Monthly Archives: August, 2009

Two late inning rallies fell short for the Indians, as they came within one run of the Bats at Louisville Slugger Field tonight, but could not make the final push to tie or get the win. �With reliever Logan Ondrusek on the mound for the Bats in the 9th, and the Indians down 7-5, CF Chris Barnwell grounded to first for out #1. �2B Pedro Lopez (photo) gave the Tribe hope with a line drive single into center field. �LF Brian Myrow popped out in foul territory for the second out of the inning. �Lopez advanced to second base on defensive indifference, which put him into scoring position for 1B Jeff Clement, who singled into right field. �Lopez scored, and the Tribe were within one run of the Bats. �A pitch in the dirt by Ondrusek went off the glove of C Chris Denove, �allowing Clement to move to second base and into scoring position. �But RF Tagg Bozied struck out on a 2-2 pitch, to end the Indians' hopes.

The game had started off well for the Indians. �Both starting pitchers, Virgil Vasquez�(photo, with catcher Erik Kratz) for the Indians and Travis Wood for the Bats, worked around a lead-off single in the first inning. �CF Jose Tabata had the single for the Indians. �Then both teams scored 2 runs in the 2nd inning. �Tagg Bozied opened the 2nd inning with a ground rule double over the wall in left-center field. �C Erik Kratz continued his streak of only hitting home runs on the road, with his 8th round-tripper of the season, to give the Tribe a 2-0 lead. �The Bats came right back in the bottom of the inning. �1B Wes Bankston walked on 4 pitches from Vasquez. �LF Daniel Dorn doubled into left field, and Bankston moved to third base. �SS Chris Valaika followed with another double, this one into right field, and both Bankston and Dorn came around to score. �Vasquez walked C Chris Denove to put runners on first and second bases. �Travis Wood tapped back to the mound, where Vasquez pounced on the ball, whirled, and fired to Neil Walker at third base, forcing out the lead runner �Valaika for the second out of the inning. �A strikeout by CF Drew Stubbs ended the inning without further runs scoring.

The 2-2 tie lasted only moments, thanks to�Brian Myrow. �Myrow ripped a triple into straight-away center field, bouncing it off the wall. �Bats' CF Drew Stubbs seemed to have trouble getting the ball out of his glove, and Myrow was into third base easily. �Jeff Clement walked, then Tagg Bozied grounded to third, and the Bats started a 5-4-3 around-the-horn double play. �Myrow scored on the play (no RBI), giving the Indians a 3-2 lead. �

The 5th inning spelled trouble for the Indians in two ways. �First, in the top of the inning, Jose Tabata was injured. �He had reached base on a throwing error, and when he stole second base, he came up limping and holding his right hamstring. �Tabata had suffered a hamstring injury earlier this season, missing about 6 weeks in May and early June. �He left the game and was replaced by Chris Barnwell. �

More trouble came in the bottom of the inning. �Virgil Vasquez had breezed through the 3rd and 4th inning, allowing only a single. �In the bottom of the 5th, with 2 outs, he gave up two home runs -- a solo blast to 2B Luis Bolivar, then after a single by RF Chris Heisey, a 2-run shot by 3B Juan Francisco, who has only been with the Bats for a few days. �Vasquez gave up another single and hit a batter after the homers, but the inning ended with a fly out, and the Bats ahead, 5-3. �

Vasquez gave up another 2 singles in the 6th inning, which was his last of the evening. �He threw a total of 103 pitches (69 strikes), and gave up the 5 runs on 10 hits and 2 walks. �He struck out 4 batters. �Corey Hamman came in to pitch in the 7th inning for Vasquez. �He gave up another 2 runs, on a walk to Wes Bankston, a ground-rule double by Chris Valaika, and a 2-RBI single by Chris Denove. �Bats 7, Tribe 3.

The Indians got closer in the 8th inning, as the first three batters reached base. �Jeff Clement Walked and Tagg Bozied knocked a single off SS Chris Valaika's glove. �Neil Walker lined his team-leading 26th double of the season down the left field line, where it rattled around in the corner as Clement scored. �Walker cruised into second base and Bozied into third base. �A passed ball by C Chris Denove allowed Bozied to score from third base, and the Tribe had narrowed the gap to 7-5. �Walker moved up to third base, but he was left standing there, as a ground out, and two strikeouts ended the inning. �

Juan Mateo retired the Bats in order in the 8th inning, and the Tribe came back out in the 9th to rally again -- but they fell short.�

Indians' Hitting Gems of the Game: �Clutch singles in the 9th inning by Pedro Lopez and Jeff Clement.

Indians' Defensive Gems of the Game: �In the bottom of the 1st inning, Erik Kratz threw out Bats' Drew Stubbs as he tried to steal second base. �Stubbs leads the International League with 46 stolen bases. � And, Virgil Vasquez made a quick-thinking play on opposing pitcher Travis Wood's bunt, throwing to third base to force out the lead-runner Chris Valaika.

NOTES:

For the second week in a row, the International League Pitcher of the Week is an Indianapolis Indian. �Last week it was righty starter Eric Hacker, and this week it is another righty starter, Daniel McCutchen. �McCutchen made two starts, both against the Columbus Clippers, during the week of August 10-16. �He won both of them, pitching a total of 13.2 innings, and not allowing a run. �He gave up 12 hits over the two games (7 on the 10th and 5 on the 15th), and also struck out 12 (again 7 on the 10th and 5 on the 15th). �He only walked 2 batters, both in the game on the 15th. �McCutchen has a 12-6 record for the season, with a 3.40 ERA. �He leads the Indians with 129.2 innings pitched, and has allowed 128 hits, 27 walks, and struck out a total of 99 batters. �In 3 starts in the month of August, McCutchen has an 1.35 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 20 innings of work.

Neil Walker extended his hitting streak and his streak of extra-base hits to 5 games with his RBI double. �He has gone 8-for-20 (.400) in these last 5 games, increasing his overall batting average to .255.

Hector Gimenez�pinch-hit in tonight's game and struck out, ending his 10-game hitting streak. �He is hitting .314 over the last 10 games. �

Go Tribe!

[Photos by Nancy Zinni -- MVN]

The Altoona Curve have a scheduled day off. �Lefty Donnie Veal�is scheduled to begin his rehab assignment with the Curve on Tuesday. �

The Lynchburg Hillcats also have a scheduled day off.

The State College Spikes begin their 2-day All-Star break today. �The New York-Penn League All-Star game will be played tomorrow at the Spikes' home, Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. �The Spikes will be represented by infielder Brock Holt, and pitchers Phillip Irwin and Zach Foster. �

The Pirates and the Tigers took a 2-2 tie into the bottom of the 10th inning this afternoon. �SS Benjamin Gonzalez led off with a single up the middle, and he moved to second base on DH �Andrew Walker's sacrifice fly. �C Ramon Cabrera was intentionally walked, to get to 1B Jairo Marquez. �Marquez singled into right field, but Gonzalez was out at the plate on an on-target throw from the Tigers' right fielder. �With two outs, LF Rogelio Noris singled into left field, and Cabrera scored from second base to give the Pirates the win. �

The Tigers got onto the scoreboard first, with a single, a stolen base, and a RBI single in the top of the 1st inning. �The Pirates came back in the bottom of the frame, when Benjamin Gonzalez singled and went to second base on a wild pitch. �Andrew Walker walked, and Jairo Marquez drove Gonzalez in with a double into left field. �

Brad Clapp kept the Tigers scoreless over the next two innings, but gave up two singles to begin the 4th inning. �A sacrifice bunt moved the runners up 90 feet. �The next batter grounded to short, and Benjamin Gonzalez threw to third, where 3B Gemmy Gonzalez tagged out the runner coming from second base, as the runner on third scored. �Another single put runners on first and second bases again, and that was all for Clapp. �Rinku Singh came in from the bullpen, and got a fly out to end the inning. �Singh also pitched the 5th inning, giving up only a double. �

Trent Stevenson came on next, and he pitched 3 scoreless innings, allowing 3 hits. �Two of the hits came in the 8th, a double and a single, but a perfect throw from CF Edwin Roman to Ramon Cabrera at the plate turned what could have been a sacrifice fly and a run scored into a fly out-tag out double play at the plate. �

The Pirates tied the score again in the bottom of the 7th. �Gemmy Gonzalez led off with a double and moved to third on RF Wesley Freeman's sacrifice fly. �2B Gift Ngoepe walked, and Benjamin Gonzalez brought in Gemmy Gonzalez with an RBI single. �

Eliecer Navarro pitched the last two innings for the Pirates, and gave up a walk and a single. �He was the pitcher of record when Rogelio Noris hit his walk-off single in the 10th, so Navarro was credited with his 4th win.

CF Starling Marte posted 3 hits and 4 RBI as the Power totalled 12 hits, to overpower the Tourists this evening. �The Power got things started by scoring twice in the bottom of the 1st inning. �Three consecutive singles opened the inning -- to SS Greg Picart, CF Starling Marte, and C Tony Sanchez. �Sanchez drove in Picart, but Marte was out at third base on the throw from center field to third. �Sanchez was able to move up to second base on the throw to third. �Sanchez advanced to third base on 1B Kyle Morgan's ground out. �LF Quincy Latimore lined a double�into left field, scoring Sanchez. �

Asheville returned fire in the top of the 2nd inning, tying the score with a 2-run homer. �The Power did not let the tie last for long, though. �DH Calvin Anderson led off the bottom of the 4th inning with a solo home run (his 11th of the season). �3B Bobby Spain followed the homer with a walk. �2B Danny Bomback singled, and both moved into scoring position on a fielding error in left field. �Another fielding error put RF Austin McClune on base, loading the bases. �Spain scored on a wild pitch, and both Bomback and McClune scored on Starling Marte's line drive into center field. �Marte stole second base and Kyle Morgan walked, but they were left on base at the end of the inning. �Power 6, Tourists 2.

The Power added another 3 runs in the 5th inning. �Calvin Anderson led off again, this time with a single, though he was out at second when Bobby Spain grounded into a force play. �Danny Bomback singled, and Austin McClune doubled, scoring Spain. �Starling Marte singled for his third hit of the game, bringing in both Bomback and McClune. �

Brian Leach, who started for the Power, pitched 6 innings, and scattered just 4 hits and 2 walks. �He struck out 5 batters. �Two of the hits were homers, the one in the 2nd inning for 2 runs, and a solo shot in the 6th inning. �Diego Mor eno relieved Leach and pitched the last 3 innings, earning his 5th save. �He gave up only 2 hits -- a double in the 7th, and a solo homer in the 8th. �He struck out 4 batters. �

The Indianapolis Indians didn't get to stay at .500 for very long -- not even for 24 hours. �Four unanswered runs by the Clippers handed the Indians and Phil Dumatrait the loss this evening at Huntington Park in Columbus, Ohio.

Phil Dumatrait was originally scheduled to start tonight's game for the Indians, but the Pirates decided that he should be moved to the bullpen, since that is where he is likely to be when he comes off the disabled list. �Ty Taubenheim (photo) was called upon to make the start today, with the hopes that he could go at least 3 innings, since he has been working out of the bullpen recently. �Taubenheim did better than that -- he pitched very efficient 5 innings, needing only 63 pitches (40 strikes) to do it. �Taubenheim allowed one run on 6 hits and a walk, while striking out 2 batters. �

He breezed through the first 3 innings, allowing only a walk and a single with 2 outs in the 2nd inning, and a 2-out double in the 3rd. �The run Taubenheim gave up came in the 4th inning, again with 2 outs. �Three consecutive singles by C Lou Marson, RF Stephen Head, and 2B Jesus Merchan brought in Marson with the run. �Taubenheim came back with a scoreless 5th inning, allowing only a single.

The Indians were also quiet over the first 3 innings. �LF Brian Myrow (photo) picked up the first of his two hits, a single in the 1st inning, and C Robinzon Diaz worked a lead-off walk in the 3rd, but both were left on base. �The Indians got onto the scoreboard first, with 2 runs in the top of the 4th. �Myrow led off with a booming double to center field, and advanced to second base on 1B Jeff Clement's ground out to the right side of the infield. �RF Tagg Bozied lined a single into center, scoring Myrow easily. �3B Neil Walker smacked his 25th double of the season down the right field line, and when Stephen Head had trouble picking up the ball, Bozied did not have to stop at third base. �He score well ahead of the throw in from right field, giving the Indians a 2-0 lead. �(No RBI for Walker on the play.)

The lead was cut to 2-1 in the bottom of the 4th, when the Clippers scored the run off Taubenheim. �Phil Dumatrait (photo) relieved Taubenheim to begin the 6th inning. �He had been told that he would pitch 2 innings tonight, and unfortunately, the Clippers took advantage of him in both innings. �With one out in the 6th, Lou Marson singled, and Stephen Head followed with a long fly ball over the left field wall for a 2-run homer, and Columbus took the lead, 3-2. �In the 7th, Dumatrait again got the first out, then gave up a double to LF Josh Barfield. �A passed ball by Robinzon Diaz put Barfield on third base. �3B Tony Graffanino tapped one back to the mound, which ricocheted off Dumatrait's glove and over toward short. �SS Argenis Diaz fielded it cleanly, but only had time to make the play at first base, and Barfield scored the unearned insurance run. �

After scoring in the 4th inning, the Indians could not get anything going against Columbus starter Carlos Carrasco, who has had a lot of success against the Indians this season. �Carrasco retired the Tribe in order over the 5th, 6th, and 7th innings. �The Indians did not get on base again until the 8th inning, when 2B Chris Barnwell singled up the middle. �CF Jose Tabata grounded into a force play, with Barnwell out at second and Tabata left on first base. �A wild pitch moved Tabata to second, and Brian Myrow walked, which finally ended Carrasco's evening. �Tabata stole third base off reliever Jose Veras, but Veras got Jeff Clement to fly out, ending the inning. �

Jean Machi pitched a 1-2-3 inning for the Indians in the bottom of the 9th, and the Tribe had one more chance in the top of the 9th. �With one out, Neil Walker took a 4-pitch walk. �DH Hector Gimenez singled into right field, moving Walker to second base. �Robinzon Diaz bounced to third base, and the Clippers got the force out at second base, leaving runners on the corners with two outs. �Pinch hitter Larry Broadway came to the plate for Argenis Diaz, thinking that the lefty Broadway might have better luck against the right-handed pitcher Greg Aquino. �But Broadway grounded to first base and the rally was cut short. �

The loss dropped the Indians to one game below .500 again. �They will travel on to Louisville next, where they will play 3 games against the Bats, then return to Indianapolis for another 3 games against the Bats. �

Indians' Hitting Gem of the Game: �Tagg Bozied's (photo) clutch hitting -- an RBI single in the 4th, scoring Brian Myrow with the Tribe's first run of the game. �

Indians' Defensive Gem of the Game: �In the bottom of the 4th, with two outs and runners on second and third bases, SS Niuman Romero hit a sharp grounder toward center field. �2B Chris Barnwell made the stop, and was still able to throw out Romero at first, keeping at least one more r un from scoring.

Go Tribe!

[Photos by Nancy Zinni -- MVN]

Lefty reliever Donnie Veal is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with the Altoona Curve on Tuesday. �

Justin Wilson pitched 7 scoreless innings for the Hillcats, scattering 5 hits, no walks, and striking out 11 Pelicans to earn his 6th win of the season. �The Pelicans were only able to put more than one base runner on in the 4th, when they singled twice, but Wilson got a strikeout and a grounder force out to end the inning. �Harrison Bishop relieved Wilson to begin the 8th, and he retired 6 batters in order, including one strikeout, to earn his second save. �

The Hillcats did their scoring in the early innings, and only recorded 4 hits of their own, though they also had the advantage of 4 walks, 3 hit batters, and 2 wild pitches by the Pelicans' starter Erik Cordier. �The 'Cats scored their first run in the 1st inning, when 2B Josh Harrison and 3B Jordy Mercer were both hit by pitches and RF Jamie Romak walked. �1B Matt Hague's sacrifice fly scored Harrison. �A wild pitch moved the runners to second and third, but they stayed there when the inning ended on a ground out.

The Hillcats added two more runs in the 3rd inning. �Harrison walked and stole second base, and scored on Mercer's RBI double. �Romak was hit by a pitch, and another wild pitch again put runners on second and third bases. �A ground out by Hague brought Mercer home, and the Hillcats had a 3-0 lead. �

Those runs all came with just one hit. �Lynchburg's other three hits did not result in runs scoring: �LF Alex Presley singled in the 2nd inning but was caught stealing;�Jamie Romak doubled to lead off the 6th inning; and CF Jose De Los Santos singled in the 7th and stole his 49th base. ��

SS Ray Chang had 3 hits, including 2 doubles and an RBI for the Curve, but even a 4-run 9th inning wasn't enough to overcome the FisherCats. �New Hampshire did all their scoring in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th inning, all off starter Mike Crotta, who suffered his 7th loss of the season. �Only 4 of the runs were earned. �A fielding error by 3B Eddie Prasch began the 2nd inning, and four singles after that brought in 4 runs. �A fielding error by 1B Miles Durham opened the 3rd inning, and a single, a double, and an RBI ground out added 2 more runs. �In the 4th inning, Crotta gave up two singles, a walk, and a wild pitch to give the FisherCats one run. �Dustin Molleken relieved Crotta, but he gave up two singles and a sacrifice fly, and two more runs came in (both charged to Crotta). �Molleken finished the 4th inning for Crotta, then allowed only a walk over the next two innings. �Jeff Sues pitched 2 scoreless innings and Ramon Aguero pitched a scoreless 9th inning for the Curve.

The Curve scored one run in the 2nd inning, on walks to C Steve Lerud and RF Jonel Pacheco, followed by an RBI double by Ray Chang. �In the 5th inning, with the FisherCats ahead 9-1, the Curve coaxed 2 more runs out of the New Hampshire pitchers. �Pacheco walked again and Chang singled, then CF Gorkys Hernandez tripled, to bring both in, and lift the Curve to 9-3. �The Curve put runners on base in the 7th, with a single by Hernandez and a walk to 2B Shelby Ford. �In the 8th, 3B Pedro Alvarez doubled, and went to third base on a wild pitch, but again, the Curve could not get base runners in. �

The Curve rallied again in the bottom of the 9th. �Ray Chang led off with a double, Eddie Prasch singled, and Gorkys Hernandez was hit by a pitch, loading the bases with no outs. �Shelby Ford doubled, bringing in Chang and Prasch, and Alvarez's RBI ground out scored Hernandez. �Miles Durham doubled, and Ford came home with the 4th run of the inning. �That was all the Curve could get, though, as a ground out ended the inning and the game. �

The Spikes scored in every inning but two, including a run in each of the last 4 innings, to send the Monsters back to their Lake. �LF Edward Garcia went 4-for-5, and DH Justin Byler and RF David Rubinstein had 3 hits each for the Spikes.

State College opened the game with a 4-run 1st inning. �SS Brock Holt led off with a single, and walks to CF Evan Chambers and 1B Aaron Baker loaded the bases. �Justin Byler brought in Holt with a sacrifice fly, and a throwing error moved the runners up to second and third bases. �Both Chambers and Baker scored on David Rubinstein's RBI single. �After a wild pitch and a ground out put him on third base, Rubinstein scored on Edward Garcia's RBI single. �C Craig Parry scored another run in the 2nd, when he singled, stole second, went to third on a ground out, and came home on Holt's sacrifice fly. �Singles by Byler, Rubinstein, and Garcia gave the Spikes another run in the 3rd inning , for a 6-0 lead. �

Victor Black got the start for the Spikes, and pitched 3 hitless, scoreless innings. �He had one base runner on due to a walk and another batter reached on a throwing error. �Black struck out 4 batters. �Tyler Cox took the mound to begin the 4th inning, and he allowed one run in that inning on two singles and an RBI ground out. �Then he gave up 4 runs in the 5th inning, on 3 singles, a throwing error, a passed ball, and a sacrifice fly. �That brought Vermont within one run of the Spikes, 6-5. �

That was when the Curve kept tacking on one run at a time. �In the 6th, 3B Pat Irvine walked, Edward Garcia singled again, and Craig Parry's sacrifice fly scored Irvine. �The Spikes loaded the bases in the 7th on a single by Justin Byler, David Rubinstein hit by a pitch, and a walk to Irvine. �Parry walked, forcing in Byler for another run. �Evan Chambers hit a solo home run for the 8th inning run. �In the 9th Edward Garcia posted his 4th hit of the game, a single, then stole second base, went to third on a wild pitch, and scored on SS Andy Vasquez's sacrifice fly. �The Spikes had 4 sac flies in the game. �

Tyler Cox went on to pitch 2 scoreless innings, for a total of 4 innings of work, allowing the 5 runs (2 earned) on 6 hits and a walk. �Zach Foster pitched a scoreless 8th inning, allowing a walk and a single. �Marc Baca pitched a scoreless 9th inning to finish things for the Spikes. �

The Indianapolis Indians still had a lot of hits left in their bats -- after posting 16 hits last night on their way to 14 runs, they came up with another 16 hits tonight, again stomping on the Clippers at Huntington Park in Columbus, Ohio. �Three Tribe batters, LF Chris Barnwell, CF Jose Tabata, and 2B Pedro Lopez, had 3 hits each, and another three batters, RF Tagg Bozied, 3B Neil Walker, and 1B Robinzon Diaz, had 2 hits apiece.�

Starter Daniel McCutchen (photo) and reliever Jeremy Powell combined to shut out the Clippers and hold them to 7 hits, earning McCutchen his 12th win and Powell his 2nd save.

Like last night,�Chris Barnwell began the game by taking the first pitch of the game into the outfield for a hit -- tonight it was a line drive single to right field. �Tonight, despite another single by�Pedro Lopez to move Barnwell to second, the Tribe did not score in the 1st inning. �Instead, they got their first run in the 2nd. �

Neil Walker�(photo)�smacked a single through the hole and �into left field, and went to second base when C Erik Kratz grounded slowly to third base -- the only play was at first. �Robinzon Diaz, who was playing first base for the second time, singled into left field, and Walker scored. �

The Tribe added two more runs in the 3rd inning. �Chris Barnwell and�Jose Tabata both singled into center field. �Pedro Lopez dropped down a sacrifice bunt, moving both runners into scoring position. �DH Jeff Clement picked up an RBI with a ground out, scoring Barnwell. ��Tagg Bozied walked, to put runners on the corner. �With Neil Walker batting, Bozied took off for second base and drew Clippers' catcher Damaso Espino's throw. �Tabata delayed until the ball was in the air, then he scrambled for the plate. �Both runners were safe on the double steal. ��

Columbus starter Mike Gosling gave the Indians another two runs in the 5th inning. �With one out, Jose Tabata lined a single into center field. �Doubles by Pedro Lopez and Tagg Bozied (photo below), both into center field, scored Tabata and Lopez, and gave the Tribe a 5-0 lead. �

Reliever Frank Herrmann took over for Gosling to begin the 6th inning, and the Indians didn't treat him much better in that inning. �With one out, a fielding error by Clippers' SS Jesus Merchan put Robinzon Diaz on base, and the Indians took advantage of the mistake. �Two straight singles by Chris Barnwell and Jose Tabata, loaded the bases, and the third single, by Pedro Lopez pushed Diaz and Barnwell across the plate. �Indians 7, Clippers 0.

Herrmann settled in and limited the Tribe to a double by Tagg Bozied in the 7th inning and a single by SS Argenis Diaz in the 8th, but neither could come around to score. �Zach Jackson �pitched the 9th for Columbus, and he gave up a double to Neil Walker, his 24th of the season, �but again the Indians didn't score.

Daniel McCutchen threw 96 pitches (64 strikes) in his 6 innings of work, earning his 12th win of the season. �He worked around at least one base runner in each inning, as he scattered a double, 4 singles, and 2 walks. �He also had a batter reach base on a missed catch error by Robinzon Diaz at first. �He also struck out 5 batters. �

Jeremy Powell (photo) pitched the final 3 innings of the game to earn his second save. �He allowed a lead-off double by Damaso Espino in the 7th, and a two-out double by 3B Wes Hodges in the 8th, neither time allowing the runner to score. �Powell then got three ground outs in the 9th to end the game. �

�

Indians' Hitting Gems of the Game: �Three hits, a double and two singles, by Pedro Lopez, for 3 RBI. �

Indians' Defensive Gems of the Game: �9 shutout innings by Daniel McCutchen and Jeremy Powell. �Runners got on base, but they didn't score. �

NOTES:

With Brian Bixler up with the Pirates, a roster spot opened up, and Larry Broadway came off the disabled list (calf injury). �He got into the game as a pinch hitter in the 7th inning (fly out) and remained in the game to play first base for the last 3 innings.�

Go Tribe!

[Photos by Nancy Zinni -- MVN]

Yoslan Herrera's winning streak could not go on forever. �It ended last night, when he was charged with his first loss of the season. �It was a tough loss, too -- he pitched 5 innings nad allowed only one run on 6 hits and 5 walks, with 6 strikeouts. �The lone run came in the first inning. �He gave up a single and a walk, then eliminated one base runner with a double play. �But two more walks and a single brought in the run. �Herrera had base runners on in each of the next 4 innings, but did not let them score. �

In fact, no one scored at all until the top of the 7th. With reliever Derek Hankins on the mound, a ground-rule double and a single gave the Fisher Cats another run. �

The Curve put base runners on in each of the first 3 innings, but fell victim to two double plays, and had a runner picked off. �They went down in order over the next four innings, until they finally got onto the scoreboard in the 8th inning. �C Steve Lerud led off with a double, and LF Jonel Pacheco walked. �DH Ray Chang loaded the bases with an infield single. �CF Jeff Corsaletti brought Lerud in with an RBI single into left field. �But SS Brian Friday cut the rally short by bouncing into a 1-2-3 double play, forcing Pacheco out at home, and a fly out ended the inning. �F-Cats 2, Curve 1.

The Fisher Cats picked up 2 insurance runs in the top of the 9th. �Derek Hankins began the inning by allowing a double and an RBI single, and was relieved by Scott Nestor. �Nestor's wild pitch moved the base runner to third, and after two outs, an RBI single brought in another run. �The Curve rallied again in the bottom of the 9th, beginning with walks to RF Miles Durham and 1B Jason Delaney. �Steve Lerud's single plated Durham. �Jonel Pacheco singled to load the bases, but Ray Chang hit into an inning-ending double play, and the Curve came up short. �

3B Pedro Alvarez went 0-for-3 with a walk, but the walk extended his on-base streak to 14 games. �His batting average stands at .343. �Cory Giger of the Altoona Mirror talked to Pirates' GM Neal Huntington�this week when he was in Altoona, and got the scoop on why Alvarez will probably not be boosted up to Pittsburgh this season, and may not even get moved up to Indianapolis for a couple of weeks. �

This was a completion of the game that began on Aug 5th, but had to be suspended due to lightning in the middle of the 5th. �Neither team had scored yet, but when the game resumed, the Pirated broke out with 6 runs in the top of the 6th. �DH Ramon Cabrera brought in the first run with an RBI single, and�C Andrew Walker brought in another with a double. �RF Wesley Freeman's grand slam put the game away. �3B Henry Henry added a solo homer in the 8th. �

The pitching is a bit confusing in this game. �On Aug 5th, it was reported that Brooks Pounders had started the game and pitched 4 innings. �Now milb reports that Jhonatan Ramos not only began the game, but continued pitching after the game was resumed nearly two weeks later. �(Hmmmm....). �Ramos was credited with his 5th win, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits, with 6 strikeouts. �Edgar Gutierrez pitched 2.1 scoreless innings in relief. �

This was the regularly scheduled game, which went only 7 innings. �1B Gerlis Rodriguez had the RBI single in the 1st inning, and C Jesus Aguilera had the RBI single in the 2nd, giving the Pirates their first two runs. �Brooks Pounders pitched 2 innings and allowed 4 runs (one earned) on 3 hits and 5 walks. �DH Jairo Marquez gave the Pirates the lead in the top of the 5th with a 3-run homer. �But the Tigers came back to score 6 runs in the bottom of the 5th, on 4 walks, a wild pitch, a throwing error, a single, and a 3-run homer. �Zachary Fuesser and Papiro Juan each allowed 3 runs, with 5 walks by Fuesser, who was charged with the loss, and 2 walks by Juan. �Rinku Singh finished the game for the Pirates with a perfect 6th inning -- two strikeouts (swinging) and a pop out. ��

Matt McSwain pitched 5.2 innings in his 8th loss, allowing 4 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks, with 3 strikeouts. �The Pelicans scored in the first inning with a 2-run homer. �The Hillcats came back with a run in the 3rd, when SS Chase d'Arnaud singled, stole second base, and scored on a fielding error. �LF Jared Keel added another run in the 4th with his 11th hom er of the season to tie the game. �The Pe licans took the lead again in the top of the 6th, when McSwain loaded the bases with a double and two walks, then had a run score on a double play, and another run come in on a double. �Chris Cullen and Tom Boleska finished the game for the Hillcats, without allowing another run to score.

The Hillcats had a total of 9 hits, with each member of the starting line-up posting one and only one hit apiece.

The Power swept the 4-game series with the Legends, and the 8-game road trip. �They went into the top of the 9th with the score tied at 3-3. �3B Bobby Spain led off with a single and was replaced by pinch runner Brett Willemburg, fresh off the disabled list. �A ground out moved Willemburg to second base, and a throwing error on C Josue Peley's sacrifice bunt scored Willemburg with the go-ahead run. �SS Greg Picart singled and DH Tony Sanchez was intentionally walked to load the bases, and a wild pitch by the new relief pitcher allowed Peley to score an insurance run. �The Power would need that insurance. The Legends rallied in the bottom of the 9th, with Gabriel Alvarado on the mound. �A walk, a single, and a fielding error by Willemburg, now at third base, brought in a run. A passed ball put runners on second and third bases, but Alvarado got a strikeout to end the inning and the game. �Alvarado earned his 6th win. �Starter Aaron Pribanic pitched 5 innings and allowed 2 runs on 3 hits, no walks, and 3 strikeouts. �

Bobby Spain went 3-for-4 for the Power and Tony Sanchez went 2-for-3.

The Spikes went into the 9th inning with a 3-0 lead. �Starter Mike Felix allowed only one hit in�4.2 scoreless innings, and Mike Williams added another 2.1 scoreless innings. �Vermont picked up only their second hit of the game in the 8th inning off reliever Alan Knotts. �But in the bottom of the 9th, Knotts began with a hit batter and a wild pitch. �Then two singles and a triple tied the game at 3-3. �Spikes' manager Gary Robinson was ejected at that point. �Then two intentionally walks and a sacrifice fly gave Vermont the walk-off win. �

1B Justin Byler scored the Spikes' first run with a solo homer in the 4th inning. �His RBI ground out plated SS Brock Holt, who had been hit by a pitch, in the 6th. �Three fielding errors by Vermont along with a sacrifice bunt by 2B Deybis Benitez allowed 3B Pat Irvine to score the Spikes' third run in the 7th. �

Yoslan Herrera's winning streak could not go on forever. �It ended last night, when he was charged with his first loss of the season. �It was a tough loss, too -- he pitched 5 innings nad allowed only one run on 6 hits and 5 walks, with 6 strikeouts. �The lone run came in the first inning. �He gave up a single and a walk, then eliminated one base runner with a double play. �But two more walks and a single brought in the run. �Herrera had base runners on in each of the next 4 innings, but did not let them score. �

In fact, no one scored at all until the top of the 7th. With reliever Derek Hankins on the mound, a ground-rule double and a single gave the Fisher Cats another run. �

The Curve put base runners on in each of the first 3 innings, but fell victim to two double plays, and had a runner picked off. �They went down in order over the next four innings, until they finally got onto the scoreboard in the 8th inning. �C Steve Lerud led off with a double, and LF Jonel Pacheco walked. �DH Ray Chang loaded the bases with an infield single. �CF Jeff Corsaletti brought Lerud in with an RBI single into left field. �But SS Brian Friday cut the rally short by bouncing into a 1-2-3 double play, forcing Pacheco out at home, and a fly out ended the inning. �F-Cats 2, Curve 1.

The Fisher Cats picked up 2 insurance runs in the top of the 9th. �Derek Hankins began the inning by allowing a double and an RBI single, and was relieved by Scott Nestor. �Nestor's wild pitch moved the base runner to third, and after two outs, an RBI single brought in another run. �The Curve rallied again in the bottom of the 9th, beginning with walks to RF Miles Durham and 1B Jason Delaney. �Steve Lerud's single plated Durham. �Jonel Pacheco singled to load the bases, but Ray Chang hit into an inning-ending double play, and the Curve came up short. �

3B Pedro Alvarez went 0-for-3 with a walk, but the walk extended his on-base streak to 14 games. �His batting average stands at .343. �Cory Giger of the Altoona Mirror talked to Pirates' GM Neal Huntington�this week when he was in Altoona, and got the scoop on why Alvarez will probably not be boosted up to Pittsburgh this season, and may not even get moved up to Indianapolis for a couple of weeks. �

This was a completion of the game that began on Aug 5th, but had to be suspended due to lightning in the middle of the 5th. �Neither team had scored yet, but when the game resumed, the Pirated broke out with 6 runs in the top of the 6th. �DH Ramon Cabrera brought in the first run with an RBI single, and�C Andrew Walker brought in another with a double. �RF Wesley Freeman's grand slam put the game away. �3B Henry Henry added a solo homer in the 8th. �

The pitching is a bit confusing in this game. �On Aug 5th, it was reported that Brooks Pounders had started the game and pitched 4 innings. �Now milb reports that Jhonatan Ramos not only began the game, but continued pitching after the game was resumed nearly two weeks later. �(Hmmmm....). �Ramos was credited with his 5th win, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits, with 6 strikeouts. �Edgar Gutierrez pitched 2.1 scoreless innings in relief. �

This was the regularly scheduled game, which went only 7 innings. �1B Gerlis Rodriguez had the RBI single in the 1st inning, and C Jesus Aguilera had the RBI single in the 2nd, giving the Pirates their first two runs. �Brooks Pounders pitched 2 innings and allowed 4 runs (one earned) on 3 hits and 5 walks. �DH Jairo Marquez gave the Pirates the lead in the top of the 5th with a 3-run homer. �But the Tigers came back to score 6 runs in the bottom of the 5th, on 4 walks, a wild pitch, a throwing error, a single, and a 3-run homer. �Zachary Fuesser and Papiro Juan each allowed 3 runs, with 5 walks by Fuesser, who was charged with the loss, and 2 walks by Juan. �Rinku Singh finished the game for the Pirates with a perfect 6th inning -- two strikeouts (swinging) and a pop out. ��

Matt McSwain pitched 5.2 innings in his 8th loss, allowing 4 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks, with 3 strikeouts. �The Pelicans scored in the first inning with a 2-run homer. �The Hillcats came back with a run in the 3rd, when SS Chase d'Arnaud singled, stole second base, and scored on a fielding error. �LF Jared Keel added another run in the 4th with his 11th hom er of the season to tie the game. �The Pe licans took the lead again in the top of the 6th, when McSwain loaded the bases with a double and two walks, then had a run score on a double play, and another run come in on a double. �Chris Cullen and Tom Boleska finished the game for the Hillcats, without allowing another run to score.

The Hillcats had a total of 9 hits, with each member of the starting line-up posting one and only one hit apiece.

The Power swept the 4-game series with the Legends, and the 8-game road trip. �They went into the top of the 9th with the score tied at 3-3. �3B Bobby Spain led off with a single and was replaced by pinch runner Brett Willemburg, fresh off the disabled list. �A ground out moved Willemburg to second base, and a throwing error on C Josue Peley's sacrifice bunt scored Willemburg with the go-ahead run. �SS Greg Picart singled and DH Tony Sanchez was intentionally walked to load the bases, and a wild pitch by the new relief pitcher allowed Peley to score an insurance run. �The Power would need that insurance. The Legends rallied in the bottom of the 9th, with Gabriel Alvarado on the mound. �A walk, a single, and a fielding error by Willemburg, now at third base, brought in a run. A passed ball put runners on second and third bases, but Alvarado got a strikeout to end the inning and the game. �Alvarado earned his 6th win. �Starter Aaron Pribanic pitched 5 innings and allowed 2 runs on 3 hits, no walks, and 3 strikeouts. �

Bobby Spain went 3-for-4 for the Power and Tony Sanchez went 2-for-3.

The Spikes went into the 9th inning with a 3-0 lead. �Starter Mike Felix allowed only one hit in�4.2 scoreless innings, and Mike Williams added another 2.1 scoreless innings. �Vermont picked up only their second hit of the game in the 8th inning off reliever Alan Knotts. �But in the bottom of the 9th, Knotts began with a hit batter and a wild pitch. �Then two singles and a triple tied the game at 3-3. �Spikes' manager Gary Robinson was ejected at that point. �Then two intentionally walks and a sacrifice fly gave Vermont the walk-off win. �

1B Justin Byler scored the Spikes' first run with a solo homer in the 4th inning. �His RBI ground out plated SS Brock Holt, who had been hit by a pitch, in the 6th. �Three fielding errors by Vermont along with a sacrifice bunt by 2B Deybis Benitez allowed 3B Pat Irvine to score the Spikes' third run in the 7th. �

Bixler has earned this call-up, after hitting .343 for the month of July, with 6 doubles, 3 triples, 6 homers, and 20 RBI. �That hot hitting continued into August, with Bixler hitting .321, with 2 more singles, 3 more homers, and 6 RBI. Bixler was a late scratch from last night's Indians' game, interrupting his 15-game hitting streak. �

Bautista made 35 appearances for the Pirates last season, all in relief, earning a 4-3 record and a 6.10 ERA. �He has been with the Indy Indians all season, making 36 relief appearances for 48 innings. �He's allowed 54 hits and 29 runs (26 earned) with 34 walks and 58 strikeouts. �He has a 2-3 record and a 4.88 ERA. �

Phil Dumatrait will join the Indians bullpen, taking Bautista's place. �He is still on his rehab assignment and may swap places with Bautista when he's ready to come off the Disabled List. �

OF Jeff Salazar was Designated For Assignment -- he will be on waivers for up to 10 days. �That makes room for Bixler. �

Bixler has earned this call-up, after hitting .343 for the month of July, with 6 doubles, 3 triples, 6 homers, and 20 RBI. �That hot hitting continued into August, with Bixler hitting .321, with 2 more singles, 3 more homers, and 6 RBI. Bixler was a late scratch from last night's Indians' game, interrupting his 15-game hitting streak. �

Bautista made 35 appearances for the Pirates last season, all in relief, earning a 4-3 record and a 6.10 ERA. �He has been with the Indy Indians all season, making 36 relief appearances for 48 innings. �He's allowed 54 hits and 29 runs (26 earned) with 34 walks and 58 strikeouts. �He has a 2-3 record and a 4.88 ERA. �

Phil Dumatrait will join the Indians bullpen, taking Bautista's place. �He is still on his rehab assignment and may swap places with Bautista when he's ready to come off the Disabled List. �

OF Jeff Salazar was Designated For Assignment -- he will be on waivers for up to 10 days. �That makes room for Bixler. �