Tag: Steven Jackson

Louisville Batts  5,  Indianapolis Indians   2
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The Indianapolis Indians and Louisville Bats played 6.5 scoreless innings at Louisville Slugger Field, before each team scored in its last two at-bats.  The Bats' first rally was sparked by their winning pitcher Daryl Thompson, and the second rally, in the bottom of the 8th, was aided by 3 Indians' errors.  The Tribe was not able to catch up, and the Bats took the first game of this 4-game away-and-home series.  

Justin Wilson (photo) made the start for the Indians, coming off a tough start last Saturday in Toledo.  He got through the first two innings rather quickly, allowing just one hit, a double by Bats' 1B Todd Frazier in the 2nd.  Wilson worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the 3rd.  3B Michael Griffin reached base when his Tribe counterpart 3B Pedro Alvarez bobbled his grounder for an error.  After two outs, 2B Chris Valaika grounded to short, where SS Jordy Mercer also had trouble with bobbles on the scoop.  Valaika reached base ahead of Mercer's throw, and the play was ruled a single.  LF Yonder Alonso walked to load the bases.  Wilson bore down and got C Devin Mesoraco to fly out to RF Anthony Norman, to escape the inning without a run scoring.   

Wilson worked around a single by Frazier in the 4th inning, then got into another jam in the 5th.  He walked the opposing pitcher Thompson, and hit Valaika with a pitch.  With two outs, Mesoraco hit a screaming liner right back at Wilson.  The ball hit Wilson's glove and dropped, but Wilson was so surprised that it took him a moment to realize that the ball had been stopped and had not sailed into the outfield.  Then he looked up, thinking that maybe the ball was still in the air, then finally looked down -- and still took a moment to realize that the ball was at his feet.  Mesoraco was safe on first, and the bases were loaded, but Wilson had kept the ball from going into the outfield and allowing at least 2 runs to score.  He ended the inning with a ground out by RF Jeremy Hermida, leaving the bases full of Bats for the second time in the game.  

That was all for Wilson, on a hot and humid night.  He had thrown 97 pitches (57 strikes), and thrown 5 scoreless innings, allowing 4 hits and 2 walks, with 5 strikeouts.  Wilson was relieved by former Bat (just a couple of weeks ago) Steven Jackson, who retired his old teammates in order in the 6th.  

Watching from the dugout:  Pedro Alvarez, Tom Filer, Dusty Brown, Jordy Mercer, Kris Watts








Toledo Mud Hens  5,  Indianapolis Indians  1
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The Indianapolis Indians must have used up too many of the hits in their bats in yesterday's 10-4 win, because today they were back to scoring just one run, as they did in the two previous games against the Toledo Mud Hens.  Tonight at Victory Field, the Tribe posted just 4 hits on their way to their lone run, while the Mud Hens stacked up 12 hits and 5 runs.  

Rudy Owens (photo) struck out a season-high 8 batters in his start for the Tribe, but he also gave up 8 hits and could not get through the 5th inning.  He was charged with his 6th loss of the season, giving him a 6-6 record.  

The game began with LF Will Rhymes lining a double into right field for a double.  Owens struck out the next two batters, 3B Danny Worth and rehabbing 2B Carlos Guillen.  DH Ryan Strieby lined a single into left field, and Rhymes raced around to score from second base.  Owens struck out former Indy Indian CF Jeff Salazar to end the inning, then began the 2nd by striking out 1B Scott Thorman.  RF Ben Guez doubled into center field with one out in the 2nd, but a fly out and another strikeout left Guez on base.  

(Photo:  Pitching coach Tom Filer, Rudy Owens, Dusty Brown, Corey Wimberly)


Owens also worked around a one-out hit by Worth in the 3rd -- a bloopy hit that fell into no-man's land behind first base, out of reach of Tribe RF Miles Durham, 1B Matt Hague, and 2B Corey Wimberly.  Salazar struck out again to lead off the 4th inning.  Thorman singled into right field, then with two strikes on Guez, Thorman took off to try to steal second base.  Guez swung and missed on strike three, and as he finished his swing, he stumbled a bit, causing his bat to come around and hit C Dusty Brown.  Brown was in the middle of throwing to second base as he was hit by the bat, and it caused his throw to go off-target.  Guez was out on the strikeout, and since he was already out, the penalty for the batter interference ruling was that the base runner Thorman was also called out at second base.  

Indianapolis Indians  4,  Toledo Mud Hens  3
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After 5 scoreless innings with a tie score, the Indians pushed across a run in the top of the 12th, then held on for the win over the Mud Hens at Fifth-Third Field in Toledo, Ohio.    

With two outs in the top of the 12th, 2B/3B Brian Friday worked a walk.  LF John Bowker (photo) lashed a double into the right-center field alley, over the head of Toledo RF Ben Guez, and off the wall.  Friday was off and running with the pitch, and he rounded third and headed for the plate as Guez chased down the ball.  He crossed the plate well ahead of the throw, scoring the go-ahead run for the Indians.  

The Mud Hens jumped right on Tribe starter Justin Wilson in the bottom of the 1st inning.  Lead-off batter DH Will Rhymes with a single, and LF Timo Perez doubled, putting runners on the corners.  Rhymes scored on an RBI single into right field by rehabbing 2B Carlos Guillen, and Perez came in on an RBI single by 1B Ryan Strieby, for a 2-0 lead.  Strieby stole second base and 3B Danny Worth walked.  Wilson got out of the inning when he struck out RF Scott Thorman, and C Kris Watts fired down to third base, throwing out Strieby trying to steal third.  SS Cale Iorg added a run in the 2nd inning on a solo homer, giving the Mud Hens a 3-0 lead.  

Wilson went on to pitch 4 more innings, scattering 3 more singles (by Rhymes, Iorg, and Strieby) and two walks (Guillen and Strieby), but he did not allow another run.  He threw 91 pitches, with 52 strikes.  

Indianapolis Indians  3,  Syracuse Chiefs  0
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Thursday was a very good day for Indianapolis Indians' 1B Matt Hague (photo).   He was named to the International League's All-Star Team in the morning, then led his team to a victory over the Chiefs at Alliance Bank Park in Syracuse, NY in the evening.  

This won't be Hague's first All-Star Game -- he participated in the 2010 Eastern League All-Star Game.  He is the Indians' only player on this year's IL All-Star Team, though Tribe manager Dean Treanor will be serving the IL as a bench coach.  The Louisville Bats have 3 position players in the IL's starting line-up, plus one reserve player.  The Durham Bulls have 2 position players among the starters, plus one reserve player.  Lehigh Valley and Columbus both have 2 pitchers named to the team.  Former Indy Indian C Erik Kratz, now with Lehigh Valley, has been named to the IL All-Star team for the third season in a row.  In his first AAA All-Star Game, Kratz was named the most valuable player, and in last season's game, he was notified of his major league call-up in the middle of the game and his astonished response was on national television.  There will be a familiar face on the Pacific Coast League's All-Star Team -- LHP Dana Eveland, who pitched for the Indians and the Pirates will be represeting the Albuquerque Isotopes (Dodgers).  

Hague continued his day with a 3-for-3 night at the plate, including a double, and he was responsible for driving in 2 of the Indians' 3 runs.  C Kris Watts also had a fine night, with a pair of doubles.  Pitchers Garrett Olson and Steven Jackson combined for a 2-hit shutout.  

Brad Lincoln made the start for the Indians, and was charged with his 7th loss.  














Pawtucket Red Sox  12,  Indianapolis Indians  3
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Two big innings by the Pawtucket gave the Red Sox plenty of in-game fireworks to warm up the crowd for the post-game fireworks at Victory Field tonight.  The PawSox scored 4 runs in the 2nd and 5 runs in the 8th, and their total of 12 runs came on just 10 hits.

Indians' starter Brad Lincoln mowed down the first five batters he faced, striking out three of them.  But with two outs in the top of the 2nd, Lincoln suddenly got into trouble.  DH Ryan Lavarnway ripped a double into the right-center field gap for a double.  RF Nate Spears lined a single into center field, which CF Gorkys Hernandez fired back to the plate, as Lavarnway rounded third and headed for the plate.  The throw was on-target and on-time, but C Eric Fryer couldn't keep hold of it as he went to make the tag.  The ball dropped to the ground, and Lavarnway slid across the plate safely.  Lincoln walked C Luis Expositon on four pitches, then 2B Brent Dlugach rocketed a double over RF Alex Presley's head and off the top of the right field wall.  That brought in Spears, but Presley's strong throw in from right made Exposition hold up at third.  With both runners in scoring position, CF Che-Hsuan Lin blooped a single into short center field, which dropped in between three Tribe fielders, brining in both Exposito and Dlugach, for a 4-0 lead.  

Hernandez (photo) came through with a clutch double to help the Indians cut the PawSox lead in half in the bottom of the inning.  With one out, 3B Josh Harrison, just back from Pittsburgh, took a 4-pitch walk from Pawtucket starter Kyle Weiland.  Fryer grounded out, then 2B Josh Rodriguez also walked.  Hernandez followed with a double off the top of the wall in the right-center field gap, and both Joshes raced around to score.  The rally ended when Presley popped out to second, leaving Hernandez stranded, but the Tribe had made progress:  4-2.

A few roster moves by the Pirates today:

Several players have been removed from the 40-man roster and outrighted to AAA Indianapolis:� LHP Justin Thomas, RHP Sean Gallagher, RHP Steven Jackson, 1B Jeff Clement, and OF Brandon Moss.

Of these, Thomas, Jackson, and Moss are now all free to declare themselves minor league free agents.� Clement does not have enough service time to get to be a free agent, so he's "stuck" on the Indianapolis roster.� He's had knee surgery, and hopes to be ready by spring training.� Gallagher does have the service time, but the Pirates are probably negotiating with him to try to keep him.

LHP Wil Ledezma has signed a one-year contract with the Pirates for 2011.

RHP Jose Ascanio and 1B Steve Pearce (who has also had knee issues) are officially off the DL and back on the 40-man roster.� RHP Ross Ohlendorf also falls into this category.

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On to Wednesday's winter league action, with Pirates' players and friends:

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

Senadores de San Juan� 4,� Gigantes de Carolina� 3� -- San Juan rallied from a 3-1 deficit to score one run in the 5th and 2 runs in the 6th for the win.� Los Gigantes scored one run in the 4th on a double and a single.� They added 2 runs in the 5th, on two singles, an error, a walk, and a sacrifice fly.� Benji Gonzalez made a pinch-hitting appearance for Los Gigantes in the 8th inning, but flied out.� He remained in the game at third base for the final inning.

Criollos de Caguas� 4,� Indios de Mayaguez� 0� -- 3B Ramon Vazquez and SS Luis Figueroa each had one hit for Los Criollos in their win.� Vazquez's single in the 5th drove in one of Los Criollos' runs.� They also scored 2 runs in the 4th on two singles and two errors, and another run in the 6th on two singles and a sacrifice fly.

Tonight's game Eastern League playoff game between the Altoona Curve and the Trenton Thunder was postponed due to rain.� After waiting for about 35 minutes past the scheduled start time, with no end in sight to the rain, the game was called.� Luckily for the starting pitchers, this means that neither of them got burned by getting all warmed up and starting, then only getting in an inning or two before having to stop.� Justin Wilson will make the start tomorrow, and Game 4 will be played on Saturday.� If a Game 5 is needed, that will be played on Sunday.

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In the International League playoffs.... Durham avoided being sent home with a 3-2 win over Columbus.� With the game tied at 2-2 going into the bottom of the 9th, the Clippers helped the Bulls load the bases with a walk, a single, and an intentional walk, with no outs.� A sacrifice fly brought in the winning run.� The Clippers lead the best-of-5 series, 2 games to 1.

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The Pirates lost to the Mets, 6-2, and a few recent Indy Indians got into the game.� John Bowker again got the start in right field.� He had an RBI single in the 2nd inning, bringing in the Pirates' first run of the game.� Alex Presley led off the 7th inning with a pinch-hit single, He dropped down a bunt on the first pitch he saw, and by the time the Mets' catcher Josh Thole could get to it, the speedy Presley was already crossing first base.� Steven Jackson took the mound to begin the 8th, but after one out, he gave up a single and a walk, then got a ground out that moved both runners into scoring position.� Justin Thomas relieved Jackson, and he gave up a 2-RBI double to Angel Pagan.� Jackson was charged with both runs.

RHP Brian Bass, who was DFA'ed this week, has cleared waivers.� He accepted an assignment to AAA Indianapolis, but it's a paper move as he will be a minor league free agent when the season ends.

Trenton Thunder� 3,� Altoona Curve� 2 ...���� (box)

Curve starter Rudy Owens faced off against National's phenom pitcher Stephen Strasbourg at the beginning of the season, and held his own.� Now he winds down the season by facing off against New York Yankees' rehabbing star Andy Pettitte -- and again, Owens held his own.� Owens and Pettitte each pitched 5 innings in tonight's first game of the Eastern League Championship Series, held in Altoona.� Owens gave up 2 runs; Pettitte gave up 2 runs.� Owens gave up 7 hits and 3 walks; Pettitte gave up 6 hits and 2 walks, and he also threw a wild pitch.� Owens struck out 7; Pettitte struck out 4.

2B Chase d'Arnaud faced Pettitte three times and must not have been very impressed.� He put the first run of the game onto the scoreboard when he led off the bottom of the 1st inning with a solo home run off Pettitte.� In the 3rd inning, d'Arnaud worked a walk, and in the 5th, he singled off Pettitte.

The Curve took d'Arnaud's home run lead into the 3rd inning.� Rudy Owens gave up a walk and a single in the 2nd, but induced a double play to end the inning.� In the 3rd, he gave up three singles, including the RBI single that slipped past first base and down the right field line to tie the score at 1-1.

The Curve came right back in the bottom of the 3rd to take a 2-1 lead.� With one out, DH Yung Chi Chen lined a single into right field.� Pettitte's wild pitch put Chen on second base, and when d'Arnaud walked, ball four got past the Trenton catcher for a passed ball, allowing Chen to advance to third base.� 3B Josh Harrison grounded just out of reach of the Trenton shortstop and into left field for the single that scored Chen.

Owens retired the side in order again in the 4th.� Then he gave up two doubles in the top of the 5th, and Trenton had tied up the game again, at 2-2.

The Curve threatened in the bottom of the 5th.� Chen reached base on a fielding error by the Trenton third baseman.� Back-to-back singles by d'Arnaud and Harrison -- a line drive into right field by d'Arnaud and a bunt single by Harrison -- loaded the bases for Altoona.� But Pettitte got SS Jordy Mercer to bounce back to the mound, where he fired the ball back to the catcher, forcing out Chen at the plate, then on to first base to complete the double play.� A strikeout ended the inning.

Harrisburg Senators� 10,� Altoona Curve� 5 ....������ (box)

Two 5-run innings gave the Senators the advantage over the Curve in the first game of their Eastern League playoff series.

The Curve jumped out to the early lead in the bottom of the 1st.� 2B Chase d'Arnaud led off with a walk, and 3B Josh Harrison followed by blasting a home run over the left-center field wall, to give the Curve a 2-0 lead before they even had recorded an out.� Two outs later, LF Andrew Lambo reached base on a fielding error by the Senators' 2B Steve Lombardozzi.� C Hector Gimenez worked a walk, and RF Miles Durham singled into left field to bring in Lambo from second base, and the Curve had a 3-0 lead.

It didn't last long, as the Senators sent 10 batters to the plate and scored 5 runs in the top of the 2nd.� Curve starter Rudy Owens had worked around a walk to Lombardozzi in the 1st inning, but got into trouble quickly in the 2nd.� A walk and a single began the inning, then a grounder to the diving 1B Matt Hague produced a force out at second base.� A double into right-center field brought in both base runners, and the Senators had made it a one-run game, 3-2.� A bunt attempt by the Senators' pitcher, Tom Milone, went right to Owens on the mound, and he turned it into a fielder's choice out at third, leaving Milone on first base.� But Lombardozzi walked again, then a single loaded the bases.� Owens had two outs with those bases loaded, and he got an 0-2 on the next batter -- and another single drove in two more runs, and the Senators had the lead.� That sent Owens to the showers after just 1.2 innings.� Jared Hughes came out of the bullpen, and he loaded the bases again by walking the first batter he faced.� A passed ball by Gimenez allowed the runner in from third base (unearned run, charged to Owens), and when a ground out ended the inning, the Senators had a 5-3 lead.

Milone had the Curve bats under control for the next 6 innings.� D'Arnaud doubled in the 2nd inning, but was left on base when three other Curve batters struck out.� Hughes reached base in the 4th on a fielding error, but was also left stranded. � Durham singled in the 6th, but was also left on base.� Harrisburg's reliever Hassan Pena pitched the 7th inning, and he also retired the Curve in order.

Hughes did even better than Milone over his next 3 innings -- he retired those 9 Harrisburg batters in order.� Bryan Morris was next out of the bullpen.� He retired the side in order in the 6th, and worked his way out of a jam in the 7th.� That inning began with a single, then Lombardozzi reached on fielding error, when his grounder bounced off 3B Harrison's glove.� With two on and none out (instead of one on and one out), Morris got a strikeout.� Another single loaded the bases, then Morris ended the inning with a three-pitch strikeout and a blazing line drive that went straight to Harrison's glove.

Mike Dubee took the mound for the Curve to begin the 8th inning, and he found trouble quickly.� Back-to-back singles opened the inning, then Dubee got a strikeout.� An RBI single followed, then Lombardozzi drove a liner down the right field line and into the bullpen, plating the second run of the inning.� An intentional walk loaded the bases, and a grounder to third yielded a force out at third, but Harrison's throw to first rolled away from 1B Hague, and instead of an inning-ending double play, two more runs scored and the inning continued.� Another single dropped in, in short left field, to drive in the fifth run of the inning.� Craig Hansen relieved Dubee, and he got the pitcher Pena to fly out to end the inning.

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As expected, shortly after the Indianapolis Indians' season ended, the Pirates made the phone call to bring up seven players to the big league club.� Some of the call-ups were expected, but there were surprises too.

Pitchers Brad Lincoln and Justin Thomas, who are already on the Pirates' 40-man roster and have spent time with the Pirates already this season, were both recalled.� Catcher Jason Jaramillo and shortstop Pedro Ciriaco are also on the 40-man roster, and both were expected to be brought up.� Jaramillo spent the first half of the season with the Pirates, while Ciriaco came to the Pirates' organization in a trade from the Diamondbacks at the end of July.� It's the first trip to the majors for Ciricao.

The other four players were not on the 40-man roster and have to be added.� Outfielders Brandon Moss and Alex Presley (photo) did not expect the call up for just that reason -- they didn't think the Pirates would want to bother adding them to the roster and pay them to spend a lot of time on the bench.� But Presley was going to need to be added to the 40-man roster after the season in order to prevent him from being eligible to be taken in the Rule 5 Draft.� The Pirates' outfield is going to be crowded with outfielders looking for a chance to play and hit.� Pitchers Brian Bass and Steven Jackson have both pitched for the Pirates at some point this season, but were removed from the 40-man roster.� Now they are being addd back on, to help bolster the Pirates' bullpen.

In order to make room on the 40-man roster, the Pirates had to make other moves.� Pitcher Ross Ohlendorf and Jeff Clement were both moved to the 60-day disabled list.� Infielder Akinori Iwamura and catcher Erik Kratz were both removed from the 40-man roster and designated for assignment.� The Pirates had been trying to find a spot for Iwamura with another team, but have been unsuccessful.� Kratz was the feel-good story of the summer with his call-up during the All-Star game, but he lost out in the numbers game.