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 Indianapolis Indians

Buffalo Holds Off Indianapolis

June 8, 2009 - International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


BUFFALO, N.Y. -- First baseman Michel Abreu blasted a two-out two-run home run, while starter Nelson Figueroa allowed just one run and struck out seven in seven innings of work to lead the Buffalo Bisons past the Indianapolis Indians 2-1 on Monday afternoon at Coca-Cola Field.

With the loss the Indians fall to 26-31 overall and 14-14 on the road, while the win improves the Bisons to 17-38 on the season and 11-24 at home. The victory for Buffalo is their first against Indianapolis this season and moves the season series between the two clubs to 2-1.

Figueroa (7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO), who pitched for Indianapolis during the 2002 season, dominated his former club, allowing just one run on four hits and tieing a season-best with seven strikeouts. With the victory, Figueroa improves to 2-4 on the season and has now gone at least seven innings in five of his nine starts so far this year.

Buffalo's bullpen followed Figueroa with two scoreless innings of relief as RHP Kyle Snyder (0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 SO) and LHP Jon Switzer (0.2 IP, 1 SO) each collected holds and closer Elmer Dessens (0.2 IP) finished off the ninth for his eighth save of the season.

Though Buffalo's pitchers dominated throughout the game, the Bisons still found themselves trailing 1-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth.

CF Cory Sullivan (2-for-4, 1 R), who managed the only multi-hit game for either team, led off the Bisons' half of the sixth with a single and set the stage for Abreu, who provided the game's big blow when he launched what turned out to be the game-winning two-run long ball to left field. The home run for Abreu, who entered the game for the injured Wily Mo Pena, in the fourth inning, was his team leading fourth on the season and plated the only runs Buffalo would need.

Though he took the loss to drop to 4-2 on the season, Indians' starter Jeremy Powell turned in one of his best efforts of the season, allowing just the two runs in his six innings of work. Powell (6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 SO) along with LHP Donnie Veal (2.0 IP, 2 SO), who was pitching on a Major League rehabilitation assignment for the Pittsburgh Pirates, continued the Tribe's dominant pitching in the month of June, allowing just two runs on five hits.

Though the Tribe took the first lead of the game when RF Garrett Jones blasted a solo home run off Figueroa in the top of the sixth inning, they were unable to put any more runs on board and ended up with just five hits in the 2-1 defeat. The long ball for Jones gave him the only run and RBI for the Tribe in Monday's contest and also moved him into a tie with 3B Neil Walker for the team lead in home runs with seven.

The Tribe did manage to steal two bases as C Eric Kratz stole his sixth bag of the year and SS Brian Bixler nabbed his fifth. The Indianapolis defense also continued it's excellent play as they remained error free for the second consecutive game and turned two more double plays to give them 19 double plays turned in their last 14 contests.

Indianapolis closes out their four-game series with Buffalo on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. RHP Daniel McCutchen is scheduled to start for Indianapolis, while RHP Brandon Knight is expected to get the nod for the Bisons.

The contest will be carried by WXLW-950 AM and www.IndyIndians.com with Howard Kellman and Scott McCauley. The pre-game show begins at 6:45 p.m.


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International League Stories from June 8, 2009


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