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Anthony Solometo tried throwing like everyone else when he was younger. The left-hander was taught to pick up a ball like everyone, with the intent to throw it overhand. He had an issue with dropping his arm...
Returning from Tommy John surgery, Braxton Ashcraft was just looking to remain healthy in his 2023 season. “The health was the biggest focal point of the season,” said Ashcraft at the end of last year’s campaign. “I...

Van Every Homers As Indians Lose Finale

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

The Indianapolis Indians wrapped up the 2010 season at Slugger Field in Louisville, Kentucky this afternoon with a loss to the Bats.� The Tribe finished the season just below .500 with a 71-73 record, and they finished the season series against Louisville with the Bats having a 12-10 game advantage.� The Bats' win, combined with Columbus' 5-2 loss to Toledo, gives the Bats the International League Western Division title.� The Clippers had been in first place in the Western Division for most of the season, but Louisville had a second-half surge and slipped up behind the Clippers for the win at the finish line.� The Clippers will be the Wild Card team in the International League Playoffs, which begin on Wednesday.

NOTES:

The Indians begin the 2011 season on Thursday April 7th, at home at Victory Field, against the Columbus Clippers.� That's just 7 months from tomorrow, and 213 days away.

Go Tribe!

(photos by Nancy)

Moss Takes IL RBI Title As Indians Win

Indianapolis Indians� 5,� Louisville Bats� 3 ..��� (box)

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RF Brandon Moss's (photo) double in the top of the 7th inning gave the Indians the winning run and gave Moss his league-leading 96th RBI at Louisville Slugger Field in Louisville, Kentucky this evening.� RBI #96 secured Moss' win of the International League's RBI title.� The second-place slugger, Durham's Dan Johnson, is now playing in the major leagues, and the third-place slugger, Gwinnett's Freddie Freeman, is also in the majors. Two players are tied for fourth, Lehigh Valley's Andy Tracy and Charlotte's Stefan Gartrell, are both still in this league, but one of them would have to get 16 RBI tomorrow to catch up to Moss.�


Tribe LF Kevin Melillo got down to business with the first pitch of the game, which he ripped on a line drive into right field for a triple.� SS Pedro Ciriaco lined a single into center field, allowing Melillo to score easily from third base.� After a strikeout by CF Alex Presley, Moss lined a single into right field, moving Ciriaco to second base.� Another strikeout to 1B Mitch Jones, then C Erik Kratz singled up the middle, driving in Ciriaco, and the Indians had the early 2-0 lead.

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IMG_4455Chris Jakubauskas (photo) made the start for the Indians, and he was happy to take the mound with two runs in his pocket.� Jakubauskas buzzed through the first three innings, allowing only a double -- to Bats' pitcher Jeremy Horst -- in the 3rd inning.� Jakubauskas began the 4th inning by giving up a single to SS Zack Cozart and a walk to Danny Dorn, but he retired the next three batters, and the two runners were left standing on base.

The Bats did get to Jakubauskas in the 5th.� Three consecutive singles opened the inning -- by 3B Eric Eymann, 2B Kris Negron, and pinch-hitter Mike Costanzo.� Eymann scored on Costanzo's grounder that just barely got past 2B Brian Friday and into right field. � CF Dave Sappelt followed with a grounder to Friday, who was able to get the force out at second base.� The speedy Sappelt beat out Pedro Ciriaco's relay throw to first base, as Negron scored the tying run from third base.� Zack Cozart grounded to 3B Doug Bernier, who also got the force out of Sappelt at second base, but Friday's thow to first base was not in time to get the out on Cozart.� The inning ended with a pop out by Danny Dorn.

Just Ugly

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The wind had the flags doing this, and the flag poles swaying, all evening.

Louisville Bats� 16,� Indianapolis Indians� 6 ..���� (box)

IMG_4595It got ugly early at Victory Field tonight, and it didn't get much better as the game went on.� The Louisville Bats clobbered the Indianapolis Indians 16 - 6, and the two teams combined for a total of 30 hits.

The Ugly:

* Starter Mike Crotta (photo) lasted only one inning.� The first four batters in the top of the 1st reached base:� a slow roller single to short that CF Dave Sappelt beat out for a single, double down the left field line by SS Zach Cozart, four pitch walk to RF Danny Dorn, and a bases-clearing triple to the 418' mark in left-center by 1B Todd Frazier.� Tribe SS Pedro Ciriaco made a diving stop and great throw to first base to make the first out of the inning on C Devin Mesoraco, then Crotta walked 3B Mike Costanzo.� 2B Eric Eymann hit a little dribbler just a few feet in front of home, but when C Jason Jaramillo had to leave the plate to field the ball, since he had a better angle than Crotta did for the throw to first, then Frazier took the opportunity to break for home and score.� LF Michael Griffin capped the inning with a wind-aided 2-run homer over the right field wall.� Crotta struck out Bats' pitcher Tom Cochran to end the inning.� The Bats had a 6 run advantage before the Indians came to the plate.

IMG_4602*After two scoreless innings and just one walk, reliever Corey Hamman (photo) got into trouble in the 4th.� With one out, Michael Griffin drove another triple to the 418' sign in left-center.� Hamman struck out Cochran again, for the second out of the inning, but he had trouble finding that third out.� The next four batters reached base -- an RBI double into center field by Sappelt, a walk to Cozart, a 2-RBI double that rattled around in the right field corner by Dorn, and an RBI double out of CF Alex Presley's reach in center by Frazier.� Bats lead, 10-3.

*Anthony Claggett gave up another 2-run homer to Griffin in the 5th inning, for a 12 - 3 lead.� Then he gave up 3 more runs in the 7th.� With one out, he surrendered a double to Eymann, singles to Griffin and pinch-hitter Sean Henry (RBI), then after a ground out, another RBI single by Cozart.� Claggett was relieved by Brian Bass, who gave up another single to Dorn, driving in the third run of the inning.� Bats up 15-6.

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Indians Strike (Out) Bats

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Heroes at Victory Field




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Indianapolis Indians� 7,� Louisville Bats� 5 ...��� (box)

IMG_4571The Indianapolis Indians snapped a 4-game losing streak and got to play the role of spoiler for at least one night as they defeated the Louisville Bats at Victory Field tonight.� The Indians' pitchers combined for a total of 15 strikeouts -- more than half of the outs they recorded were strikeouts.

Dana Eveland (photo) made the start for the Indians and pitched 4 innings.� He struck out a season-high 9 batters, meaning that he recorded only 3 outs that were not strikeouts -- a fly out, a pop out, and a grounder force out at second base.� Eveland also gave up 4 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks.

The game began ominously for Eveland and the Tribe.� The first batter of the game, CF Dave Sappelt, lined a single over 2B Doug Bernier's leap and into right-center field.� The second batter, SS Zach Cozart, lined a double into right-center field.� The third batter, 1B Danny Dorn, smacked a home run over the right-center field wall, giving the Bats an instant 3-0 lead.

Eveland got his feet back under him for the rest of the 1st inning.� He struck out LF Todd Frazier and got C Devin Mesoraco to pop out to second base.� He did give up another hit, to LF Luis Terrero, butt hen struck out 2B Kris Negron to end the inning.

IMG_4573In the bottom of the inning, the Indians batters jumped right on Louisville starter Chad Reineke too.� LF Kevin Melillo with a liner over the head of the Bats' second baseman and into right-center field.� 3B Akinori Iwamura worked a walk, then CF Alex Presley flied out to right field. Melillo was able to tag up and advance to third base on the fly out, which put him in position for RF Brandon Moss. Moss collected his 90th RBI of the season with a grounder through the right side of the infield, and Melillo scored easily from third base.� That was all the Tribe could get that inning, though.� Jeff Clement, who was making a rehab start at first base (photo), flied out and C Erik Kratz struck out to end the inning.

Eveland struggled again in the 2nd inning.� The first batter, 3B Eric Eymann slipped a single through the hole at short for a single.� Bats' pitcher Chad Reineke dropped down a bunt, but Eveland pounced on it, whirled and fired to second base, where he was in time to force out Eymann and leave Reineke on first.� Back to the top of the Bats' order, Eveland struck out Dave Sappelt, then walked Zach Cozart.� Danny Dorn drove in another run (Reineke) with a single down the right field line.� Eveland struck out Todd Frazier again, but the Bats had increased their lead to 4-1.

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Indians’ Bats Quiet Again

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Jason Jaramillo and Brad Lincoln try to reassure umpire Chad Whitson.

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Columbus Clippers� 4,� Indianapolis Indians� 1 .....��� (box)

IMG_4546Pitchers Brad Lincoln (photo) and Joe Martinez piggy-backed through 7 innings at Victory Field tonight, but the Indianapolis Indians' batters could not provide them with much run support, and the Columbus Clippers took the win in the last meeting between the two teams for the 2010 season.

Like last night, the Indians cracked the scoreboard first.� RF Brandon Moss led off the 2nd inning with a smooth line drive into left field for a single.� DH Jeff Clement, with the Indians on a rehab assignment, took a 4-pitch walk, moving Moss to second base.� 1B Mitch Jones made the first out of the inning by swinging at an outside pitch for strike three.� C Jason Jaramillo brought in Moss from second with a line drive just over the leaping Clippers' 2B Cord Phelps, to give the Indians a 1-0 lead.� The inning ended with a strike out-throw out double play, when Clement took off for third base as SS Doug Bernier swung at strike three.

And like last night, the lead did not last long.

Brad Lincoln began the game by giving up a dribbly infield single along the third base line to RF Jose Constanza.� Lincoln got the next two batters to fly out, then picked Constanza off first base to end the inning.� He retired the Clippers in order in the 2nd inning, including two strikeouts.� The third inning began with a solo home run by LF Matt McBride, to tie the score at 1-1.

IMG_4563Next to the plate was former Indy Indian C Luke Carlin.� Carlin and Lincoln, former battery mates decided to have a little fun with one another.� On Lincoln's first pitch, a ball, Carlin feinted a bunt -- something he knows irritates Lincoln.� Lincoln responded by throwing the second pitch about 3 feet behind Carlin -- not close to him so that Carlin had any chance of jumping back and getting hit.� Both players grinned at one another, and prepared to get down to the real business at hand.� Unfortunately, the umpiring crew did not see the same humor in the exchange.� 2B Umpire Alan Porter walked in to the mound and motioned to home plate umpire Chad Whitson.� The two conferred and talked to Lincoln, who appeared to be reassuring them that he had no intention of hurting his former teammate.� But the umpires were still not impressed.� Whitson warned both dugouts and managers, as Carlin turned away with a grimace on his face (photo).� Jason Jaramillo and Brad Lincoln continued to try to reassure Whitson (photo at top), but they did not seem to be making any progress.

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Powell And Indians Squeak Past Mud Hens

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

IMG_3740Indians' 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.

IMG_3752The 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.

Lincoln Pens Up Mud Hens

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

IMG_4285Indians' 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.

This Time Indians Can’t Overcome Late Inning Rallies

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Syracuse Chiefs� 4,� Indianapolis Indians� 2 (box)

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Like yesterday, the Indians had an early lead in this afternoon's game against the Syracuse Chiefs at Victory Field.� Like yesterday, the Chiefs' late inning rallies had them catching up and taking the lead.� But, unlike yesterday, today, the Indians could not stage a last-minute rally for the dramatic win.� Rehabbing right-hander Chris Jakubauskas (photo above) could not hold off the Chiefs, and he suffered the loss.

Jeremy Powell (photo) made the start for the Indians, under yet another 90+ degree sunny sky.� For the first 6 innings, he was brilliant.� He retired the side in order in half of his innings.� He worked around a one-out single by C Wilson Ramos in the 2nd inning.� Ramos singled again with two outs in the 4th, but Powell ended the inning by inducing a pop out.� He also worked around a one-out double by opposing pitcher Jordan Zimmerman in the 3rd.� Zimmerman surprised almost everyone in the stadium by ripping a line drive to the 418' sign in left-center field.� For anyone else, that would have been an easy triple, but not wanting to overtax the pitcher, particularly in the heat,� Zimmerman started slowing down shortly after he rounded first base, and all but walked into second base, where he watched LF Kevin Melillo's throw come back to the infield.

IMG_4365Melillo got the Tribe out to a good start with a lead-off single in the bottom of the 1st, though he was left stranded.� The Indians had two runners on in the 2nd inning, when 1B John Bowker (photo, on right) lined a single into right field, and SS Pedro Ciriaco bunted to the left side of the mound, where Zimmerman could not find the handle on the ball to make a throw.� 2B Brian Friday popped up, and the infield fly rule was invoked.� That brought up Jeremy Powell with two outs, and he could only bounce a grounder to short, ending the inning with the two runners on base.

The first Indians' run came in the 3rd inning.� With one out, 3B Akinori Iwamura worked a walk.� Then CF Alex Presley worked his magic again, taking a long bouncer just barely fair down the right field line.� The carom off the wall in the right field corner fooled Syracuse RF Leonard Davis, and while Davis was busy chasing down the ball, Iwamura scored and Presley cruised into third base with a triple.� Indians up, 1-0.� The inning ended without further runs scoring.� RF Brandon Moss's oops-swing lifted a low, twisting flop of a fly right to Chiefs' 3B Pete Orr.� Presley had been taking a lead, and he could not get back to the bag in time, so was doubled off to end the inning.

9th Inning Heroes: Friday and Presley

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Erik Kratz is a good sport.

Indianapolis Indians� 4,� Syracuse Chiefs� 3 (box)

IMG_43212B 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.

Jaramillo’s Blast Seals It For The Tribe

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Manager Frank Kremblas congratulates Pedro Ciriaco on his triple

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

IMG_4311C 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.

Presley and Moss Lead Indians Over Tide

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Indianapolis Indians� 7,� Norfolk Tides� 4 (box)

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OF Alex Presley (photo -- making a tricky catch in center field) and DH Brandon Moss combined for 5 RBI and each member of the Tribe line-up had at least one hit as the Indians beat the Norfolk Tides for the second day in a row at Victory Field this afternoon.� Starter Brian Burres earned his 5th win with the Indians with 6 innings of work, allowing 3 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks.

The Indians were the first to get onto the scoreboard, with an unearrned run in the 2nd inning.� RF Mitch Jones worked a walk from Tides' starter Tim Bascom, then LF John Bowker doubled into the right center field alled, sending Jones to third.� Jones had stopped at third base, but when he saw the throw in from Tides' RF Rhyne Hughes skip past the cutoff man, 2B Paco Figueroa, and roll into the infield grass away from everyone, Jones headed for the plate -- and was almost able to walk there.� The run was ruled unearned because even though the next batter, 1B Jonathan Van Every, hit a fly ball into left field for an out, it was felt that the fly was too shallow into left field for a runner to tag up and score from third.

IMG_4259Brian Burres (photo) breezed through the first two innings, allowing only a walk to LF Nolan Reimold to lead off the 2nd inning.� Then the Tides scored one run in the top of the 3rd inning.� Burres got the first out, then gave up back-to-back singles to Hughes and to Figueroa.� He loaded the bases with a 4-pitch walk to 3B Scott Moore, who had homered in each of the last two games.� SS Robert Andino tied the score with a sacrifice fly, scoring Hughes.� Burres and the Indians were lucky that it was only a sacrifice fly, because LF John Bowker caught the fly ball at the left field wall, leaning up against the new scoreboard -- it was not very far from being a grand slam.� The inning ended when C Jason Jaramillo made a snap throw down to first base, catching Moore off the bag.� A brief run-down ensued, going 2-3-6-4 (Jaramillo to Van Every to SS Pedro Ciriaco to Friday), and Moore was tagged out in the middle of the baseline.

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Tides Wash Over Indians

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a lot of jawing going on

Norfolk Tides� 9,� Indianapolis Indians� 1 (box)

IMG_4188Norfolk Tides' starter Chris Tillman pitched into the 7th inning and struck out 9 Tribe batters as the Tides easily washed over the Indians at Victory Field tonight.� Indians' starter Jeremy Powell (photo) had a rough outing, and did not get through the 4th inning, as he allowed 7 runs on 10 hits.

Powell allowed at least one base runner on in each of his 4 innings, though he did have a bit of luck in the top of the 1st.� CF Matt Angle opened the game with a double into the right-center field gap.� He moved to third base when one of Powell's pitches to SS Robert Andino came up and in and high, and got past C Jason Jaramillo for a wild pitch.� Andino struck out, then Powell struck out former Indy Indian RF Jeff Salazar.� On strike three to the left-handed hitting Salazar, Jaramillo hopped up and fired down to third base, surprising Angle, who was a little too far off the bag.� 3B Akinori Iwamura was easily able to tag out Angle to end the inning.

Unfortunately, there was not much more luck going for Powell.� In the 2nd inning, with one out, DH Michael Aubrey smacked a sharp grounder to the right of 2B Brian Friday. Friday was able to make the diving stop, but had no time to throw Aubrey out at first.� Aubrey went to second base on 1B Brandon Snyder's ground out.� Then 3B Scott Moore rocketed a rising line drive out of the park just inside the right field foul pole for a 2-run homer.

Three straight hits off Powell gave the Tides another run in the 3rd.� With one out, Andino tripled into the left-center field alley, with the ball rolling to the wall in the deepest part of Victory Field.� Salazar brought Andino in with a bloop single into short center field.� Salazar was thrown out trying to steal second base -- the first time this season that Salazar has been caught stealing, in 17 attempts.� LF Nolan Reimold grounded a single up the middle, just out of reach of SS Pedro Ciriaco, but he was left stranded when Powell struck out Aubrey.

IMG_4210Things got worse in the 4th.� Brandon Snyder began the inning with a line drive down the right field line and into the corner.� Powell walked Moore, and C Adam Donachie, just arrived from AA Bowie, dropped down a sacrifice bunt, moving the runners to second and third bases.� 2B Paco Figueroa grounded toward short, where the ball scooted past the diving Ciriaco, who might have been distracted by Moore, who was running in front of him and between Ciriaco and the oncoming ground ball.� It was ruled a hit, and Snyder came in to score.� Angle drove a high bouncer just barely inside the chalk line and into the right field corner for a triple, plating both Moore and Figueroa, and the Tides had a 6-0 lead.� That brought up Andino.� When Powell's first pitch came in tight and hit Andino's jersey, Andino took exception (remember that high and tight wild pitch in the first inning? ).� Andino stood at the plate and yelled out at Powell.� He was restrained by the home plate umpire and Jaramillo, and by his own teammates who quickly came out of the dugout.� Powell returned the jawing, and took several steps toward the plate, but was also blocked by the umpires and his teammates.� Manager Frank Kremblas kept the rest of the Indians' bench from emptying, and after a bit more yelling and milling around, order was restored (photo here and at the top).� No one was ejected, but Kremblas decided that it was a good time to end Powell's night.