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Jakubauskas Pitches 2 Rehab Innings In Indians’ Loss

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IMG_3848Powell got into trouble again in the 2nd inning. �C Lou Marson led off with a fly ball down the right field line and into the corner, just out of RF Brandon Moss’ reach and just fair, for a triple. �RF Jose Constanza and Michael Brantley both walked, and Powell had the bases loaded with no outs. �He got a big out when Josh Rodriguez lifted a pop foul that 1B Brian Myrow was able to catch, and Myrow got the ball to the plate right away, though the runners were not making any serious attempts to advance. �Then Powell got Luis Valbuena to ground to second base, where 2B Jim Negrych started a 4-6-3 double play, �Negrych to Bernier to Myrow, ending the inning and the threat.

The Indians managed only a walk, by Alex Presley (photo), in the 1st inning, but they scored an unearned run off Clippers’ starter Jeanmar Gomez in the 2nd. �Brian Myrow led off by running the count full, fouling off three more pitches, then taking ball four for a walk. �Brandon Moss struck out, but Myrow stole second base on strike three. �Aki Iwamura also struck out. �With Myrow on second and two outs, C Erik Kratz grounded to third, where 3B Jared Goedert made the scoop — but his throw to first base sailed wide of the bag and the first baseman, and over by the Clippers’ bullpen mound. �Myrow had paused half way between second and third until Goedert had committed to making the throw, then headed for third. �When the ball got away, Myrow raced for the plate and easily scored the unearned run. �Doug Bernier was next, and he also grounded to the left side of the infield. �Goedert charged in and toward the shortstop position to make the play. �He got the ball into his glove, and then dropped it, as Bernier crossed the first base bag safely and Kratz made it to third. �LF Kevin Melillo walked to load the bases, and the Indians looked hopeful. �Alex Presley lifted a high, long fly ball to right field — but not quite long enough, as the ball was caught on the warning track to end the inning.

Jeremy Powell worked around a walk in the 3rd inning and a hit batter in the 4th inning, keeping the Clippers scoreless. �The Clippers got to him again in the 5th, though. �With one out, Goedert hit a pop foul, which Brian Myrow chased after but could not hold on to in the Clippers’ bullpen. �Then Goedert blooped a single into right field. �Wes Hodges drove a sharp grounder up the left field line and into the Indians’ bullpen, where it stopped under the bullpen bench. �By the time LF Kevin Melillo could retrieve it from under the bench, Goedert had scored from first base and Hodges was on second base. �Former Indy Indian SS Brian Bixler took a soft liner into left field, bringing Hodges in from second base, and giving the Clippers a 5-1 lead. �Powell finished his night with 5 innings, allowing 5 runs on 7 hits and 4 walks, with 2 strikeouts. �He had thrown 88 pitches (51 strikes).

IMG_3853Chris Jakubauskas, (photo) who had just joined the Indians today, continuing his rehab work (he was hit in the head by a line drive at the end of April), came on to relieve Powell. �Jakubauskas also got into trouble in the 6th inning. �With one out, Michael Brantley singled into right field, and Josh Rodriguez dropped a little pop into no-man’s-land along the third base line, moving Brantley to second. �Luis Valbuena grounded to short, and it looked like it could be the inning-ending double play, until Doug Bernier dropped the catch. �He was able to recover in time to flip the ball to Jim Negrych at second, forcing out Rodriguez, but Brantley was at third and Valbuena was safe at first. �Jared Goedert walked, loading the bases. �Luckily, a fly ball to Alex Presley in center field ended the inning with all three base runners still standing there.

Jakubauskas worked around an infield hit in the 7th, and began the 8th with a strikeout and a single through the hole and into left field by Rodriguez in the 8th. �With a 1-1 count on Valbuena, Jakubauskas suddenly stopped on the mound. �The whole infield and the coaching and training staff all came over to confer, as Jakubauskas pointed to his leg and thigh. �After a few practice pitches, under the scrutiny of the training staff and Dean Treanor, Jakubauskas walked off the field.

Danny Moskos came on in relief, getting as much time and as many warm-up pitches as he needed (lots). �The first batter Moskos faced, Valbuena, ripped a line drive into the right field corner, scoring Rodriguez on the double. �The throw in to the plate was not in time, and Valbuena went to second base on the throw. �Moskos struck out the next two batters to finish the inning, but the Clippers had increased their lead to 6-1. �Vinnie Chulk pitched the top of the 9th for the Indians, and allowed just one walk.

The Tribe had scored their one run in the 2nd inning without a hit. �They did get two hits in the 4th inning, when Brandon Moss led off with a low line drive into center field. �Aki Iwamura made it back-to-back singles with a grounder through the right side of the infield, moving Moss to second base. �The threat faltered when Erik Kratz bounced to second to start a 4-6-3 double play, forcing Iwamura out at second base. �Doug Bernier struck out to end the inning.

The Indians’ only other hit in the game was a lead-off single by Brian Myrow, slipped past Brian Bixler and into left field. �The next three batters went down in order, and Myrow was left stranded on first. �The Tribe had only one base runner over the last three innings of the game — when Myrow walked in the 8th, and was again left stranded.

Jeremy Powell took the loss, his 4th of the season. �The loss drops the Indians to 5 games behind the Clippers in the International League Western Division standings.

Indians’ Hitting Gem of the Game: �Not a lot to choose from, but Aki Iwamura’s single in the 4th followed Brandon Moss’ single, and made for a little bit of a rally.

Indians’ Defensive Gem of the Game: �2nd inning, bases loaded, no outs. �Jeremy Powell got Josh Rodriguez to pop out, then the infield turned a double play: �Jim Negrych to Doug Bernier to Brian Myrow, to get out of the inning without a run scoring.

NOTES:

Chris Jakubauskas has been told that he will be working both out of the bullpen like tonight, and also doing some spot starts during his rehab stint with the Indians.

Dana Eveland, who was designated for assignment by the Pirates, has cleared waivers and has been assigned to the Indians. �He is expected to join the Tribe probably some time this weekend.

Go Tribe!

(photos by Nancy)

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