Indians' starting pitcher Brad Lincoln (photo) pitched 6 innings and gave the Indians a solid start, leaving the game behind, but only by two runs -- a game still within reach. �But the two relievers who came in from the bullpen, Vinnie Chulk and Anthony Claggett, completely fell apart in the last two innings of the game, as the Mud Hens overwhelmed the Indians at Victory Field on Monday night.
Lincoln began the game with two scoreless innings, though his command was a little off. �He hit one batter, and threw first-pitch walks to three of the four batters in the 1st inning. �The second inning was a little better -- he hit another batter, but struck out two. �The first Toledo run scored in the 3rd inning, when Lincoln gave up a one-out single to Mud Hens' 2B Will Rhymes. �The single was followed by a walk to SS Brent Dlugach, a single off either the side of the bound or the tip of Lincoln's glove by RF Brennan Boesch, which scored Rhymes, and another walk to 1B Jeff Larish. �That left the bases still loaded, with one out.
C Luke Carlin came to Lincoln's rescue. �He caught Larish napping a bit at first base �while Lincoln was pitching to CF Casper Wells, and Carlin's snap throw down to first base picked Larish off. �That turned out to be a big out. �Wells grounded to short for an easy out to end the inning, leaving two runners in scoring position.
The Indians had scored one run in the 2nd inning off Toledo starter and former Indian and Pirate, Phil Dumatrait. �3B Pedro Alvarez led off with a line drive into right field, and 1B Steve Pearce followed with another line drive, this one into center field. �Alvarez was off and running with the pitch, and easily reached third, sliding in before the throw (photo).
The runners-on-the-corners situation turned into just a runner on third, when Pearce tried to steal second base on a ball that Dumatrait threw into the dirt. �Toledo catcher Mike Rabelo recovered the ball quickly, though, and his throw down to second easily beat Pearce, who slid wide to the outfield side of the bag. �Alvarez was the next runner to be thrown out. �LF Jonathan Van Every tapped back to the mound, and Dumatrait quickly scooped up the ball and threw back to the plate, where Rabelo tagged out Alvarez as he tried to score from third.
That left Van Every on first base. �DH Brandon Moss worked a walk, and C Luke Carlin lined a single into right field, allowing Van Every to race around from second base and score.
The Indianapolis Indians won for the first time at Victory Field this season, and for the first time against the Toledo Mud Hens in 2010 on Sunday afternoon. �The Indians posted 13 hits and 9 runs, and it was only the second game of the season in which they scored more than 4 runs.
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Neil Walker found himself in two unusual positions today: �back at third base for the first time this season, and in the lead-off spot in the line-up for the first time in.... probably a really long time, if not forever. �Before anyone had time to wonder if it was going to be a good idea, Walker proved that it was the perfect spot for him today. �He lifted Toledo starter Ruddy Lugo's second pitch over the right field wall, not far inside the foul pole, for a lead-off home run (photo).
Walker admitted that it felt different to be the first one to the plate in the first inning. �"I wasn't quite sure what it was going to be like," said Walker after the game. �"I tried to stay aggressive, and I got lucky and hit one out. � It was a change-up and it was hanging over the plate. �I was able to stay through it a bit and Victory Field helped me out a little bit down the right field line with a little wind."
The Tribe took off from there. �Each member of the line-up had at least one hit, Walker had three (single, double, and homer), and CF Jonathan Van Every and LF Brandon Moss both had a single and a homer. �The Indians scored in each of the first four innings and again in the 6th, and went down in order only once -- the 9th.