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The Indians posted 11 hits on their way to 4 runs.� SS Pedro Ciriaco (photo) led the way with 3 singles, while Erik Kratz had 2 doubles, and Jonathan Van Every had a double and a single.
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Pedro Ciriaco began the game with a single through the hole and into left field.� He stole second base, and when the throw from C Robinzon Diaz got past SS Scott Sizemore (missed catch error), Ciriaco hopped up and raced to third base.� That was where the rally stopped, though, as Ciriaco had to hold when CF Alex Presley grounded back to the mound, and the next two batters, LF John Bowker and DH Brandon Moss both struck out.� Ciriaco again led off an inning with a single through the left side of the infield in the 3rd inning.� He did not score in that inning either — he was thrown out by Diaz as he tried to steal second base.
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The Indians did get onto the scoreboard in the 2nd inning.� With two outs, Jonathan Van Every singled into right field.� 3B Doug Bernier brought in Van Every with a double over the head of LF Jeff Frazier and off the left-center field wall.
They added two more runs in the 4th.� RF Mitch Jones worked a one-out walk, and he advanced to second base when Toledo pitcher Charles Furbush threw a wild pitch.�� Erik Kratz (photo) blasted a long fly ball off the wall in right field, scoring Jones from second base.� When Jonathan Van Every made it back-to-back doubles with an opposite field double, Kratz also scored, and the Indians had a 3-1 lead.
The Indians had their turn at being doubled off in the top of the 7th.� Reliever Zach Simons relieved Charles Furbush, who had allowed 3 runs on 7 hits, but struck out 8 Tribe batters in his 6 innings.� Simons was greeted with back-to-back singles by Brian Friday and Pedro Ciriaco (his third hit of the game).� Alex Presley flied out to right field, and this time it was Ciriaco who could not get back to first base fast enough.� Friday moved up to third base on a wild pitch, but was left there when John Bowker struck out.
The Tribe also had two runners on base in the 6th inning, on a single through the hole into left field by Mitch Jones and a walk by Jonathan Van Every, and again in the 8th inning when Brandon Moss walked (but was caught stealing) and Erik Kratz lined a double into left field.� It was the 9th inning when the Indians picked up an insurance run, off Toledo reliever Luis Marte.� Brian Friday walked with one out, and Pedro Ciriaco grounded to third base.� The Mud Hens got the force out on Friday at second base, but Ciriaco was safe at first base.� Alex Presley lined a single into center field, moving the speedy Ciriaco to third base.� When Ciriaco saw that CF Andy Dirks’ throw in from center got past 2B Max Leon, he took off for the plate.� The ball skittered over toward third base, where 3B Justin Henry picked it up and threw to the plate.� Ciriaco was already crossing the plate by the time got to Robinzon Diaz, and the Indians had an unearned run on the missed catch error.
Justin Thomas came on in relief of Brad Lincoln to begin the 8th inning.� He retired the side in order in the 8th, including two strikeouts.� Thomas got the first out in the bottom of the 9th, then was replaced by Jean Machi. Machi got a pop out, then struck out Casper Wells to end the game.� It was not a save situation, so no save for Machi.
The win gives the Indians a 63 – 62 record.� They are firmly in third place in the International League West Division, 9 games behind the first-place Columbus Clippers and 7.5 games behind the second-place Louisville Bats.� The Mud Hens now are 5.5 games behind the Indians in fourth place.� Louisville is leading the Wild Card standings, 3 games ahead of the Buffalo Bison, 6.5 games ahead of the Syracuse Chiefs, and 7.5 games ahead of the Indians.
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Indians’ Hitting Gems of the Game:� Three RBI doubles — by Doug Bernier (2nd inning), Erik Kratz (4th inning) and Jonathan Van Every (4th inning).� It was Bernier’s 10th double of the season, Van Every’s 9th of the season, and Kratz’s two doubles were his 20th and 21st of the season.
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Indians’ Defensive Gem of the Game:� The play in the 7th inning on Casper Wells’ double, going 8-4-2, Alex Presley to Brian Friday to Erik Kratz, to throw out Jeff Frazier at the plate.� If Frazier had scored, the inning would have continued, and the Mud Hens don’t need any encouragement to have multi-run innings.�
“It was the biggest play of the game,” said Brad Lincoln after the game.”� For Presley to get the ball in as quickly as he did, and for Friday to make a quick turn and throw a strike home to Kratz was a key part of the game.� It was just an all-around great play, and it got me through the rest of the inning.”
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NOTES:
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The Pirates made a roster move today to clear a space on their 40-man roster.� Reliver Chris Jakubauskas (photo) was removed from the 40-man roster (and off the 60-day disabled list) and outrighted to the Indians.
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Go Tribe!
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(photos by Nancy)
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