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Homers Break Indians’ Losing Streak

Indianapolis Indians � 9, �Louisville Bats �7 (box)

IMG_3215The Indianapolis Indians and the Louisville Bats traded home runs at Slugger Field in Louisville, Kentucky tonight, but it was the Indians who held on for the win, ending their 8-game losing streak. �The Indians, who had not had a home run in almost a week, tonight had long bombs by RF Brandon Moss (photo), 3B Akinori Iwamura, and 1B Jeff Clement, while the Bats hit four home runs -- two by 3B Juan Francisco, and one each by CF Gary Matthews Jr and lF Yonder Alonso.

The game began ominously for the Indians, as their first inning looked like many of the innings they've had during their losing streak. �LF Kevin Melillo led off with a walk and stole second base. �Aki Iwamura also walked, but 2B Jim Negrych bounced right to the Bats' 2B Wilkin Castillo, who started a 2-6-3 double play. �Jeff Clement flied out to end the inning. �It was the 13th double play the Indians had batted into in the past 5 games. �The Tribe did fall victim to another double play, but not until the 9th inning, and not until after they had clearly broken their tough streak.

Things started looking up in the 2nd inning. �The Bats' starting pitcher, Mark Serrano, had just been brought up from their A+ Lynchburg Hillcats' affiliate to make a spot start because their scheduled starter Matt Maloney had been called up to Cincinnati to make a start. �Once they got going, the Indians were able to take advantage of the A+ level pitcher. �Brandon Moss led off the 2nd with a line drive into center field for a double, and CF Alex Presley beat out a bunt for an infield single, moving Moss over to third base. �A balk by Serrano let Moss score and put Presley on second base. �C Erik Kratz lined a single in to left field, which moved Presley to third base. � SS Argenis Diaz grounded back to the mound, and Serrano made the scoop then looked at Presley, who stopped in his tracks. �But instead of charging at Presley and probably catching him in a run-down, or whirling and throwing fast to second base to start a double play, Serrano hesitated. �He did throw to second, where he forced out Kratz, but that was the only out he got, and Presley scored on the play, and the Indians had a 2-0 lead.

IMG_3290With Jeremy Powell (photo) on the mound for the Indians, the Bats got the two runs right back in the bottom of the inning. �Juan Francisco started the Bats' scoring with a solo home run over the wall in right field. �RF Danny Dorn followed the homer with a double into right field. �Erik Kratz tried to pick Dorn off second base, and the when his throw got past second base, Dorn moved to third on the throwing error. �That put him in position to score an unearned run on SS Chris Valaika's sacrifice fly to tie the game.

Brandon Moss gave the Indians the lead again in the top of the 3rd. �With two outs, Jeff Clement singled through the hole into right field, and Moss blasted a 2-run homer over the wall in the right field corner. �Indians ahead, 4-2.

The Bats responded again in the bottom of the 3rd, also with two outs. �C Ryan Hanigan doubled to the base of the wall in right-center field, and he scored on Yonder Alonso's single. �Juan Francisco tied the game again in the 4th inning with his second home run of the game, another solo shot.

Jakubauskas Pitches 2 Rehab Innings In Indians’ Loss

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Erik Kratz, pitching coach Dean Treanor, and Jeremy Powell confer on the mound

Columbus Clippers �6, �Indianapolis Indians �1 (box)

IMG_3839The Clippers pounded out 12 hits, with each member of their line-up reaching base at least once, while their pitching staff held the Indians' batters to 3 hits at Victory Field tonight.

Starter Jeremy Powell, back in the Indians' starting rotation again, struck out the first batter he faced, CF Michael Brantley. �The next three batters reached base: �a single slipped past SS Doug Bernier by Clippers' 2B Josh Rodriguez, a walk to DH Luis Valbuena, and a single through the hole into left field by 3B Jared Goedert. � Goedert's hit drove in Rodriguez from second base for the Clippers' first run. �Powell got a second out when LF Jordan Brown hit a high pop fly, caught by Tribe 3B Akinori Iwamura on the infield fly rule (photo). �Then 1B Wes Hodges drove a long fly ball to center field. �CF Alex Presley, who had been playing a little shallow, turned and raced for the wall, and tried for the catch over his shoulder. �He got his glove on the ball at the warning track, but the ball popped into and out of his glove. �Instead of out #3, Hodges had a double, and had driving in two more runs. �(photos below)

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Presley at the wall -- in the second photo, the ball is partly behind Presley's left hand.

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Moskos Debuts In Indians’ Win

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The bullpen didn't get the memo that said it's 91 degrees out.

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

IMG_3752The Pirates' first round pick from the 2007 draft, LHP Danny Moskos, made his AAA debut tonight in the Inidans' win over Toledo at Victory Field. �The Indians were out-hit by the Mud Hens, 12-9, but the Indians made good use of the hits they got, including home runs by RF Brandon Moss and 2B Jim Negrych, supporting starter Jeremy Powell in his 4th win of the season.

Powell (photo) was making the spot start because Daniel McCutchen had his scheduled start moved to Oakland, with the Pirates. �This was Powell's first start in more than 3 weeks. �He had made 5 relief appearances since then, but pitched only a third of an inning in the two relief appearances in the past week. �Powell got into trouble right away in the top of the 1st. �Toledo's lead-off hitter, 2B Will Rhymes, began the game with a bloop single into short center field. �DH Jon Weber grounded slowly to 2B Jim Negrych, who tried for a double play. �Rhymes was easily out at second base, but Weber beat out SS Argenis Diaz's relay throw to first base. �A passed ball by C Erik Kratz put Weber on second base, and he scored from there when 1B Jeff Frazier followed with a line drive into the right-center alley for an RBI double. �LF Ryan Strieby drove in Frazier with another line drive, this one into center, and the Indians were down 2-0.

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Photo: �Alex Presley in center field

At that point, Powell flipped a switch. �He settled down and retired the next two batters on an easy fly out and a grounder force out to short. �He worked around a one-out double by RF Wilkin Ramirez in the 2nd, and worked around a one-out infield single by Frazier in the 3rd. �SS Brent Dlugach led off the 6th with a grounder to short, and was safe at first when Argenis Diaz's throw came in high so that 1B Jeff Clement had to leap to catch it (ruled a hit). �Powell responded by getting CF Casper Wells to bounce into a 4-6-3 (Negrych to Diaz to Clement) double play, and struck out Ramirez to end the inning. �Then Powell retired the side in order in the 5th. �He finished his night's work having thrown 64 pitches (48 strikes), and allowed 2 runs on 6 hits, no walks, with two strikeouts.

The Indians were frustrated in their first attempt at a come-back in the 2nd inning. �With one out, 3B Brian Myrow lined a single into right field, and CF Alex Presley lined a single into left field. �Myrow raced around to third, sliding into the bag head-first just ahead of the throw in from left field. �Presley alertly advanced to second base while the Mud Hens were busy worrying about Myrow. �Erik Kratz walked on 4 straight pitches, and the Indians looked like they were going to get some runs back. �But Argenis Diaz bounced into a double play, ending the inning and the threat.

6-Run 10th Lifts Indians Over Bison

Indianapolis Indians �9, �Buffalo Bison �3 (box)

IMG_2336The Indianapolis Indians exploded for 6 runs in the top of the 10th inning, to break a 3-3 tie and put the game out of reach at Coca Cola Field in Buffalo, NY tonight. �SS Argenis Diaz (photo) had the RBI single that tied the game in the 9th, and also contributed an RBI double in the 10th, and CF Jonathan Van Every also had 2 RBI. �Rehabbing Steve Pearce had 3 hits for the Indians. �Jean Machi pitched two scoreless innings to earn the win for the Indians.

The Tribe began the game with their first four batters reaching base safely, on three consecutive hits and a hit batter. �LF Kevin Melillo led off with a double, and he scored on C Luke Carlin's single up the middle. �Carlin tried to take second base when a pitch in the dirt from Dillon Gee got away from the Buffalo catcher Josh Thole -- but not as far away as Carlin thought it was, and Thole threw Carlin out at second base. �2B Jim Negrych doubled, and Steve Pearce, playing right field tonight, was hit by a pitch. �1B Jeff Clement grounded to short, and when the Buffalo SS Justin Turner threw wide to first base, Negrych came around to score an unearned run. �Those were the only runs Gee allowed. �He retired the Indians in order in the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th innings. �In the 4th, Pearce grounded to third, where 3B Mike Cervenak stumbled as he went to make the throw to first. �That made his throw come in high at first, with 1B Mike Jacobs leaping off the bag to catch the ball. �It was initially ruled a throwing error on Cervenak, but later changed to a hit for Pearce, who was reaching the bag as the throw came to first anyway. �Jeff Clement also singled, on a grounder that slipped through the right side of the infield. �But two strikeouts and a throw down to second when Clement was off and running with the pitch ended the inning without a run scoring.

IMG_3552Charlie Morton (photo) made the start for the Indians. �It was his third start since joining the Indians, and it was similar to his last. �Tonight he pitched 5 innings and allowed 3 runs on 6 hits, with 3 walks and 5 strikeouts. �(On June 13th, he went 7 innings and gave up 3 runs on 7 hits and a walk, with 6 strikeouts.) �Morton gave up a walk in each of the first two innings, and a double over the head of LF Kevin Melillo and off the wall in the 2nd. �Morton needed 21 pitches to get through the 1st inning and another 20 for the 2nd. �Then he retired the side in order in the 3rd inning, needing just 9 pitches.

The Bison tied the score in the 4th inning. �With one out, Morton gave up a single up the middle to CF Fernando Martinez. �After a fly out, LF Lucas Duda doubled, scoring Martinez, and C Josh Thole put a soft liner into center field to bring in Duda and tie the game.

The 6th inning began with a controversial grounder up the third base line by Mike Cervenak. �The ball appeared to be foul, and it bounced in foul territory once it was past third base, but 3B umpire Stephen Barga ruled that the ball was in fair territory when it sailed over the third base bag, and so it was fair, and a double for Cervenak. �Manager Frank Kremblas and C Luke Carlin protested, to no avail. �Kremblas continued on to the mound, to change pitchers, and Carlin apparently continued to express his point of view. �Before reliever Justin Thomas could come in from the bullpen, Barga ejected Carlin from the game.

Erik Kratz came into the game to replace Carlin. �Justin Thomas struck out the first two batters he faced, then gave up a single to pinch-hitter Andy Green, which drove in Mike Cervenak from second base with the go-ahead run (charged to Morton).

Three Homers By One Bison Down Indians

Buffalo Bison �6, �Indianapolis Indians �4 (box)

IMG_3534Three home runs by Buffalo RF Valentino Pascucci powered the Bison over the Indians at Coca-Cola Park in Buffalo tonight. �The Tribe tried for a late-inning come-back, but fell short, despite another strong effort by the bullpen. �Starter Brian Burres (photo)�took the loss, as he allowed two of Pascucci's homers.

Pascucci began his big night in the bottom of the 1st. �SS Andy Green led off the inning with a double into left field. �Brian Burres walked 2B Justin Turner, then gave up the 3-run bomb over the left field wall to Pascucci. �The Bison added another run in each of the next two innings. �In the 2nd, Burres walked the lead-off batter, C Josh Thole, and CF Jonathan Malo followed with a double, moving Thole to third base. �Green's sacrifice fly plated Thole, and the Bison had a 4-0 lead. �They made it 5-0 in the 3rd, on Pascucci's second home run of the game -- at least this was a solo homer, leading off the inning.

Buffalo starter John Maine, on a rehab assignment from the Mets, had the Indians' batters well in hand for the first four innings. �He gave up a walk to RF Brandon Moss in the top of the 1st. �Moss stole second base, then went to third on 2B Jim Negrych's ground out, but Moss got no further. �Maine retired the Tribe batters in order in the 2nd, then walked two more Indians, Brian Burres and LF Kevin Melillo in the 3rd. �They were also left stranded when Maine retired the next two batters to end the inning. �Three Indians sat down in order in the 4th too.

IMG_2602CF Jonathan Van Every (photo) began the top of the 5th with the Indians' first hit of the game, a double into right field. �After a strikeout by SS Argenis Diaz, Brandon Jones came on to pinch hit for Burres. �Jones reached base on a grounder to second base, when Maine, covering first base, dropped the ball on the toss from 2B Justin Turner. �That put runners on the corners for the Indians, and ended Maine's evening. �Reliever Mike O'Connor came on for Buffalo. �He first faced Kevin Melillo and got him to ground out to first, but that allowed Van Every to score from third base. �It was the only run the Indians would get in the inning, as another ground out by Brandon Moss ended the brief rally.

Brian Burres also left the game after just 4 innings. �He had allowed 5 runs on a total of 5 hits -- two home runs plus the sacrifice fly. �Burres had thrown 78 pitches (46 for strikes). �Jeremy Powell took over for Burres, and struck out the side with 15 pitches. �Brian Bass took his turn in the 6th, and he also retired the side in order, on three straight ground outs. �Steven Jackson, recently reactivated from the disabled list, worked around a single for a scoreless 7th inning.

Morton Takes The Loss But Pitches Better

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees �3, �Indianapolis Indians �1 (box)

IMG_3555Tribe pitcher Charlie Morton (photo) made his second rehab start with the Indianapolis Indians this afternoon at PNC Field in Scranton, PA, and despite being charged with the loss, Morton had a better outing than he had last week. �Morton pitched 6 innings and allowed 3 runs on 7 hits and a walk, while striking out 6 batters. �Back on Tuesday, Morton had not made it through the 4th inning and had given up 5 runs (2 earned) on 6 hits and 2 walks, with 3 strikeouts. �Opposing batters hit .353 against Morton last week, but hit .292 against him today. �Not wonderful, not great, but at least better.

What was even more telling, though, was that after Morton allowed 3 runs on 6 hits in the first three innings, Morton settled down. �Over the last three innings he pitched today, Morton gave up just one hit, a single to Yankees' SS Eduardo Nunez in the 5th. �Nunez stole second base, but was left there when Morton finished the inning with a ground out. �Morton retired the Yankees in order in the 4th and the 6th, and he struck out 4 batters in those last three innings.

That does mean that Morton had trouble in the first three innings. �In fact, the first four batters he faced in the bottom of the 1st, all singled, and all made good solid contact with Morton's pitches. �RF Reid Gorecki singled up the middle, and DH Colin Curtis slipped a grounder into right field, moving Gorecki to third base. �Gorecki scored on Nunez's single into left field, and 1B Juan Miranda's single loaded the bases. �After a quick visit by pitching coach Dean Treanor, Morton got 3B Jorge Vasquez to bounce into a 6-4-3 double play, started by SS Argenis Diaz, to 2B Jim Negrych, and on to 1B Jeff Clement, who was pulled a little to the infield side of the bag by Negrych's throw, but still was able to tag Vasquez as he ran past. �Curtis scored from third on the play. �Morton struck out C Jesus Montero to end the inning.

Morton had a little momentum from the double play and the strikeout, and he retired the Yankees in order in the 2nd, aided by an impressive catch by Jim Negrych on a short soft liner by CF Greg Golson. �Negrych had to go behind him and to his right to make the play.

IMG_2336The Indians had managed only one hit over the first two innings. �Jeff Clement smacked a double over the head of LF David Winfree, who did not judge the wind and the ball very well, and then couldn't readjust fast enough. �The top of the 3rd began with a single into center field by RF Brandon Jones. Argenis Diaz (photo) hit a fly ball into right field, which Yankees' RF Reid Gorecki let bounce just in front of him, making the catch on a very short hop, about at the level of his ankles. �Jones had had to hold up because he thought Gorecki might be able to catch the ball, and then when the catch was made after the bounce, Jones had to race to second. �Gorecki was expecting it, and was easily able to fire to second base to force out Jones. �Diaz was safe at first, and he moved to second base on a wild pitch from Yankees' starter Tim Redding. �LF Kevin Melillo first slugged a long ball down the right field line which curved foul at the last moment, missing a home run by only about 10 feet. �Melillo eventually�flied out, and Diaz tagged up and advanced to third base. �Then Jim Negrych collected his first AAA hit and his first AAA RBI with a double off the wall in left field, scoring Diaz, and cutting the Yankees' lead to 2-1.

Lincoln And Tabata Move Up As Indians Win In 11th

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Indianapolis Indians �6, �Pawtucket Red Sox �5 �(11 innings) (box)

IMG_3551It took 11 innings and a throw into the dugout, but the Tribe opened a 4-game series against the Pawtucket Red Sox with a win at Victory Field tonight.

And the best part, at least for Pirates' fans, is the news that came down after the game: �pitcher Brad Lincoln will be traveling to Washington, D.C. to make his major league debut with a start against the Nationals on Wednesday. �In addition, Lincoln will be going with a buddy -- outfielder Jose Tabata has also earned a promotion to the Pirates.

Charlie Morton (photo here and above) was making his first rehab start with the Indians, and in fact his second start ever for the Tribe. �He had made one start in 2009, shortly after being traded from the Atlanta Braves to the Pirates' organization, but has been with the Pirates' club ever since.

IMG_3553This start was not exactly all he could have hoped it would be. �Morton pitched a 1-2-3 top of the 1st, sandwiching a ground out between two strikeouts. �He went deep into counts, though, and it took him 16 pitches to get through the inning.

The Indians scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the 1st. �LF Jose Tabata worked a walk, and stole second (his 24th steal of the season) (photo). �After two fly outs, 3B Pedro Alvarez drove a double into the right-center gap, which rolled all the way to the wall and easily scored Tabata from second base.

Morton took the mound with a 1-0 lead to begin the second inning. � PawSox' 1B Lars Anderson dribbled a slow roller toward third base, then beat out 3B Pedro Alvarez's throw to first base. �DH Aaron Bates singled into right field, sending Anderson to third base. �RF Kevin Melillo's throw in from right field was off-target, and Bates was able to advance to second base on the error. �A strikeout and a fly out to short right field had the runners holding, but 3B Jorge Jimenez drove both of them in with a line drive into right field. �This time, Melillo's throw back in was on-target, and Jimenez was out as he tried to make it to second base, but the PawSox had taken a 2-1 lead.

Powell Dominates Braves But Takes Tough Loss

Gwinnett Braves �2, �Indianapolis Indians �1 (box)

IMG_2550Jeremy Powell (photo) took a no-hitter into the 7th inning for the Indians at Coolray Field in Gwinnett County, Georgia, but ended up with a 2-hitter and a very tough loss. �Opposing pitcher and former Pirate farmhand Todd Redmond, who threw a no-hitter in his last start dueled Powell through those 7 innings, giving up 5 hits but only one run, as he took the win.

No surprise -- most of the first half of this game was played in a steady soft rain. �Powell looked strong in the bottom of the 1st, as he gave up a 2-out walk to 2B Joe Thurston, but left him on base when the inning ended with a line out to left field. �Powell went on to retire the next 14 batters, 15 in a row, until the bottom of the 6th, when he gave up another 2-out walk to CF Matt Young. �Only two of those outs were strikeouts, but Powell did not make his teammates have to make wild plays to record the outs.

Powell began the 7th inning by getting Thurston to ground out to short, but the next batter, 1B Barbaro Canizares ruined Powell's no-hit bid with a ball into the right-center field alley for a triple. �RF Mitch Jones further spoiled Powell's night by taking a 1-0 pitch down the left field line and over the wall for a 2-run homer. �There was nothing LF Jose Tabata could do but turn and watch it fly. �Powell got the next two outs easily, and that was the end of his night. �Powell had thrown 88 pitches (55 strikes) and allowed only 2 hits and 2 walks, with a total of 3 strikeouts.

IMG_3130Todd Redmond had to do a little more work than Powell did. �He contended with Indians' base runners in each of the first four innings. �RF Brandon Jones (photo), hitting in the 2-spot tonight, walked in the top of the 1st. �C Erik Kratz doubled to the left field wall to begin the 2nd inning, and he got as far as third base, with 2B Brian Friday on first with a walk. �The Braves had a scary moment, when Jeremy Powell grounded sharply back to the mound, where the ball ricocheted off Redmond (not sure what part of him) and to Thurston at second base. �Thurston threw to first to end the inning, and Redmond turned out to be not injured. �Brian Friday also singled in the 4th inning.

The Indians' run came in the 3rd. �With one out, Brandon Jones lashed a triple to right field that missed being a home run by just a few feet. �1B Brian Myrow followed with a double over the head of CF Matt Young and all the way to the wall, easily scoring Jones. �That was all Redmond would allow, though. �After Friday's single, Redmond retired the next 11 Indians' batters in order. �He allowed only 4 hits and struck out 10 Indians' batters.

Once the Braves had broken up the no-hitter, Steven Jackson, who just re-joined the club, relieved Powell. �Jackson worked around a single in the 8th, but did not allow a run.

Michael Dunn came on in relief of Redmond, and he was similarly effective. �He walked�Jose Tabata to begin the top of the 8th, then struck out the next three batters: �Jones, Myrow, and 3B Pedro Alvarez. That was Alvarez's fourth strikeout of the game.

IMG_2584The Indians had one more chance at a rally in the top of the 9th. �With Craig Kimbrel on the mound for the Braves, Erik Kratz (photo) led off another inning with a long double to left field. �Strikeouts to CF Brandon Moss and Brian Friday followed, with Indians' manager getting tossed after Friday's strikeout for arguing about strike zone issues. �Doug Bernier came in to pinch-run for Erik Kratz, but Bernier was tagged out for the final out of the game when SS Argenis Diaz grounded to third.

Indians' Hitting Gems of the Game: �The Indians had only 5 hits in the game, but two of them belonged to Erik Kratz -- two doubles to the left field wall. �(Only one of the Tribe's hits was a single -- the one by Brian Friday.)

Indians' Defensive Gem of the Game: �Jeremy Powell taking a no-hitter into the 7th inning. �Wow. �(At least he didn't lose the no-hitter because of poor umpiring!)

NOTES:

Roster moves: �Reliever Steven Jackson, who was optioned from the Pirates is, of course, with the team in Gwinnett. �In order to make room for Jackson on the roster, reliever Corey Hamman was removed from the Indians' roster and moved to the State College roster. �This is probably a paper move, and Hamman may still be with the team, since State College doesn't begin their season for a couple weeks yet.

Starter Jimmy Barthmaier is working his way back after Tommy John surgery. �He has made two rehab appearances in Bradenton (one hit and one run in 3 innings), and has now been moved up to Altoona to do some rehab with the Curve.

Brad Lincoln was originally supposed to make the start tonight, but he swapped days with Jeremy Powell because Powell had so little work lately. �Powell's last start on Saturday was cut short due to a suspended game.

The Indianapolis Star featured an article about Erik Kratz today, by Andrew Astleford. � Check out the table at the bottom of the second page -- there are two other former Indianapolis Indians there: �Chris Coste (2004), and Jason Childers (2002-04).

Go Tribe!

(photos by Nancy)

Indians Finish Yesterday’s Game With A Loss; A Win For Today In The 12th

Sunday afternoon action for the Indians -- completing last night's suspended game (third one in 10 days) and then the regularly scheduled game.

Charlotte Knights �8, �Indianapolis Indians �4 (box)

IMG_2552When we left our heros (read more about the beginning of the game here), the Knights had just taken a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the 5th inning. �1B Brian Myrow gave the Indians their first 2 runs in the top of the 1st with a 2-run homer. �A single by 3B Pedro Alvarez and an RBI double by RF Brandon Moss added another run in the top of the 4th.

Jeremy Powell (photo) made the start for the Tribe, and had pitched 4.1 innings, allowing 4 runs on 4 hits and a walk, with 2 strikeouts when the game was suspended due to power outages. �Powell had allowed only one hit in the first 3 innings, but that one hit was a solo homer by Knights' DH Stefan Gartrell in the 2nd inning. �Powell got into trouble in the 4th inning, when he gave up a walk, a single, and a 2-RBI double to LF Jordan Danks, all coming with 2 outs in the inning.

The score was tied at 3-3 when the lights went out the first time. �That delay lasted only a short time, and the Indians threatened in the top of the 5th when play resumed. �A missed catch error by the Charlotte first baseman put CF Jose Tabata on second base, and Tabata stole third. �But he remained there as a strikeout, a walk, and another strikeout ended the inning. �Jeremy Powell was able to come back out and begin the bottom of the 5th, but the first batter, 2B Luis Rodriguez, homered to give Charlotte a 4-3 lead. �Powell got one out and had 2 strikes on the next batter, CF Buck Coats, when the power went out again.

IMG_2606Of course, neither starting pitcher returned when the game resumed this afternoon. �Brian Bass (photo) took the mound for the Indians, inheriting a 1-2 count on Buck Coats. �Bass needed just one pitch to get Coats to swing at strike three (strikeout credited to Bass). �Then he needed just one more pitch to get former Pirate farmhand SS Brent Lillibridge to pop out, ending the inning.

The Knights got the best of Bass in the 6th inning, though. �1B Dayan Viciedo led off with a line drive into center field on the first pitch he saw from Bass. �RF Josh Kroeger walked, and Gartrell moved both runners up a base with a sacrifice bunt. �Danks singled into right field, scoring Viciedo. �Bass got a strikeout, but a sacrifice fly by Rodriguez scored Kroeger from third base. �3B Javier Colina singled also, driving in Gartrell, and the Knights had increased their lead to 7-3.

Corey Hamman took over for Bass for the last two innings. �He allowed only one hit, but that hit was a solo home run by Brent Lillibridge in the 7th, to give Charlotte an 8-3 lead. �Hamman worked around a hit batter in the 8th inning, striking out a total of 3 batters over the two innings.

Charlotte replaced their starting pitcher with Noblesville, Indiana native (and 2001 Indiana "Mr. Baseball") Wes Whisler. �Whisler had been struggling in some recent appearances, particularly during the month of May, but he did not have much trouble with the Indians. �He retired the first 10 Tribe batters he faced in order, taking him into the top of the 9th. �With one out in the 9th, the Indians started a rally against Whisler, putting four batters in a row on base. �C Luke Carlin started with an infield hit to deep short, then Brandon Moss and SS Doug Bernier followed with two more singles. �Bernier's single scored Carlin. �2B Argenis Diaz worked a walk to load the bases. �The Knights took that opportunity to relieve Whisler and bring in reliever Greg Aquino. �Aquino faced only Jose Tabata, and on a 2-2 pitch, got Tabata to bounce to short, where Lillibridge started a 6-4-3 double play, cutting short the Tribe rally and ending the game.

Jeremy Powell was charged with the loss, his 5th of the season. �Doug Bernier and Brandon Moss each had two hits, a single and a double, and one RBI in the game.

Indians' Hitting Gem of the Game: �Brian Myrow's home run in the top of the 1st, his 4th blast of the season.

Regularly scheduled game -- click "read more"

Indians Are Suspended Again

What is it with the suspended games?

Indianapolis Indians �3, �Charlotte Knights �1 (box)

IMG_3228When lightning and rain suspended this game on Friday night, it was a pitching duel between the Indians' Brad Lincoln and the Knights' Matt Zaleski. Lincoln had allowed one hit and one walk in 5 innings, while striking out 7 batters. �Zaleski had held the Tribe batters to 2 hits (a double to 1B Brian Myrow and a single to DH Brandon Moss), no walks, and he had struck out 6 batters.

The game was resumed at 6 pm on Saturday, and LF Kevin Melillo (photo) got the restart off with a bang -- he slammed the first pitch from reliever Kyle McCulloch over the right field wall for a solo home run.

Anthony Claggett took over for Lincoln for the second part of the game. �With one out in the bottom of the 6th, Claggett gave up a solo homer to CF Buck Coats, to tie the game at 1-1. �Claggett went on to retire three Knights in order in the 7th inning.

The Tribe broke the tie in the top of the 7th. �C Erik Kratz led off the inning with a double to deep center field. �A single by Brandon Moss moved Kratz to third base. �With the runners on the corners, 2B Brian Friday bounced a grounder to third base, starting a double play. �Kratz scored from third base, though (no RBI), and the Indians had a 2-1 lead. �Another double play squelched a rally in the 8th inning, when CF Jose Tabata singled, but was doubled off first when Melillo lined out right to the Knights' first baseman.

IMG_3310Charlotte threatened in the bottom of the 8th. �Claggett (photo) began the inning by hitting RF Jordan Danks with a pitch. �DH �Donny Lucy dropped a sacrifice bunt, which Claggett fielded cleanly, but Friday could not make the catch on Claggett's throw to first. �The error put Knights on the corners. �Another sacrifice bunt by 2B CJ Retherford moved Lucy to second base, but Danks had to hold at third. �That was all for Claggett. �Justin Thomas came in from the bullpen, and he ended the inning with a foul pop out to 3B Pedro Alvarez and a strikeout, leaving two runners in scoring position.

Alvarez gave the Tribe an insurance run in the top of the 9th. �His 11th home run of the season left the yard over the left field wall, giving the Indians a 3-1 lead. �The next three Indians' batters went down in order, and Jean Machi finished the game for the Tribe by doing the same to the Knights in the bottom of the frame. �Machi earned his 7th save of the season. �Claggett was charged with a Blown Save, due to the home run in the bottom of the 6th, but he was also given the win, since he was the pitcher of record when the Indians scored in the top of the 7th. �That homer was only the 2nd, and the last, �hit of the game for the Knights.

IMG_2671Indians' Hitting Gems of the Game: �Home runs by Kevin Melillo and Pedro Alvarez. �Melillo's was his second of the season and the second in two games (over three days). �Alvarez's homer was his 11th of the season and his 44th RBI.

Indians' Defensive Gem of the Game: �Five one-hit innings by Brad Lincoln �(photo), needing only 61 pitches to do it. �He dominated the Knights, and made it look easy.

(Click on "Read more" for the second game)

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Indians Fall To Yankees Twice

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Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees �10, �Indianapolis Indians �7 (box)

IMG_3309This was the completion of the suspended game from last night. �(Take a look here to read more about the first 3.5 innings.)

The start of the restart was delayed about 40 minutes because of the threat of rain. �The tarp was put down, but when the rain never happened, it was pulled, and play began. �Despite worrisome weather forcasts, it didn't rain for the rest of the evening, and there was even a bit of sunshine.

The Yankees took the field for the restart, holding an 8-5 lead. �Starter Jeremy Powell had made a shaky start, allowing all 8 runs on 7 hits and 3 walks. �The Yankees had batted around in the top of the 4th, as Powell struggled on a wet and slippery mound and his teammates behind him battled soggy grass. �Steven Jackson came on in relief of Powell, but 5 runs came in �to give the Yankees the lead.

On the restart, Anthony Claggett (photo) took the mound for the Indians. �Claggett just didn't have it tonight. �He walked 6 batters in 1.1 innings, though miraculously did not give up any runs. �He walked the first two batters in the top of the 5th, then got a double play, which eliminated one runner but put the lead runner (LF Chad Huffman) on third base. �Two more walks loaded the bases, but a grounder to SS Argenis Diaz gave Claggett a force out at second base, and he had escaped his self-made jam.

IMG_3311The next inning was more of the same, though. �The first batter flied out, with CF Jose Tabata first coming in, then having to reverse, and then make a running over-the-shoulder catch. �Claggett put the next three batters on base, with a walk to DH Jon Weber, a hit by C Jesus Montero, and a walk to Huffman. �That was enough for manager Frank Kremblas to see. �Claggett left having walked 6 of the 10 batters he faced.

Vinnie Chulk (photo) was next out of the bullpen. �He came into the game with one out and the bases loaded -- and proceeded to strike out RF Reid Gorecki and get 3B Matt Cusick to end the inning and leave those three runners right where he found them.

Chulk came back out for the 7th inning. �He gave up a single into right field to CF Greg Golson. �A grounder moved Golson to second base. �Chulk got a gift next. �He tried to pick Golson off second base, but his throw was wide and got into center field, and Golson raced to third base. �But the umpires pointed him back to second base -- home plate ump Mark Lollo had called time out just a split second before Chulk turned and made the throw to second, making the whole thing a "no play". �Then it turned out to be moot. �A single by 1B PJ Pilittere, who had taken over for David Winfree, singled down the right field line, and Golson scored anyway.

Indians And Scranton Suspended

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It really didn't help much.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees 8, Indianapolis Indians 5 SUSPENDED (box)

IMG_3305The rain was the winner at Victory Field tonight, halting play in the middle of the 4th inning. �The rain started mid-afternoon in central Indiana, and it had come down heavily until about 6 pm. �The Indians' ground crew was able to remove the tarp from the field around that time, and by 7 pm it was still overcast but not raining, so the game started on time. �Rain started falling again in the 2nd inning, and by the end of the 3rd, it was coming down pretty heavily. �The umpires still had the Indians come out and take the field for the top of the 4th, and only after a disastrous half-inning for the Indians was play halted.

(Photo: �Manager Frank Kremblas was very upset with the umpires' decisions on continuing and then halting play.)

Jeremy Powell was making the spot start for the Indians, taking the place of�Daniel McCutchen, who is now on the Disabled List. �Powell struggled in three of the four innings he pitched, though by the 4th inning, the rain could have been a factor.

IMG_3290Powell (photo) hit the first batter of the game, CF Greg Golson. �He got two outs, then gave up a double down the left field line, just out of reach of 3B Pedro Alvarez's dive, to 1B David Winfree. �That scored Golson, and the Yankees had a run on the board.

The Tribe got the run back in the bottom of the 1st. �CF Jose Tabata worked a walk to lead off, and he moved to second base on 1B Neil Walker's high bouncing grounder to first base. �A balk by Yankees' starter Ivan Nova put Tabata on third base. �DH Brian Myrow dribbled a little grounder over the mound (might have been tipped by Nova, but not sure) toward 2B Reegie Corona. �Corona came in onto the infield grass for the ball, but he was already thinking about firing the ball home to get Tabata before he actually had the ball in his glove -- and the ball got past him. �Tabata scored easily, and Myrow was safe on first base. �At first it was ruled an error, but this was later changed to an infield hit and an RBI for Myrow. �Pedro Alvarez bounced into a double play to end the inning, but the Indians had tied it up at 1-1.

Yankees' top prospect Jesus Montero led off the 2nd inning with a single up the middle, and a pitch from Powell that sailed all the way to the backstop moved Montero to second base. �Powell walked RF Reid Gorecki, then 3B Matt Cusick sliced a double down the right field line, inside the chalk by inches, and then curving into the Yankees' bullpen. �Both Montero and Gorecki scored by the time RF Brandon Moss could get the ball back to the infield.