The Indians were leading the Mud Hens 6-3 in the 6th...

FINAL:� Indianapolis Indians� 6,� Toledo Mud Hens� 4 (box)

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The big news, even before the game began, was the player moves made by the Pittsburgh Pirates.� With pitcher Zach Duke done with his rehab assignment in Altoona and ready to come back onto the Pirates' active roster, someone else had to be removed from the roster.� That someone is reliever Justin Thomas, who has been optioned back to the Indians.

Secondly, the Pirates have announced that they are optioning back-up catcher Jason Jaramillo to Indianapolis.� The reason given is that he has had minimal playing time during the first half of the season, and needs to get the work in.� Jaramillo will become the regular catcher in Indianapolis after the All-Star break.� The Pirates have also moved pitcher Chris Jakubauskas to the 60-day disabled list, opening up a spot on the 40-man roster.� So, who will take his place?

The Pirates intend to make that announcement later in the week.� Possibilities include Indians' Erik Kratz and Luke Carlin, and Altoona Curve catcher Hector Gimenez (who played for the Indians in 2009).� Kratz is the Indians' only representative for the AAA All-Star game, which will be played on Wednesday in Lehigh Valley -- just a short hop from Kratz's home town.� He has a lot of family and friends coming to see him play, though he will not be the starting catcher in the game.� SO -- is the delay in the Pirates' announcement so that they can give Kratz time to participate in the All-Star game?� If he were pulled at the last minute, it might be tricky to get someone else there to represent the Indians.� Carlin has only just come back from his ankle injury and is not entirely up to speed yet.� Gimenez could certainly handle things at the major league level -- but what would that say to Erik Kratz?� "Sure, Erik, you're a great guy and we were considering you for the major league back-up back in March, and sure, you are an All-Star for two years running at the AAA level -- but we're going to promote Gimenez from AA over you.� Oh, and when you get back to Indy, you won't be the starting catcher either."

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Back to the game.. which was delayed for about 15 minutes before even starting, then halted again due to rain in the 2nd inning.� That delay lasted over an hour.

LF Kevin Melillo got the Indians started with a double driven into right field to begin the game.� 3B Akinori Iwamura followed with a single into right field, and Melillo raced around from second to score.�� The Mud Hens came right back in the bottom of the frame, against Tribe starter Dana Eveland. SS Will Rhymes led off with a single through into left field, then Eveland struck out 3B Brent Dlugach.� LF Ryan Strieby doubled, moving Rhymes to third, and DH Jeff Larish brought in both Rhymes and Strieby with a single up the middle, to give the Mud Hens a 2-1 lead.� Eveland walked 1B Jeff Frazier, but then got CF Casper wells to bounce into a double play, ending the inning.

Eveland had gotten two outs and had 2B Max Leon on first base after a single when the rain halted play in the bottom of the 2nd.� The delay was long enough so that Eveland did not come back out, with workhorse Jeremy Powell taking the mound instead.� Powell ended the 2nd inning, then pitched two more scoreless innings, allowing only a walk.

US Futures� 9,� World Futures� 1 (gameday)

The 2010 Futures Game was played in Anaheim, California this afternoon/evening.� The Pirates had two representatives from their organization, CF Gorkys Hernandez, who was the starting center fielder for the World Team, and pitcher Bryan Morris, who was in the US Team's bullpen.� In recent years, the World team has dominated, but today they had the tables turned on them.

The US team began the scoring in the bottom of the 1st.� The first two batters reached base without a hit --� LF Desmond Jennings (Rays) was hit by a pitch and SS Dee Gordon (Dodgers) walked.� A wild pitch by World pitcher Simon Castro (Padres) moved both into scoring position.� RF Domonic Brown (Phillies) singled, driving in Jennings, and DH Eric Hosmer (Royals) drove in Gordon with another single.

The World team got one run back in the top of the 2nd inning.� With one out, singles by LF Carlos Peguero (Mariners) and RF Wilkin Ramirez (Tigers/Mud Hens) both singled, with Peguero moving to third base.� C Wilin Rosario (Rockies) bounced to third base, and Peguero scored as a force out was made at second base.� Gorkys Hernandez was up next, and he grounded to the second baseman, for a force out at second base to end the inning.

Hernandez made a very nice play in center field in the bottom of the 2nd inning, when he ran back and made a leaping catch of a line drive off the bat of 1B Logan Morrison (Marlins).� He had another at-bat to lead off the top of the 5th, and flied out to center field.

Angels' prospect C Hank Conger made the home town fans happy with a 3-run home run in the 5th inning.� The World team had already turned a double play for two outs when US's CF Mike Trout (Angels) reached base on a fielding error.� Eric Hosmer lined a single into left field, and Conger followed with his blast over the high right field wall (major league height, not minor league height).� The US had a 5-1 lead.

They extended the lead to 6-1 in the 6th, again with two outs already recorded, one a fly out to Hernandez in center field.� Hernandez went back to the track and made a leaping catch as he crashed into the wall (he was not hurt). � Desmond Jennings walked, and stole second base, then SS Grant Green (A's) looped a little single into center field.� The speedy Jennings came� around from second to score, as Hernandez's throw to the plate was strong but not in time.� A walk to Lonnie Chisenhall (Indians) and a single by Mike Trout loaded the bases, but pitcher Trystan Magnuson (Blue Jays) finished the inning with a fly out.

The World squad let their speed help and hurt them in the top of the 7th.� Pinch hitter Eury Perez (Nationals) beat out a grounder to short for a single, but he was caught stealing second base moments later.� C Chun-Hsiu Chen (Indians) grounded out, on a ball that hit pitcher Shelby Miller (Cardinals) before heading over to third baseman Chisenhall.� Since the team managers were trying to get everyone into the game, that was enough to lift Miller, and bring in Bryan Morris.� And whom did Morris face?� His Curve teammate Gorkys Hernandez, of course.� Morris threw one pitch, and Hernandez grounded it to third base, where Chisenhall made the scoop and threw out Hernandez at first to end the inning.

Desmond Jennings reached base for the third time without a hit in the bottom of the 8th -- this time it was on an error by World SS Hak-Ju Lee (Cubs).� A wild pitch moved Lee to second base, and a grounder advanced him to third.� Another grounder, by Chisenhall, brought in Lee from third.� With two outs, Mike Trout, Eric Hosmer, and C Austin Romine (Yankees) lined three consecutive doubles, with Hosmer plating Trout and Romine bringing in Hosmer.� The US squad was ahead, 9-1.

The World had one more chance in the top of the 9th.� With one out, pitcher Tanner Scheppers (Rangers) came in from the bullpen.� He gave up a single to Eury Perez, then got a line out for the second out of the inning.� That brought up Gorkys Hernandez.� Hernandez swung at strike out, looked at strike two, then fouled off three more pitches while he watched four balls sail by, working a walk.� But Scheppers got a fly out to end the inning and the game.

Gorkys Hernandez was one of the few players who got to stay in the entire game.� He went 0-for-3 at the plate with a walk.� Eric Hosmer went 4-for-5 at the plate for the US squad, and Mike Trout went 2-for-4 with 2 RBI.� Hank Conger, the home-town prospect from the Angels, won the Larry Doby MVP award, since he was the one who hit the 3-run homer that put the game away for the US team.

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Sunday afternoon and evening action.... the GCL Pirates, as usual, are off today.

Lexington Legends� 3,� West Virginia Power� 2 (box)

Five errors by the Power, all in the infield, had the Power beating themselves this afternoon.� Starter Nate Baker pitched 6 innings for the Power, allowing just 2 hits and 2 walks, while striking out 4 batters, but an error caused an unearned run to be scored.� Baker worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the 1st, after he'd given up a single and two walks.� He also worked his way around two errors by SS Benji Gonzalez (one throwing and one fielding) in the 3rd inning, as one runner was thrown out trying to steal second, and the second was left on base.� The unearned run came in the 5th.� With one out, another fielding error by Gonzalez put a runner on base.� After a strikeout, a triple lined into right field, driving in the unearned run.

The Power had put one runner on base in four of the first five innings, but couldn't capitalize on any of those opportunities.� They took their chance in the bottom of the 6th. 1B Aaron Baker doubled, LF Rogelios Noris singled, and C Ramon Cabrera doubled, with Cabrera scoring Baker.� 3B Jesus Brito brought in Noris with a sacrifice fly, and the Power led 2-1.� The Power had two runners on base in the 7th, on a walk to CF David Rubinstein and Aaron Baker being hit by a pitch.� Walks also put RF Jose Hernandez on in the 8th and Benji Gonzalez on in the 9th, but none of them could come around to score, and the Power did not record a hit after the 6th.

Lexington tied the score in the 7th, again taking advantage of Power errors.� The first batter of the inning reached base on a throwing error by reliever Mike Williams, and then Williams made a second throwing error when he made a pick-off attempt, moving the runner to second base.� After a tag up on a fly out, an RBI single drove in the tying run.� Williams gave up a solo home run to the lead off batter in the top of the 9th, and the Legends had the lead.� Gabriel Alvarado finished the 8th inning with two quick outs, then retired the side in order in the 9th, but the damage had already been done, and the Power could not catch up.

Indianapolis Indians� 3,� Toledo Mud Hens� 1 (box)

RF Jonathan Van Every's (photo) 3-run homer in the top of the 9th gave the Indianapolis Indians the win over the Toledo Mud Hens tonight at Fifth Third Field in Toledo.� SS Argenis Diaz went 3-for-3 at the plate, including a double, and CF Alex Presley went 3-for-4, and also had a double.

The pitchers were kept busy for the first four innings of the game, though neither team scored.� Tribe starter Mike Crotta gave up a double to LF Ryan Strieby with two outs in the 1st and hit 3B Jeff Larish with a pitch, but a line out to Tribe 3B Akinori Iwamura ended the inning.� Crotta worked around a single by CF Casper Wells in the 2nd.� He walked RF Jon Weber in the 3rd, but erased him with a double play.

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Toledo starter Rick Porcello gave up a lone single to Aki Iwamura in the 1st inning, and a double by Alex Presley in the 4th.� The Indians threatened in the 2nd, beginning with a single by Presley.� A balk moved Presley to second base.� C Luke Carlin walked, then Presley was caught trying to steal third base.� Jonathan Van Every also walked, giving the Indians runners on first and second.� Argenis Diaz took a grounder up the middle for a single, and Carlin rounded third and raced for the plate.� The throw in from center field was on-target and on time though, and Carlin was out at the plate.� The Indians also put two runners on base in the 5th, when Diaz doubled off the wall in the right-center field gap, and LF Kevin Melillo walked, but a strikeout and a ground out ended the inning.

The Mud Hens got to Crotta (photo) in the 5th.� Casper Wells walked, and DH Max Leon grounded up the middle, just out of reach of Indians' 2B Jim Negrych, sending Wells to third base. C Jeff Kunkel brought in Wells with a sacrifice fly, and the Mud Hens had a 1-0 lead.� Jon Weber also singled on a line drive into left field.� Leon, eager for an extra run, came around from first base, as LF Kevin Melillo fired the ball in from left field.� The throw sailed over the first cut-off man, but went right to the second cut-off man, Aki Iwamura.� Iwamura relayed the throw to Carlin at the plate, and that throw was nearly perfect.� As Leon slid around to the foul side of the plate and tried to reach in with his left hand to tag the dish, Carlin had the ball in his hand, and only had to lean to his left to tag Leon before Leon could touch anything but dirt with his hand.� That ended the inning, and kept the score tight, at 1-0.

That one run looked bigger and bigger over the next three innings.� The Indians went down in order in the top of the 6th.� Mike Crotta worked around a double by Jeff Larish in the bottom of the 6th, but kept the Mud Hens from scoring again.� Crotta exited after 6 innings, having thrown 99 pitches (64 strikes) and allowed the run on 5 hits and 3 walks, with 7 strikeouts. Wil Ledezma relieved Crotta to begin the 7th.� He walked Casper Wells, then struck out the next three batters.� The Indians' first two batters struck out in the 7th, then Argenis Diaz had his third hit of the game, a line drive into right field.� Diaz was able to get to second base when RF Jon Weber's throw back to the infield zipped right past the first base bag, bounced off the dugout facing, and ended up by the backstop behind home plate.� Diaz was left stranded on base with a ground out.� DH Brandon Moss singled in the 8th, and was also left on base.� Jean Machi retired the side in order in the bottom of the 8th, including two strikeouts.

Saturday's action with the Pirates' lower minor league affiliates:

Altoona Curve� 2,� Richmond Flying Squirrels� 1 (box)

Zach Duke pitched 4 rehab innings, allowing only one run on two hits and a walk.� Double plays got Duke out of the 1st inning, when a runner reached on Duke's fielding error, and out of the 2nd, when he walked a batter.� He retired the side in order in the 3rd, then with two outs in the 4th gave up a solo home run followed by a single before ending the inning.� Duke did not strike out any batters.

The Curve gave Duke 2 runs worth of support in the bottom of the 1st.� CF Anthony Norman led off with a single, and two outs later, 1B Matt Hague blasted his 8th home run of the season for a 2-0 lead.� Three innings later, the Squirrels homered off Duke, and that was all the scoring in the game.� The Curve had only two other hits in the game -- a single by 2B Jordy Mercer immediately following Hague's homer, and a double by Hague to lead off the 4th.� After Hague's double, the next 15 Curve batters went down in order.

Not that the Squirrels were doing much better.� After the homer and the single in the 4th, Richmond posted only two more hits.� Those came back-to-back to open the 8th inning off reliever Anthony Claggett. Claggett struck out the next two batters and got a line out to end the inning without a run scoring.� Tony Watson pitched 3 scoreless innings, allowing only one walk, and he was credited with the win.� Ramon Aguero earned his second save with a perfect 9th inning.

Don't forget to watch Gorkys Hernandez and Bryan Morris in the Futures Game on Sunday at 6pm (Eastern) on ESPN2 and MLB.TV.� Hernandez will be the starting center fielder for the World Team.� Tony Sanchez was invited too, but he's still on the DL due to jaw surgery.