top of the 8th, striking out RF Pete Orr to end that inning.� He began the 9th by getting CF Michael Martinez to ground out to second.� Former Indy Indian, pinch-hitter Carlos Maldonado made the Victory Field crowd gasp as he drove the first pitch he saw on a high line drive into center field.� Tribe CF Alex Presley went back and back, but was able to catch up to the ball just in time, for the second out of the inning.

Thomas walked LF Boomer Whiting, and that was worrisome, because Whiting is a big base-stealing threat� -- he had already stolen 30 bases this season.� Before he threw even one pitch to the plate, where SS Danny Espinosa was waiting, Thomas threw to first base three times, trying to keep Whiting on first base.� Then, with the southpaw Thomas looking right at him, Whiting ventured a little too far off first.� Thomas' 4th pick-off throw clearly had Whiting, who then turned and raced for second base.� 1B John Bowker took that throw from Thomas and threw to second base, where Pedro Ciriaco was waiting to tag out Whiting by several steps -- but Bowker's throw hit Whiting in the back and bounced into short left field.� It was ruled a stolen base and a throwing error on Bowker, and by the time the ball was retrieved, Whiting was standing on third base.

Finally, Thomas pitched to Espinosa.� He got Espinosa to a 2-2 count, and Espinosa fouled off two more pitches, but Thomas was one out away of an Indians' win.� Then Espinosa lifted a long high fly to right center field... which CF Alex Presley and RF Brandon Moss quickly realized that it would do no good to chase it� -- a 2-out 2-run homer, to give the Chiefs the lead, 3-2.� A tapper back to the mound ended the inning, and sent the game to the bottom of the 9th.

Norfolk Tides� 2,� Indianapolis Indians� 1 (box)

A run scored on a wild pitch in the top of the 11th inning made the difference tonight at Victory Field, as the Norfolk Tides slipped by the Indians by a score of 2-1.� The win gives the Norfolk a 3-5 win of the 8-game� season series.

Pitchers were the big story of the game.� Tides' starter Rick VandenHurk pitched 8 innings and allowed only one run on 3 hits and a walk, and all three of those hits came in the 3rd inning.� VandenHurk retired the first 7 Tribe batters of the game.� Then with one out in the 3rd, SS Pedro Ciriaco (photo) sliced a single off the tip of his counterpart's glove and into left field for a single.� 2B Brian Friday followed with another single.� Ciriaco took off for second base with the pitch, and when SS Robert Andino moved to cover second base, Friday slipped a grounder right through the spot where Andino had been.� Ciriaco's aggressive running put him on third base.� LF Kevin Melillo came through with the third consecutive single, a short fly into left field.� Melillo's counterpart, Nolan Reimold made the running dive, but the ball fell in just a quarter of a step in front of him, allowing Ciriaco to score from third base.

The Indians ran themselves out of further run scoring chances in that inning.� 3B Akinori Iwamura flied out to short left field for the second out.� Brian Friday, who had advanced to third on Melillo's hit, tried to take the Tides by surprise with a tag-up even though the fly out was short.� Unfortunately, the Tides were not as surprised as Friday had hoped they'd be.� The throw in from Reimold, to 3B Scott Moore, and on to C Adam Donachie, reached the plate when Friday was still three steps away, and he was easily tagged out.

That was all the scoring for the Indians.� VandenHurk, a Dutch native, retired the Indians in order in the 4th and 5th innings.� He walked Brian Friday to begin the 6th, then retired the next 9 Indians in order.

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Indianapolis Indians� 10,� Norfolk Tides� 6 (box)

Joe Martinez made his home debut and his first start for the Indianapolis Indians tonight at Victory Field, and he earned his first win as the Tribe halted a 3-game losing streak by beating the Norfolk Tides.� Each team recorded 12 hits in the game, and the two teams traded the lead back and forth before the Indians settled in with a big enough lead to hold on.

The game began in an unfortunate way for Norfolk.� They had one base runner in the top of the inning, when DH Michael Aubrey doubled, but he was left on base.� Then with one out in the bottom of the inning, Tides' starter Chris George was hit by a screaming line drive off the bat of the second batter he faced, 3B Akinori Iwamura. The ball hit George on his upper body, though it was not clear exactly where (UPDATE: it hit him in the elbow, and x-rays were negative), and ricocheted all the way over to where his first baseman Brandon Snyder was positioned, allowing Snyder to easily make the out at first.� George was clearly hurting, and he walked right off the field, not even trying to throw a practice pitch.� The Tides brought in reliever Jim Miller to take over for George.� CF Alex Presley greeted Miller with a single into right field, but Presley was thrown out trying to steal second base.

Over the next three innings, the scoring was fast and furious.� Norfolk got onto the scoreboard with 2 runs in the top of the 2nd.� After a quick ground out, Snyder grounded sharply to first base, but the ball skipped off 1B Doug Bernier's glove and up and over his left shoulder, and Snyder was safe on the error.� For the second night in a row, 3B Scott Moore hit a 2-run homer over the right field wall in the 2nd inning, bringing in Snyder, and the Tides had a 2-0 lead.

LF John Bowker got one run back for Joe Martinez with his own home run.� His blast, his first since joining the Indians, sailed just inside the right field foul pole, and landed in the back of the beer garden patio behind the right field corner.

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a lot of jawing going on

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Norfolk Tides� 9,� Indianapolis Indians� 1 (box)

Norfolk Tides' starter Chris Tillman pitched into the 7th inning and struck out 9 Tribe batters as the Tides easily washed over the Indians at Victory Field tonight.� Indians' starter Jeremy Powell (photo) had a rough outing, and did not get through the 4th inning, as he allowed 7 runs on 10 hits.

Powell allowed at least one base runner on in each of his 4 innings, though he did have a bit of luck in the top of the 1st.� CF Matt Angle opened the game with a double into the right-center field gap.� He moved to third base when one of Powell's pitches to SS Robert Andino came up and in and high, and got past C Jason Jaramillo for a wild pitch.� Andino struck out, then Powell struck out former Indy Indian RF Jeff Salazar.� On strike three to the left-handed hitting Salazar, Jaramillo hopped up and fired down to third base, surprising Angle, who was a little too far off the bag.� 3B Akinori Iwamura was easily able to tag out Angle to end the inning.

Unfortunately, there was not much more luck going for Powell.� In the 2nd inning, with one out, DH Michael Aubrey smacked a sharp grounder to the right of 2B Brian Friday. Friday was able to make the diving stop, but had no time to throw Aubrey out at first.� Aubrey went to second base on 1B Brandon Snyder's ground out.� Then 3B Scott Moore rocketed a rising line drive out of the park just inside the right field foul pole for a 2-run homer.

Three straight hits off Powell gave the Tides another run in the 3rd.� With one out, Andino tripled into the left-center field alley, with the ball rolling to the wall in the deepest part of Victory Field.� Salazar brought Andino in with a bloop single into short center field.� Salazar was thrown out trying to steal second base -- the first time this season that Salazar has been caught stealing, in 17 attempts.� LF Nolan Reimold grounded a single up the middle, just out of reach of SS Pedro Ciriaco, but he was left stranded when Powell struck out Aubrey.

Things got worse in the 4th.� Brandon Snyder began the inning with a line drive down the right field line and into the corner.� Powell walked Moore, and C Adam Donachie, just arrived from AA Bowie, dropped down a sacrifice bunt, moving the runners to second and third bases.� 2B Paco Figueroa grounded toward short, where the ball scooted past the diving Ciriaco, who might have been distracted by Moore, who was running in front of him and between Ciriaco and the oncoming ground ball.� It was ruled a hit, and Snyder came in to score.� Angle drove a high bouncer just barely inside the chalk line and into the right field corner for a triple, plating both Moore and Figueroa, and the Tides had a 6-0 lead.� That brought up Andino.� When Powell's first pitch came in tight and hit Andino's jersey, Andino took exception (remember that high and tight wild pitch in the first inning? ).� Andino stood at the plate and yelled out at Powell.� He was restrained by the home plate umpire and Jaramillo, and by his own teammates who quickly came out of the dugout.� Powell returned the jawing, and took several steps toward the plate, but was also blocked by the umpires and his teammates.� Manager Frank Kremblas kept the rest of the Indians' bench from emptying, and after a bit more yelling and milling around, order was restored (photo here and at the top).� No one was ejected, but Kremblas decided that it was a good time to end Powell's night.

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Durham Bulls� 2,� Indianapolis Indians� 0 (box)


The Indians were held to just 2 hits as they were shut out at Durham Bulls' Athletic Park in Durham, North Carolina this evening.� The win by the Bulls gives them a 3-1 win of this 4-game series, and a 5-3 win of the season series.

The Bulls used 5 different pitchers, who combined to strikeout the Indians 14 times in the game.� Aneury Rodriguez made an unexpected spot start for the Bulls, and he pitched into the 5th inning.� He struck out 6 Indians, and gave up 4 walks plus one hit.� CF Alex Presley worked a walk in the 1st inning, but was left there as Rodriguez struck out two batters in that frame.� After one out in the 3rd, 2B Brian Friday (photo) blooped a single over the reach of the leaping Durham SS Elliot Johnson.� Friday stole second base and then advanced to third base on a wild pitch that bounced into the grass between the plate and the pitchers' mound.� 3B Akinori Iwamura walked, but the two runners were left standing on the corners.� Rodriguez walked two batters, SS Pedro Ciriaco and Friday in the 5th inning, then was relieved by Joe Bateman.� Bateman struck out LF Kevin Melillo, and Ciriaco steal third and Friday steal second base on strike three, but a fly out ended the inning and the Indians had still not scored.

The next three Durham pitchers,� Jake McGee, RJ Swindle, and Winston Abreu, retired all but one of the rest of the Indians' batters in the game.� The Indians went down in order in the 6th (McGee struck out the side), 7th, and 8th innings.� With two outs in the 9th, RF John Bowker grounded to third, where Bulls' 3B Angel Chavez struggled with an odd hop and fumbled the ball behind the third base bag.� Bowker reached first base, and was given a single on the play.� But pinch hitter Mitch Jones struck out, ending the game and leaving Bowker on first base.

A host of roster moves today, in view of the Pirates' activity at the trading deadline, which will affect the Indianapolis Indians.

SS Argenis Diaz and 1B Jeff Clement have been promoted from the Indians to the Pirates.� They will take the roster spots vacated when INF Bobby Crosby and OF Ryan Church were traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Pirates acquired ss Pedro Ciriaco from the Diamondbacks.� He is a 24-year-old Dominican native who has been with AAA Reno this season.� In 87 games, Ciriaco is hitting .259 with 15 doubles, 7 triples, 6 homers, and 51 RBI.� He's also stolen 14 bases.� That overall batting average doesn't tell the whole story, though.� He started the season slowly, hitting just .184 in April (when he got into only 9 games) and .222 in May.� He turned it around in June, when he hit.296 and July, hitting .293.� Ciriaco also played in the Futures game earlier this month.� Last season with AA Mobile, Ciriaco hit .296 with 54 RBI and 38 stolen bases, and was named to both the mid- and post- season Southern League All-Star Teams.� He is also a very strong defensive shortstop with a good arm.� He is expected to join the Indians.

The addition of C Chris Snyder (the main player coming to the Pirates in the trade with Ciriaco) might make you wonder what will become of C Erik Kratz, especially when Ryan Doumit comes off the disabled list (he's had yet another concussion).� The Pirates (for now) are saying that Snyder and Kratz will be the team catchers, and that Doumit will be playing some first base and some outfield.� Of course, Clement will be playing some first base too...�� This also suggests that Jason Jaramillo will be returning to the Indians.

As expected, RHP Daniel McCutchen was recalled to the Pirates to make the start on Saturday and remain in the rotation.� For now, reliever Steven Jackson is still with the Pirates, and reliever Justin Thomas might be called up for a few days since it's not entirely clear when all the new pitchers will be joining the Pirates.

The Pirates traded reliever Octavio Dotel to the Dodgers for RHP James McDonald, who will be joining the Pirates, and OF Andrew Lambo, who will be joining the Altoona Curve.� Lambo is a California native who will turn 22 in a couple of weeks.� He was drafted by the Dodgers in the 4th round of the 2007 draft and spent all of 2009 at AA Chattanooga, where he hit .256 with 39 doubles, 11 homers, and 61 RBI.� He had played in 47 games for Chattanooga this season, and hit .271 with 11 doubles, 4 homers, and 25 RBI, but he has missed a big chunk of the season because he tested positive for banned substances (not PED's) and was suspended for 50 games.� The Pirates seem to feel this was a one-time mistake, and not likely to be repeated.� Since returning at the end of June, Lambo has hit .219 with 2 homers and 12 RBI.

The Pirates traded reliever Javier Lopez to the Giants for 1B/OF John Bowker and RHP Joe Martinez, and both of them are expected to be assigned to Indianapolis.� Bowker is a 27-year-old California native, who has split this season between the Giants and AAA Fresno.� In 51 games with Fresno, He has a .310 average, with 12 doubles, 14 homers, and 36 RBI; with the Giants, in 41 games, he has hit .207 with 3 doubles, 3 home runs, and 8 RBI.

Joe Martinez,� a righty pitcher from New Jersey, has made 4 appearances (one start) with the Giants this season, totalling 11 innings.� He's allowed 15 hits and 6 runs (4.91 ERA) with 6 walks and 3 strikeouts.� The 27-year-old has spent most of the season with AAA Fresno, where he has made 13 starts and one relief appearance, earning a 5-3 record and a 3.32 ERA.� In 81.1 innings, Martinez has allowed 78 hits and 30 earned runs, 26 walks, and struck out 65.� His ERA has dropped a little over the course of the season -- 3.60 in April, 3.29 in May, 3.00 in July.

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Their heads must be spinning....

Indianapolis Indians� 10, �� Rochester Red Wings� 7 (box)

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Two 4-run innings helped the Indians overcome a shaky start by Charlie Morton, as the Indians held on to beat the Red Wings at Frontier Field in Rochester, NY tonight.� Twice the Indians took the lead and twice the Red Wings tied it up.� The third time the Tribe took a lead, the Red Wings rallied again and got within one run, before the Indians took a definitive lead with their second 4-run inning.� The two teams combined for 17 runs on 28 hits, and the Red Wings out-hit the Indians, 16 - 12.� CF Alex Presley (photo) led the Tribe with 3 hits, 3 RBI, and 3 runs scored.

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Charlie Morton got into trouble almost with his first pitch.� The first two batters he faced, RF Brian Dinkleman and SS Trevor Plouffe both ripped line drives for two singles.� LF Jacque Jones also hit a long ball, but luckily, it was more of a fly, and it fell into the glove of Alex Presley in center field.� DH Jose Morales grounded to first, where 1B Brian Myrow turned and threw for the force out on Plouffe at second base.� That put runners on the corners, but Morton got a strike out on 2B Brendan Harris to get himself out of the jam.

DH Jeff Clement gave Morton (photo) a boost with a solo home run to lead off the top of the 2nd inning -- over the right field wall, over the bullpen, over the high wall behind the bullpen, and into a right field picnic area.� Morton, now with a one-run lead, got right back into trouble in the bottom of the inning, with two singles and a walk.� A lead-off single by 3B D'Angelo Jimenez was erased with a double play, SS Argenis Diaz to 2B Jim Negrych to 1B Brian Myrow (6-4-3).� C Wilson Ramos singled into left field, and CF Dustin Martin walked and Morton again was working with two runners on base.� Dinkelman drove a liner into right field, but Tribe RF Brandon Moss made a long run and made the catch at his shoetops to end the inning and again get Morton out of a jam.

Morton's luck did not hold in the 3rd.� Plouffe reached base on a throwing error by his counterpart at short, Argenis Diaz.� Morales singled, pushing Plouffe to second base, and Morton's wild pitch put Plouffe on third.� Harris lifted a sacrifice fly, and Plouffe scored an unearned run to tie the game at 1-1.

The Tribe wasted an opportunity in the 4th, when 3B Akinori Iwamura and Brian Myrow worked back-to-back walks to open the inning.� A coaching visit to the mound settled down Rochester starter Matt Fox, who got two fly outs and a strikeout to end the inning without a run scoring.� The Red Wings also missed out on an opportunity in the 4th, when Wilson Ramos singled, but was erased as he headed for second base in a strike-em-out-throw-em-out double play.

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.

International League� 2,� Pacific Coast League 1 (box)

The best part of the AAA All-Star Game for Erik Kratz (photo) did not happen between the lines at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, Pennsylvania.� Kratz was the starting catcher for the International League.� He caught the first 4 innings, and batting 8th in the lineup, he had one at-bat -- a fly out to center on a 0-1 pitch.� He was removed from the game at the end of the 4th, and was told that it was because he'd been hit in the mask with a foul ball.� Kratz was puzzled by that -- like all catchers, he gets hit in the mask on a fairly regular basis, so what was the big deal?� He wanted to stay in the game for maybe another inning, get another turn at the plate.

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Then Indy Indians' manager Frank Kremblas, who was on the IL coaching staff, talked to Kratz in the dugout. "You only had one more inning anyway.� Would you rather go up to the big leagues, or go back in the game?"

Kratz was stunned, and said that at first, he thought that Kremblas was fooling with him.� Nope.� This was real.�� For the first time in his career, at age 30, Kratz has been called up to the big leagues, to join the Pirates as their back-up catcher.� Kratz was interviewed moments later by the MLB network commentators, Mitch Williams and Matt Province, both of whom the soft-spoken Kratz persisted in calling "sir".� By the time Williams and Province finished congratulating him, Kratz was too choked up to speak at all and nearly in tears of joy.� Williams and Province told him to take off the headset and go call his wife -- who was in the stands with the rest of� his family, since Kratz grew up in eastern Pennsylvania� less than an hour away from� Allentown.

Back to the game..... (hit 'read more')

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.