Tag: Justin Thomas

Columbus Clippers� 10,� Indianapolis Indians� 5 ..�� (box)

The Indianapolis Indians posted 13 hits this evening at Huntington Park in Columbus, Ohio, with every member of the batting order but one collecting at least one hit.� But the Clippers posted 14 hits, and added a 5-run 7th inning, to sail past the Indians for the win.� The Louisville Bats also won today, beating the Toledo Mud Hens 8-0, so the Bats remain 1.5 games ahead of Columbus in the International League Western Division, with one week left in the season.

Indians' starter Mike Crotta (photo) struggled in each inning he pitched, and after 4+ innings, he had already thrown 90 pitches (56 strikes).� He had two runners on base in the 1st inning, but got out of that jam without a run scoring.� With one out, CF Ezequiel Carrera reached base on a throwing error by SS Pedro Ciriaco. Carrera stole second base, and after 2B Cord Phelps walked, both Carrera and Phelps pulled off a double steal to put both into scoring position.� Crotta bore down and struck out 1B Wes Hodges, then ended the inning when DH Jordan Brown flied out.

That was Crotta's only scoreless inning.� He gave up one run in each of the next three innings and was responsible for 2 runs in the 5th.� 3B Jared Goedert led off the 2nd inning with a single, and he also stole second base.� SS Drew Sutton walked, then LF Matt McBride reached on a tapper back to the mound that Crotta could not handle.� Goedert scored from second base on the play, to give the Clippers a 1-0 lead.

The Indians had gone down in order in the first two innings, but they came right back with 3 runs in the top of the 3rd.� With one out, Pedro Ciriaco doubled into left field.� 2B Brian Friday worked a walk, then LF Kevin Melillo loaded the bases with a line drive up the middle for a single.� 3B Akinori Iwamura lifted a long fly ball into left field, which Columbus LF McBride had to keep chasing back and back.. but he caught it on the warning track for a sacrifice fly, as it let Ciriaco score from third base to tie the score.� CF Alex Presley grounded through the right side of the infield for an RBI single that brought in both Friday and Melillo.� DH Brandon Moss lined another single into right field, but a fly out ended the inning.� The Indians had taken what would be their only lead of the game, 3-1.

Indianapolis Indians� 8,� Columbus Clippers� 0 ..��� (box)

Four Indianapolis Indians pitchers combined to shut out the Columbus Clippers at Huntington Park in Columbus, Ohio.� They held the Clippers to a total of 4 hits and 2 walks.� CF Alex Presley supported them with 3 hits, and both 1B Doug Bernier (photo) and RF Brandon Moss contributed 3 RBI.

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The Indians got things started in the top of the 1st with a one-out single by 3B Akinori Iwamura, and after the second out, RF Brandon Moss launched his 21st home run of the season, bringing in Iwamura for a 2-0 lead.� They added 2 more runs in the 2nd.� With one out, SS Pedro Ciriaco smacked a grounder towards third base.� The ball glanced off the glove of Columbus 3B Argenis Reyes and past him down the left field line, and Ciriaco cruised into second base with a double.� After a strikeout by C Jason Jaramillo, 2B Brian Friday lifted another double into center field, and Ciriaco came around to score from second base.� Doug Bernier followed with a line drive single into left field, and Friday also scored.� Bernier stole second base, but was left there when a ground out ended the inning.� The Indians were up, 4-0.

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Charlie Morton was originally listed as the starting pitcher tonight, but he was recalled by the Pirates so that he can made the start for them tomorrow.� Dana Eveland (photo) made the spot start in Morton's place.� Eveland had to work around one runner on base in each of the first three innings.� 2B Drew Sutton lined a single into left field in the bottom of the 1st, but Eveland got 1B Wes Hodges to bounce into an around the horn double play, Iwamura to Friday to Bernier.� DH Jared Goedert walked with two outs in the 2nd, but Eveland struck out former Indy Indian Luke Carlin to end the inning.� Clippers' SS Josh Rodriguez reached base on a fielding error by Brian Friday to begin the 3rd inning, but Eveland induced three grounders, again keeping the Clippers scoreless.

Alex Presley is back to the bag safely

Louisville Bats� 6,� Indianapolis Indians� 3 ..���� (box)

It was a tough night for the Indians' bullpen, as they stumbled in the last two innings, giving the win to the Louisville Bats at Victory Field.� The Indians wasted an excellent starting effort by Charlie Morton (photo), who pitched 6 shutout innings and allowed only 4 hits.� The Indians posted 5 hits, while the Bats out-hit them with 13 knocks.

Morton got some help from his defense, but he cruised along in this start.� He faced only the minimum over the first three innings, and only one batter over the minimum in the first five innings.� He began each of the first three innings with a strikeout, and struck out one more batter after that.

The second batter in the top of the 1st, SS Chris Valaika, slipped a single up through the middle of the infield, where 2B Brian Friday would have been if the Indians' defense was not in a shift position.� The next batter, 1B Yonder Alonso, also grounded up the middle, right over the second base bag.� SS Pedro Ciriaco made a diving stop, and as he hit the ground stretched out prone behind second base, the ball fell out of his glove,� Ciriaco scrambled to pick it up, then still on the ground, flipped the ball back and lateral to Friday covering second base.� Friday was at the bag, and he made an outstanding turn, and fired the ball to 1B John Bowker, just in time to beat Alonso to the first base bag.

Morton retired the side in order in the 2nd and 3rd innings, then gave up a lead-off single to CF Dave Sappelt in the 4th -- the ball glanced off 3B Mitch Jones' glove and into left field.� But again the infield stepped up.� Valaika grounded to third base, where Jones started an around-the-horn (5-4-3) double play to erase Sappelt.� Alonso almost put the Bats onto the scoreboard with a long fly ball to left field.� The ball hit the top of the left field wall, missing a home run by inches, then bounced into left field for a double.� Morton did not erase Alonso from the base path, but instead struck out the next batter, RF Wladimir Balentien, to end the inning.

The Bats also went down in order in the 5th, and that inning ended with an odd play.� 2B Wilkin Castillo bunted a 1-1 pitch to right in front of the plate, but as he was moving out of the batters' box, he came in contact with the ball, so was called out.� C Jason Jaramillo, as the closest fielder, gets credit for the put-out in that situation.

The only time Charlie Morton had two base runners on base at the same time was in the 6th inning.� With one out, Bats' pitcher Chad Reineke dribbled a little grounder (not a bunt) along the third base line, just fair.� By the time Morton and Jaramillo got over to it, Morton picked up the ball, but he had no play at first, and Reineke was on with an infield hit.� Sappelt followed with a grounder to short, and it looked like Morton was going to have yet another base runner erased with a double play.� Pedro Ciriaco made the scoop, but he got excited and his throw to second missed Brian Friday entirely, and sailed into right field.� Reineke advanced to third and Sappelt to second on the error.� With the Indians leading 2-0 at that point, those two runners in scoring position represented the tying runs, and the go-ahead run was at the plate.� Pitching coach Dean Treanor came out for a little chat with Morton (photo).� Then Morton got Valaika to ground softly to third base, and the runners had to hold up.� Another grounder by Alonso to short ended the inning for Morton, and without a run scoring.

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Indianapolis Indians� 1,� Toledo Mud Hens� 0 (box)

Indians' starter Jeremy Powell earned his 9th win of the season with 7.1 shutout innings against the Mud Hens at Fifth Third Field in Toledo, Ohio tonight.� Powell walked 5 batters and hit one, but he allowed only 2 hits.� The Indians posted only 4 hits, but made them count, as they squeaked past the Mud Hens.

The first three Indians' batters of the game did all the scoring the Indians needed.� LF Kevin Melillo opened the game by taking a walk on four straight balls.� Melillo quicky stole second base, then moved over to third when 3B Akinori Iwamura lined a single into center field.� With runners on the corners, CF Alex Presley (photo) slipped a single through the hole on the right side of the infield, scoring Melillo from third and putting Iwamura on second base.� The rally came to an abrupt halt, when RF Brandon Moss flied out to center field, and Iwamura was out at third as he tried to tag up after the catch, on a fine throw in from CF Casper Wells.� DH John Bowker struck out to end the inning.

That was it -- the rest of the game was two rows of donuts on the scoreboard.� The Indians clung to that one-run lead, as Jeremy Powell (photo below) and two relievers, Justin Thomas and Jean Machi, threw 9 shutout innings.� After the game, Powell admitted that he had not felt really comfortable on the mound and with how he was pitching early in the game, and the walks went along with that.� Powell threw 108 pitches, for strikes, but he threw key pitches when it counted.� He walked two batters in the 1st and one in the 2nd, but left them on base.� He walked 2B Scott Sizemore to begin the 3rd inning, but got 3B Justin Henry to bounce into a double play.

The Mud Hens' first hit of the game came in the 4th, when Casper Wells led off with a single into left field.� Moments later, C Jason Jaramillo threw out Wells as he tried to steal second base.� The other hit was a two-out double by SS Cale Iorg in the 5th.� Powell walked Sizemore again to put two Mud Hens on the bases, but then he got Henry to tap back to the mound for an easy third out.� Powell retired the Mud Hens in order in both the 6th and 7th innings, and he made it 8 straight batters retired when he got Iorg to fly out to center to begin the 8th.� Then he hit Sizemore (who walked 3 times in the game, so did not have an official at bat) with a pitch, and that was the end of Powell's night.� "I was happy with my last couple of innings, and all I can say is that I was able to go deep into the game and keep the one-run lead," said Powell after the game.

Toledo native Justin Thomas relieved Powell with one out and one on in the 8th.� He did walk LF Jeff Frazier, but got a strikeout on either side of the walk, to end the inning and keep the shutout going.� The southpaw Thomas came back out to begin the bottom of the 9th, to pitch to the first Toledo batter, left-handed hitting 1B Michael Bertram.� Bertram popped out to third base.� Then manager Frank Kremblas brought on the righty Jean Machi to face the next batter, right-handed hitting RF Ben Guez. Guez lifted a long long fly ball to right field, making the crowd gasp.� RF Brandon Moss went back and back, and with his own back against the right field wall, made the catch for the second out.� Switch-hitting DH Max Leon worked the count full, then took a high and outside pitch from Machi for a walk, but Machi needed only one pitch to get C Max St. Pierre to pop out to 2B Brian Friday in short center field to end the game.

Indianapolis Indians� 4,� Toledo MudHens� 1 (box)

Indians' starter Brad Lincoln (photo) had no problems with the Mud Hens tonight at Fifth Third Field in Toledo, Ohio.� Lincoln beat the Mud Hens for the first time in his career, earning his 7th win of the season with the Indians.� After the game, Lincoln said that he felt great tonight.� "I was able to just get out there and pitch my game today... I felt that I could go out there and dominate."

Dominate is what Lincoln did.� He pitched 7 innings and allowed just one run on 6 hits and a walk.� He also struck out 6 batters.� It all took him 97 pitches, of which 72 were strikes.� Lincoln did not get a 3-strike count on any batter until the 6th inning, when he walked SS Scott Sizemore -- the only walk he allowed.� He also had a 2-ball count on only 2 batters, and a 3-ball count on one other batter after Sizemore.

The 7th inning was the only one in which Lincoln allowed more than one Mud Hen batter on base, and it was the only inning in which Toledo scored.� LF Jeff Frazier led off with a line drive single into left field.� RF Casper Wells followed with a double into center field, and Frazier was off and running.� He was rounding third as Wells was heading for second base, but he was not counting on Tribe CF Alex Presley and 2B Brian Friday. Presley got to the ball quickly in center field, and fired it in to relay man Friday in short center field.� Friday whirled and sent the ball on a rope to C Erik Kratz, who held on to the ball as Frazier barreled into him, even holding up the ball, still in his hand, as the dust settled.� Lincoln struck out the next batter, DH Ben Guez, but 1B Michael Bertram lined a single up the middle, and Wells scored from second base.

Lincoln allowed only 3 other hits, scattered over the first 6 innings.� Guez singled in both the 2nd and the 5th innings and was left on base both times.� Former Indy Indian C Robinzon Diaz singled in the 3rd inning, but he was doubled up when 3B Justin Henry flied out to center field.� Alex Presley had to run back to get to the ball, and Diaz must not have thought Presley had any chance at all to make the catch, so he took off.� When Presley made the back-handed catch and turned around, he saw that Diaz was not even close to first base.� It was an easy throw over to 1B Jonathan Van Every to double off Diaz.

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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.

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Manager Frank Kremblas congratulates Pedro Ciriaco on his triple

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Indianapolis Indians� 5,� Syracuse Chiefs� 2 (box)

C Jason Jaramillo's booming home run in the bottom of the 8th inning capped off the win for the Indianapolis Indians over the Syracuse Chiefs in the opening game of a 4-game series at Victory Field tonight.� Tribe starter Charlie Morton pitched 6 solid innings and earned his 4th win with the team, while reliever Jean Machi earned his 17th save of the season.

The Indians started with their first four batters reaching base safely in the bottom of the 1st.� SS Pedro Ciriaco (photo) led off with a tremendous standing triple into the deepest part of the ballpark in left-center field.� 3B Doug Bernier reached base on a fielder's choice that was really a fielder's confusion.� He grounded right to former Indy Indian Brian Bixler, who seemed to be expecting Ciriaco to be heading for home.� But Ciriaco made a feint, danced a bit, then headed back to the bag, as Bixler's arm was cocked to make the throw.� With Ciriaco back at the bag, Bixler turned for the throw to first, but by then, Bernier was only a few steps from first base, and Bixler didn't have a play their either.� (photos below)

CF Alex Presley did bring in Ciriaco, when he grounded through the hole and into right field.� RF Brandon Moss looped a single over the head of the Chiefs' second baseman, loading the bases.� Bernier briefly considered heading for home, but manager Frank Kremblas held him at third, since the ball was not deep into right field and there were still no outs.� It was a good decision, since moments later, Syracuse starter Matt Chico bounced a ball into the dirt, which squirted back to the backstop, allowing Bernier to score easily.� Presley moved up to third base and Moss moved to second on the wild pitch.� 1B Mitch Jones lifted a fly ball to right field, for the first out of the inning, but it sacrificed home Presley from third base with the third run of the inning.� A strikeout and a ground out ended the inning, and the Indians had a 3-0 lead.

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Photos:� Bixler can't decide where to throw it.

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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.

Durham Bulls� 10,� Indianapolis Indians� 1 �� (Game 1) (box)

Two 5-run innings by the Bulls stampeded Indians' starter Brad Lincoln in the first game of today's double-header at Durham Bulls' Athletic Park in Durham, North Carolina.

Lincoln (photo) hit a batter in his first inning of work, then struck out the next two batters.� But in the 2nd inning, the Bulls began running.� The first three batters reached base safely-- singles by 2B Joe Dillon and LF Leslie Anderson and a 2-run double by DH Dioner Navarro.� Lincoln got C Jose Labaton to ground out, then walked 3B Angel Chavez.� CF Desmond Jennings lined a single into right field, bringing in Navarro.� A passed ball by rehabbing C Ryan Doumit moved the two runners into scoring position, then a single by SS Elliot Johnson and a double by RF Justin Ruggiano each drove in a run, to give the Bulls a 5-0 lead.� A ground out and pop out finally ended the inning.

Lincoln breezed through the 3rd inning, again striking out two batters, but got right back into trouble in the 4th.� Once again, the first three batters reached base safely, scoring 2 runs.� This time it was a single by Chavez and a walk to Jennings, followed by a triple by Johnson.� Lincoln struck out Ruggiano, then former Indy Indian 1B Chris Richard doubled, bringing in Johnson.� That was all for Lincoln.� He had given up 9 hits and 2 walks, and ultimately was responsible for 9 of Durham's 10 runs.� He had thrown 83 pitches (50 strikes) in just 3.1 innings.

Brian Bass came on to relieve Lincoln, entering the game with one out and Richard on second base.� But Bass fell victim to the Bulls' stampede too.� The first three batters he faced -- Dillon, Anderson, and Navarro -- all singled, and along with a fielding error by CF Alex Presley, two more runs scored, with one charged to Lincoln.� Bass got Lobaton to bounce back to the mound, where he started a 1-6-3 (Bass to SS Pedro Ciriaco to 1B John Bowker) double play.

Bass went on to pitch the 5th inning, allowing a single to Jennings, but getting Johnson to bounce into a 4-6-3 double play (2B Brian Friday to Ciriaco to Bowker).� Daniel Moskos took the final inning, allowing only a walk. (Only 7 innings in an International League double-header game.)

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� 4,� Syracuse Chiefs� 1 (box)

Indians' starter Jeremy Powell (photo) won his 7th game of the season for the Indians tonight at Alliance Bank Stadium in Syracuse, NY.� The win gave the Indians their fourth win in a row, and 3 wins in this 4-game series against the Chiefs, which concludes tomorrow.� But it was not entirely the way that Powell or the Indians hoped it would end.

Powell pitched into the 9th inning, keeping a shut-out going the whole time.� He sailed through the first 8 innings, striking out 5 batters and scattering 5 hits.� Powell gave up a single to LF Boomer Whiting to open the bottom of the 1st, but C Luke Carlin threw him out trying to steal second base.� Powell retired the next 10 batters in order, until he gave up a single and a walk in the 4th.� He allowed a single in each of the 5th and the 7th, and when C Jamie Burke walked to lead off the 8th, he was erased in a double play.

The Indians went into the bottom of the 9th with a 4-0 lead, and with Powell just a step away from a complete game shut-out.� He began the inning with a strikeout of Justin Maxwell.� 2B Chase Lambin slipped a line drive into right field for a single.� Powell struck out 1B Jason Botts, and that put him an out away from the goal.� SS Seth Bynum was up next, and he got to a 1-2 count, then took 2 pitches that looked pretty good, but were both called balls.� The Indians and Powell felt that he had been cheated out of what should have been another strikeout, and the end of the game.� Instead of being out, Bynum lined a single up the middle and into center field, and that allowed Lambin to score. That was the end of the shutout.

The Indians had reliever Justin Thomas up in the bullpen, and he was ready, but manager Frank Kremblas elected to give Powell the chance to get the final out.� But when 3B Pete Orr dropped a little bunt in front of the mound, Powell's throw to first base was wide for a throwing error, and Bynum moved to third base.� That was all for Powell.� He had thrown 115 pitches (75 strikes), and had allowed one run on 7 hits and 2 walks, with 7 strikeouts.

Justin Thomas did come in at that point, and he finished things up by getting a ground out, to earn his 4th save.� The Indians and Powell were still not pleased, and they went so far as to try to talk to plate umpire Chris Bakke after the last out, even heading toward the umpire's tunnel after him.� It did no good, of course.

Indianapolis Indians� 8,� Syracuse Chiefs� 5 (box)

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CF Alex Presley and RF Brandon Moss led the offense, as they posted 13 hits to give starter Charlie Morton plenty of run support.� Morton (photo) pitched a solid start and earned his 3rd win at Alliance Bank Stadium in Syracuse, NY tonight.

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Morton's night started out a little shaky, as he gave up a run in each of the first two innings.� He began the bottom of the 1st by walking LF Boomer Whiting.� A throwing error by 1B Jonathan Van Every put Whiting on second base, and a ground out moved Whiting to third.� Whiting scored on 1B Jason Botts' double lined into center field.� In the next inning, 3B Pete Orr led off with a double.� The first out of the inning came on an unusual play.� RF Leonard Davis tried to drop down a bunt, but he was on the move, and had already stepped out of the batters' box when his bat hit the ball, so he was called out.� Orr was thrown out trying to steal third base, which became important for the Indians, because former Indian C Carlos Maldonado homered next -- without Orr on base, it was just a solo home run.

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The Indians had put a runner on base in each of the first two innings.� 2B Brian Friday led off the game with a double and C Luke Carlin walked in the 2nd inning.� But it was Charlie Morton himself who got the rally started in the 3rd inning.� Morton led off the inning with his first hit of the season, a little blooper over the head of the Chiefs' first baseman.� After two outs, CF Alex Presley worked a walk.� That brought up the hot-hitting RF Brandon Moss, who continued his heat with a 2-run double.� It was Moss' 16th hit with runners in scoring position and two outs this season, and it tied the score.

The Tribe batted around in the 4th inning, scoring 4 runs to take a 6-2 lead.� Jonathan Van Every began the inning with a blast over the right-center field wall to give the Indians the lead.� Luke Carlin and SS Argenis Diaz followed with back-to-back singles.� That brought up Charlie Morton in a good bunting situation.� But Morton's bunt got to Chiefs' pitcher Shairon Martis too quickly, and Martis was able to whirl and throw to third, forcing out the lead runner Carlin.� Brian Friday walked, loading the bases with one out.� 3B Akinori Iwamura was also walked (neither intentional), which forced in Diaz with the second run of the inning.� That chased Martis from the game, but Alex Presley greeted the new reliever with an RBI single into left field, bringing in Morton.� Brandon Moss bounced a grounder to first base, which allowed Friday to score, and the Indians were ahead 6-2.� Another ground out ended the inning.