Tag: John Bowker

Tonight's game Eastern League playoff game between the Altoona Curve and the Trenton Thunder was postponed due to rain.� After waiting for about 35 minutes past the scheduled start time, with no end in sight to the rain, the game was called.� Luckily for the starting pitchers, this means that neither of them got burned by getting all warmed up and starting, then only getting in an inning or two before having to stop.� Justin Wilson will make the start tomorrow, and Game 4 will be played on Saturday.� If a Game 5 is needed, that will be played on Sunday.

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In the International League playoffs.... Durham avoided being sent home with a 3-2 win over Columbus.� With the game tied at 2-2 going into the bottom of the 9th, the Clippers helped the Bulls load the bases with a walk, a single, and an intentional walk, with no outs.� A sacrifice fly brought in the winning run.� The Clippers lead the best-of-5 series, 2 games to 1.

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The Pirates lost to the Mets, 6-2, and a few recent Indy Indians got into the game.� John Bowker again got the start in right field.� He had an RBI single in the 2nd inning, bringing in the Pirates' first run of the game.� Alex Presley led off the 7th inning with a pinch-hit single, He dropped down a bunt on the first pitch he saw, and by the time the Mets' catcher Josh Thole could get to it, the speedy Presley was already crossing first base.� Steven Jackson took the mound to begin the 8th, but after one out, he gave up a single and a walk, then got a ground out that moved both runners into scoring position.� Justin Thomas relieved Jackson, and he gave up a 2-RBI double to Angel Pagan.� Jackson was charged with both runs.

RHP Brian Bass, who was DFA'ed this week, has cleared waivers.� He accepted an assignment to AAA Indianapolis, but it's a paper move as he will be a minor league free agent when the season ends.

Altoona Curve� 6,� Trenton Thunder�� 4 .....���� (box)

The Altoona Curve tied up the Eastern League Championship Series at 1 game each, beating the Trenton Thunder tonight at Blair County Ballpark in Altoona, PA.

The Thunder out-hit the Curve 9-5, but three of the Curve's hits were home runs, and they were able to take advantage of mistakes by the Thunder.� 3B Josh Harrison got the Curve started with his no-doubt-about it solo home run in the bottom of the 1st.� The Thunder tied the game in the top of the 3rd on two doubles off starter Jeff Locke.

Then the Curve took a big step forward in the bottom of the 3rd, as they capitalized on throwing problems by Trenton pitcher Dellin Betances.� RF Miles Durham led off with a walk, then stole second base.� CF Anthony Norman also walked, as Betances was having trouble finding the strike zone.� 2B Chase d'Arnaud dropped down a sacrifice bunt, but Betances' throw to first base sailed down the right field line, and Durham raced around from second base to score the go-ahead run.� With Norman on third and d'Arnaud on second, Betances got Harrison to ground out, and the runners held.� Then Betances fired in a wild pitch high over his catcher's head, and Norman scored from third.� SS Jordy Mercer made the wild pitch less of an issue when he blasted a 2-run home run (it would have been a 3-run homer and Norman would have scored anyway), and the Curve toook a 5-1 lead.

Locke went on to pitch a total of 7 innings, allowing 6 hits and 2 walks.� He gave up a lone single in the 1st and again in the 6th, and those two doubles in the 4th.� He struck out the side in the 4th, on his way to a total of 8 strikeouts.� Locke gave up an unearned run in the 5th inning.� With two outs, a fielding error by Mercer put a runner on base, then back-to-back singles brought him around to score.� Locke loaded the bases with a walk, then got a ground out, again to Mercer, to end the inning.

Derek Hankins relieved Locke to begin the 8th inning.� He was greeted by back-to-back homers by Trenton's RF Daniel Brewer and C Austin Romine.� Brewer's long fly left the field well over LF Andrew Lambo's head;� Romine's bounced on the very top of the right-center field wall, hit the wall behind the fence, then bounced back onto the field -- still counts as a home run.� Hankins struck out the two batters he faced after the homers, then walked the next two.� That was all for him, with Daniel Moskos coming in from the bullpen.� Moskos finished the inning with a strikeout, but the Thunder had moved within one run, 5-4.

Trenton Thunder� 3,� Altoona Curve� 2 ...���� (box)

Curve starter Rudy Owens faced off against National's phenom pitcher Stephen Strasbourg at the beginning of the season, and held his own.� Now he winds down the season by facing off against New York Yankees' rehabbing star Andy Pettitte -- and again, Owens held his own.� Owens and Pettitte each pitched 5 innings in tonight's first game of the Eastern League Championship Series, held in Altoona.� Owens gave up 2 runs; Pettitte gave up 2 runs.� Owens gave up 7 hits and 3 walks; Pettitte gave up 6 hits and 2 walks, and he also threw a wild pitch.� Owens struck out 7; Pettitte struck out 4.

2B Chase d'Arnaud faced Pettitte three times and must not have been very impressed.� He put the first run of the game onto the scoreboard when he led off the bottom of the 1st inning with a solo home run off Pettitte.� In the 3rd inning, d'Arnaud worked a walk, and in the 5th, he singled off Pettitte.

The Curve took d'Arnaud's home run lead into the 3rd inning.� Rudy Owens gave up a walk and a single in the 2nd, but induced a double play to end the inning.� In the 3rd, he gave up three singles, including the RBI single that slipped past first base and down the right field line to tie the score at 1-1.

The Curve came right back in the bottom of the 3rd to take a 2-1 lead.� With one out, DH Yung Chi Chen lined a single into right field.� Pettitte's wild pitch put Chen on second base, and when d'Arnaud walked, ball four got past the Trenton catcher for a passed ball, allowing Chen to advance to third base.� 3B Josh Harrison grounded just out of reach of the Trenton shortstop and into left field for the single that scored Chen.

Owens retired the side in order again in the 4th.� Then he gave up two doubles in the top of the 5th, and Trenton had tied up the game again, at 2-2.

The Curve threatened in the bottom of the 5th.� Chen reached base on a fielding error by the Trenton third baseman.� Back-to-back singles by d'Arnaud and Harrison -- a line drive into right field by d'Arnaud and a bunt single by Harrison -- loaded the bases for Altoona.� But Pettitte got SS Jordy Mercer to bounce back to the mound, where he fired the ball back to the catcher, forcing out Chen at the plate, then on to first base to complete the double play.� A strikeout ended the inning.

A few notes on Monday, as we wait for the Curve to play again....

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The Altoona Curve will face off against the Trenton Thunder on Tuesday, to begin the Eastern League championship series.� Curve's Rudy Owens will oppose Andy Pettitte, who is on a rehab assignment from the Yankees.� Sounds unfair, but even Curve manager Matt Walbeck says it's allowed, and they'll be ready for Pettitte.

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Alex Presley made a pinch-running appearance for the Pirates this evening in their 1-0 extra-inning loss to the Mets.� Presley came on in the top of the 9th to run for C Chris Snyder, who had walked.� Presley tried to steal second base, but was thrown out.

Neil Walker's hitting streak came to an end at 18 games -- he walked twice, but did not have a hit in the game.� Walker hit .350 while in the streak, including 5 homers and 18 RBI.

John Bowker made another start for the Pirates, this time in right field.� He went 0-for-3 at the plate.

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Akinori Iwamura, who spent most of the season with the Indy Indians, has been signed by the Oakland A's.� The A's need some help at third base because of injuries.

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The Pirates have designated RHP Brian Bass for assignment.� Bass made 41 appearances (1 start) for the Indianapolis Indians this season, with a 4-4 record and 2 saves and a 3.26 ERA.� He pitched 69 innings for the Tribe, allowing 74 hits and 23 walks, while striking out 53 batters.� He got progressively better over the second half of the season, with a 1.57 ERA over 13 relief appearances in August and September.� Bass made 3 appearances for the Pirates in late April/early May, then was removed from the 40-man roster and returned to Indianapolis.� He was again added to the 40-man roster when the Pirates expanded their roster at the beginning of September, but has made just one relief appearance, allowing one earned run on no hits and 2 walks on Sept 8th against Atlanta.� Overall with the Pirates, Bass pitched 7.1 innings, but allowed 9 hits and 11 runs (10 earned), with 10 walks and 5 strikeouts.

The reason for removing Bass was that the Pirates picked up RHP Chris Leroux on waivers from the Marlins.� The 26-year-old Montreal native opened the 2010 season with the Marlins, and was struggling, then developed a strain in his right elbow.� After a stint on the DL, he joined the AAA New Orleans Zephyrs.� In 18 relief appearances over July and August, Leroux pitched 19.2 innings for the Zephyrs, with a 0-3 record and one save, and a 5.95 ERA.� He walked only 4 batters and struck out 18 batters.� Back with the Marlins after the September call-ups, the righty made 3 more relief appearances, allowing 3 runs in 3 innings, on 5 hits and 2 walks.� The Pirates were interested in a big hurler (he' 6'6") with a strong arm and a lot of strikeouts in AAA, who is also a ground-ball pitcher.

Outfielder Alex Presley (photo) made his first major league start this afternoon, manning right field for the Pirates in their 3-1 win over the Reds in Cincinnati.� Presley, who just turned 25 this week, appeared in his third major league game.� He had pinch-hit and played right field on Wednesday, his birthday, and picked up his first major league hit.� He pinch-ran on Friday, but was forced out at second base on the subsequent play.� Today, Presley singled with two outs in the top of the 8th, on a sharp grounder that got past Reds' 2B Brandon Phillips.� He then advanced to second when Neil Walker walked.� Unfortunately both were left on base.� Presley was 1-for-4 overall, with a walk, and he nearly beat out an infield single in the top of the 1st.� There was only ball hit near him in right field -- he was unable to come up with the ball on a diving attempt on Joey Votto's double in the 4th inning.

Walker walked twice, and he did beat out the infield single in the top of the 1st, extending his hitting streak to 18 games.� John Bowker also made the start, at first base for the Pirates.� He went 0-for-3 at the plate, but he began the 9th inning rally with a walk.� C Ryan Doumit followed the walk with a single, and he was replaced by pinch-runner Pedro Ciriaco. LF Lastings Milledge bunted, but the Reds turned it into a force out, getting Bowker at third.� With runners on first and second, pinch-hitter Garrett Jones singled, loading the bases.� Then another pinch-hitter, Jose Tabata grounded to first base, and Reds' 1B Votto was able to fire to the plate, forcing out Ciriaco, but leaving the bases loaded still.� Then CF Andrew McCutchen lined a double into left field, clearing the bases for 3 runs, and the Pirates had the 3-1 lead, and very soon after, the win.

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The Altoona Curve and the Trenton Thunder (Yankees) will begin the championship round of the Eastern League playoffs on Tuesday in Altoona.

Harrisburg Senators� 10,� Altoona Curve� 5 ....������ (box)

Two 5-run innings gave the Senators the advantage over the Curve in the first game of their Eastern League playoff series.

The Curve jumped out to the early lead in the bottom of the 1st.� 2B Chase d'Arnaud led off with a walk, and 3B Josh Harrison followed by blasting a home run over the left-center field wall, to give the Curve a 2-0 lead before they even had recorded an out.� Two outs later, LF Andrew Lambo reached base on a fielding error by the Senators' 2B Steve Lombardozzi.� C Hector Gimenez worked a walk, and RF Miles Durham singled into left field to bring in Lambo from second base, and the Curve had a 3-0 lead.

It didn't last long, as the Senators sent 10 batters to the plate and scored 5 runs in the top of the 2nd.� Curve starter Rudy Owens had worked around a walk to Lombardozzi in the 1st inning, but got into trouble quickly in the 2nd.� A walk and a single began the inning, then a grounder to the diving 1B Matt Hague produced a force out at second base.� A double into right-center field brought in both base runners, and the Senators had made it a one-run game, 3-2.� A bunt attempt by the Senators' pitcher, Tom Milone, went right to Owens on the mound, and he turned it into a fielder's choice out at third, leaving Milone on first base.� But Lombardozzi walked again, then a single loaded the bases.� Owens had two outs with those bases loaded, and he got an 0-2 on the next batter -- and another single drove in two more runs, and the Senators had the lead.� That sent Owens to the showers after just 1.2 innings.� Jared Hughes came out of the bullpen, and he loaded the bases again by walking the first batter he faced.� A passed ball by Gimenez allowed the runner in from third base (unearned run, charged to Owens), and when a ground out ended the inning, the Senators had a 5-3 lead.

Milone had the Curve bats under control for the next 6 innings.� D'Arnaud doubled in the 2nd inning, but was left on base when three other Curve batters struck out.� Hughes reached base in the 4th on a fielding error, but was also left stranded. � Durham singled in the 6th, but was also left on base.� Harrisburg's reliever Hassan Pena pitched the 7th inning, and he also retired the Curve in order.

Hughes did even better than Milone over his next 3 innings -- he retired those 9 Harrisburg batters in order.� Bryan Morris was next out of the bullpen.� He retired the side in order in the 6th, and worked his way out of a jam in the 7th.� That inning began with a single, then Lombardozzi reached on fielding error, when his grounder bounced off 3B Harrison's glove.� With two on and none out (instead of one on and one out), Morris got a strikeout.� Another single loaded the bases, then Morris ended the inning with a three-pitch strikeout and a blazing line drive that went straight to Harrison's glove.

Mike Dubee took the mound for the Curve to begin the 8th inning, and he found trouble quickly.� Back-to-back singles opened the inning, then Dubee got a strikeout.� An RBI single followed, then Lombardozzi drove a liner down the right field line and into the bullpen, plating the second run of the inning.� An intentional walk loaded the bases, and a grounder to third yielded a force out at third, but Harrison's throw to first rolled away from 1B Hague, and instead of an inning-ending double play, two more runs scored and the inning continued.� Another single dropped in, in short left field, to drive in the fifth run of the inning.� Craig Hansen relieved Dubee, and he got the pitcher Pena to fly out to end the inning.

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Last home game

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Indianapolis Indians� 4,� Louisville Bats� 1 ...���� (box)

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Two RBI from the Indians' MVP and two hits from the team's Rookie of the Year supported a strong effort by the team's Starting Pitcher of the Year as the Tribe defeated the Louisville Bats at Victory Field in their home finale.� The Indians were again playing the role of spoiler, preventing the Bats from securing a playoff berth for at least one more day.

Starter Jeremy Powell (photo) pitched 6 solid innings, and allowed only one unearned run on 6 hits, but no walks, with 6 strikeouts.� Powell had trouble in two innings, one with trouble of his own making, and one with trouble that was foisted upon him.� After giving up a double off the top of the right field wall to Bats' lead-off batter CF Dave Sappelt, Powell retired the next three batters, including back-to-back strikeouts of RF Danny Dorn and 1B Todd Frazier, to get out of the inning.

The first bit of trouble came in the 2nd inning.� C Devin Mesoraco led off with a line drive into right field, going right toward RF Brandon Moss. But with a 6 pm start to the game, the sun was directly in Moss' eyes, and he had no idea where the ball was until it dropped to the ground about 15 feet in front of him and to his left for a single.� Powell got 3B Mike Costanzo to pop out to Pedro Ciriaco (photo below), then LF Michael Griffin singled into short center field.� 2B Kris Negron followed with another single, going over the left side of the infield into the outfield.� That brought up the Bats' pitcher Matt Klinker.� Powell got Klinker to tap back to the mound, where he snatched up the ball and returned it to the plate.� C Jason Jaramillo stepped on the plate to force out Mesoraco, then fired to first base for the double play on Klinker.

Powell allowed only one hit over the next three innings.� Dave Sappelt led off the 3rd with a single through the right side of the infield.� 2B Brian Friday took care of Sappelt when SS Zach Cozart lined sharply straight to Friday, who then took three steps forward and tagged out Sappelt, who was nearly at second base, for the unassisted double play.

Sappelt collected his third hit of the game when he led off the 6th inning with a single into center field.� Zach Cozart next bounced to third base, where 3B Akinori Iwamura made the scoop and turned to throw to second base to begin a double play.� He got the force out of Sappelt at second, but Brian Friday's throw on to first was rushed and it went to the outfield side of the bag.� 1B Mitch Jones couldn't make the catch, and Cozart was safe at first on a fielder's choice (no error because you can't assume a double play), with one out.� Danny Dorn was next, with a high pop at short.� This time, Pedro Ciriaco had to battle the wind, and instead of making the catch, a last-second gust pushed the ball away from him and it dropped to the ground.� That might not have been too much of a problem, since Ciriaco was able to quickly find the ball about 2 feet away and toss to second base to force out Cozart.� But Brian Friday could not keep hold of the toss, and when he tried to swipe at Cozart as he momentarily came off the bag, he missed that too.

That gave the Bats runners on first and second, with one out.� Todd Frazier gave the Indians another try at the double play that would end the inning with a grounder to third base.� Aki Iwamura again made the scoop and threw to second base to start a double play -- but this time, Iwamura's throw skittered into the outfield.� Frazier was safe at first on the fielder's choice, Dorn was safe at second on the throwing error, and Cozart raced around third base to score an unearned run.� Powell took a deep breath, bore down, and ended the mess by striking out both Devin Mesoraco and Mike Costanzo to end the inning.

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The wind had the flags doing this, and the flag poles swaying, all evening.

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Louisville Bats� 16,� Indianapolis Indians� 6 ..���� (box)

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It got ugly early at Victory Field tonight, and it didn't get much better as the game went on.� The Louisville Bats clobbered the Indianapolis Indians 16 - 6, and the two teams combined for a total of 30 hits.

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The Ugly:

* Starter Mike Crotta (photo) lasted only one inning.� The first four batters in the top of the 1st reached base:� a slow roller single to short that CF Dave Sappelt beat out for a single, double down the left field line by SS Zach Cozart, four pitch walk to RF Danny Dorn, and a bases-clearing triple to the 418' mark in left-center by 1B Todd Frazier.� Tribe SS Pedro Ciriaco made a diving stop and great throw to first base to make the first out of the inning on C Devin Mesoraco, then Crotta walked 3B Mike Costanzo.� 2B Eric Eymann hit a little dribbler just a few feet in front of home, but when C Jason Jaramillo had to leave the plate to field the ball, since he had a better angle than Crotta did for the throw to first, then Frazier took the opportunity to break for home and score.� LF Michael Griffin capped the inning with a wind-aided 2-run homer over the right field wall.� Crotta struck out Bats' pitcher Tom Cochran to end the inning.� The Bats had a 6 run advantage before the Indians came to the plate.

*After two scoreless innings and just one walk, reliever Corey Hamman (photo) got into trouble in the 4th.� With one out, Michael Griffin drove another triple to the 418' sign in left-center.� Hamman struck out Cochran again, for the second out of the inning, but he had trouble finding that third out.� The next four batters reached base -- an RBI double into center field by Sappelt, a walk to Cozart, a 2-RBI double that rattled around in the right field corner by Dorn, and an RBI double out of CF Alex Presley's reach in center by Frazier.� Bats lead, 10-3.

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*Anthony Claggett gave up another 2-run homer to Griffin in the 5th inning, for a 12 - 3 lead.� Then he gave up 3 more runs in the 7th.� With one out, he surrendered a double to Eymann, singles to Griffin and pinch-hitter Sean Henry (RBI), then after a ground out, another RBI single by Cozart.� Claggett was relieved by Brian Bass, who gave up another single to Dorn, driving in the third run of the inning.� Bats up 15-6.

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Jason Jaramillo and Brad Lincoln try to reassure umpire Chad Whitson.

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

Pitchers Brad Lincoln (photo) and Joe Martinez piggy-backed through 7 innings at Victory Field tonight, but the Indianapolis Indians' batters could not provide them with much run support, and the Columbus Clippers took the win in the last meeting between the two teams for the 2010 season.

Like last night, the Indians cracked the scoreboard first.� RF Brandon Moss led off the 2nd inning with a smooth line drive into left field for a single.� DH Jeff Clement, with the Indians on a rehab assignment, took a 4-pitch walk, moving Moss to second base.� 1B Mitch Jones made the first out of the inning by swinging at an outside pitch for strike three.� C Jason Jaramillo brought in Moss from second with a line drive just over the leaping Clippers' 2B Cord Phelps, to give the Indians a 1-0 lead.� The inning ended with a strike out-throw out double play, when Clement took off for third base as SS Doug Bernier swung at strike three.

And like last night, the lead did not last long.

Brad Lincoln began the game by giving up a dribbly infield single along the third base line to RF Jose Constanza.� Lincoln got the next two batters to fly out, then picked Constanza off first base to end the inning.� He retired the Clippers in order in the 2nd inning, including two strikeouts.� The third inning began with a solo home run by LF Matt McBride, to tie the score at 1-1.

Next to the plate was former Indy Indian C Luke Carlin.� Carlin and Lincoln, former battery mates decided to have a little fun with one another.� On Lincoln's first pitch, a ball, Carlin feinted a bunt -- something he knows irritates Lincoln.� Lincoln responded by throwing the second pitch about 3 feet behind Carlin -- not close to him so that Carlin had any chance of jumping back and getting hit.� Both players grinned at one another, and prepared to get down to the real business at hand.� Unfortunately, the umpiring crew did not see the same humor in the exchange.� 2B Umpire Alan Porter walked in to the mound and motioned to home plate umpire Chad Whitson.� The two conferred and talked to Lincoln, who appeared to be reassuring them that he had no intention of hurting his former teammate.� But the umpires were still not impressed.� Whitson warned both dugouts and managers, as Carlin turned away with a grimace on his face (photo).� Jason Jaramillo and Brad Lincoln continued to try to reassure Whitson (photo at top), but they did not seem to be making any progress.

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Despite repeating that they did not plan early call-ups, the Pirates have promoted John Bowker from the Indians to the Pirates.� He will join the team in Chicago today, maybe in time for the afternoon game.

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Bowker joined the Indians in early August.� In 25 games with the Tribe, he has 29 hits, with 7 doubles, 2 triples, 4 homers, and 10 RBI.� He has a .319 average, with a .571 SLG and a .939 OPS.� He had been hitting .310 in the Pacific Coast League, with 61 hits, 14 homers, and 36 RBI in 51 games.� In 41 games for the San Francisco Giants this season, Bowker hit .207 with 3 hits and 8 RBI.

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Columbus Clippers� 5,� Indianapolis Indians� 2 ..�� (box)

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The Columbus pitching staff held the Indianapolis Indians to just 4 hits at Victory Field tonight, while the Clippers' batters took advantage of timely hitting to slide past the Tribe.� The Clippers' win, combined with the Louisville Bats' 4-1 loss to the Toledo Mud Hens, means that the Clippers have regained first place in the International League Western Division by half a game.� It also means that Louisville is now on top of the Wild Card pile, with the Buffalo Bison and Syracuse Chiefs both tied at 4 games back.

RF Brandon Moss (photo) had two of the Indians four hits, a double and a single.� LF Kevin Melillo and 3B Akinori Iwamura each had a hit.� Three batters walked -- Iwamura, CF Alex Presley, and 1B John Bowker -- and that was all the base runners the Indians had.

The Indians threatened in the top of the 1st inning, when Presley walked with two outs, and Moss ripped a line drive down the right field line for a single, sending Presley to third base.� That inning ended when Bowker struck out.� The Tribe were first onto the scoreboard, with a rally in the 3rd inning.� Kevin Melillo got things stared with a grounder through the hole, just past the back-handed dive by Clippers' 1B Wes Hodges, for a one-out single.� Aki Iwamura worked a walk.� Alex Presley grounded to second base, and it looked like the Clippers were going to halt the rally with an inning-ending double play.� Iwamura was forced out at second base, but the speedy Presley beat out the relay throw back to first base.� That gave Brandon Moss a chance to come to the plate, and he took a fly ball past CF Ezequiel Carrera and into the deepest part of the stadium in the left-center alley.� The double drove in both Melillo and Presley, who was hustling all the way from first base, and the Indians had a 2-0 lead.

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John Bowker homered in the 4th

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Columbus Clippers� 6,� Indianapolis Indians� 4 ..�� (box)

The Indianapolis Indians could not keep up with the Columbus Clippers tonight at Victory Field, and the combination of the Indians' loss and the Clippers' win officially eliminated the Indians from any chance of making the International League playoffs as the wild card team.� The Louisville Bats lost to the Toledo Mud Hens, 6-2, so the Clippers have edged closer to the Bats, who are clinging to a half-game lead in the IL West Division.

The Indians and Clippers traded the lead back and forth in the middle innings of this game, but a 3-run 6th inning sealed the win for Columbus.� Jeremy Powell (photo) made his 20th start of the season for the Indians, and he suffered his 9th loss, allowing all 6 runs on 9 hits and a walk, with 3 strikeouts.� The Clippers got right down to business in the top of the 1st.� Lead-off batter RF Jose Constanza smacked Powell's first pitch on a line drive into center field, then hustled his way to second base before CF Alex Presley could get the ball back to the infield.� Powell got CF Ezequiel Carrera to ground out and got 2B Drew Sutton to pop out to 3B Akinori Iwamura in foul territory.� Then Powell got a 0-2 count on DH Wes Hodges, and was one strike away from escaping the inning unscathed -- until Hodges took the next pitch over the wall in dead center field, landing just behind the camera well for a 2-run homer.� 1B Jordan Brown followed the home run with a double to the warning track in right field.� Powell hit 3B Jared Goedert with a pitch, but both Brown and Goedert were left on base when LF Matt McBride flied out to left.

Not to be outdone, Aki Iwamura homered in the bottom of the 1st inning, taking the ball to almost exactly the same spot over the center field wall and behind the camera well -- no more than 5 feet away -- cutting the Clippers' lead to 2-1.� One out later, DH Brandon Moss was hit by a pitch from Columbus starter Yohan Pino.� Even though neither plunk appeared to be overtly intentional, home plate umpire Alan Porter must have decided he didn't want to have anyone even think about escalating anything, and so he stepped out and clearly warned Pino, Powell in the dugout, and both managers.� Moss ended the inning with a poor base running move -- he was caught out in the middle of nowhere on the base path, and easily caught stealing.