IL1 Indianapolis Indians

Mercer and Hague Mash Tribe Past Mud Hens 4-3

Published on August 4, 2011 under International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


INDIANAPOLIS -- Second baseman Jordy Mercer and All-Star first baseman Matt Hague combined for five of the Tribe's eight hits, three of their four runs and three of their four RBI, while Major Leaguer Ross Ohlendorf and three relievers held the Mud Hens to just two earned runs to lead the Indianapolis Indians past Toledo 4-3 on Thursday night at Victory Field.

With the win, Indianapolis improves to 59-54 on the season, while the loss drops Toledo's record to 52-61. The Tribe's 59-54 record marks the first time the club has been five games over .500 in the month of August since the 2006 season. The victory also gives the Indians a 1-0 series lead and evens the season series between the two clubs at 6-6.

Trailing 2-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth, Mercer began the Tribe's first rally with a lead-off double to left. Then after Mercer moved up to third on a ground out by LF John Bowker, Hague came through with a single to center to plate Mercer and put the Tribe on the board.

The Indians' fourth inning flurry then continued with a clutch base knock from 3B Josh Harrison, who doubled with two outs to bring home Hague and even the score at 2-2. However, the Mud Hens would re-take the lead with a single score in the top of the sixth, before Mercer and Hague again rallied the Tribe offense to the victory.

In almost a mirror image of the bottom of the fourth, Mercer led off the bottom of the sixth with a double to deep left, moved up to third on a wild pitch and came plateward on a base hit by Hague. Mercer then completed the comeback with a clutch two-out single in the bottom of the seventh that plated CF Gorkys Hernandez for what turned on to be the game-winning run.

With his two-hit effort Hague has now reached base in 13 straight games, during which time he has collected 15 hits, nine runs and seven RBI. Mercer's three-hit effort was his third of the season with the Indians, while it was his first two double effort since joining the Tribe.

The Tribe earned the victory despite committing a season-high five errors, as Tribe hurlers worked their way out of several jams to strand nine Mud Hens runners.

In the second start of his Major League rehab assignment, Ohlendorf (6.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO) battled through six innings to surrender just two earned runs, but did not figure in the final decision. In relief of Ohlendorf, the Indianapolis bullpen turned in a brilliant performance as three Tribe relievers combined to allow just one hit over three scoreless innings of relief.

Also on a Major League rehab assignment, reliever Chris Leroux (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 SO) worked out of a tough spot to earn the victory and improve to 5-2 on the season. RHP Steven Jackson (1.0 IP, 1 BB) and RHP Tim Wood (1.0 IP) then followed with two hitless frames, with Jackson earning his fifth hold of the season and Wood notching his team-best 21st save.

Toledo jumped out to an early 2-0 advantage with two scores in the third, as RF Clete Thomas lined a two-out triple to left to plate DH Timo Perez and former Indians' CF Jeff Salazar, who reached on a single and walk earlier in the frame. Another former Indians player in SS Argenis Diaz, gave the Mud Hens back the lead with a one out single in the top of the sixth that plated LF Ben Guez, who reached on a Tribe miscue and moved up to third on a second Indians' error.

Mercer (3-for-4, 2 R, 1 RBI) and Hague (2-for-4, 1 R, 2 RBI) posted the Tribe's only multi-hit efforts, with Mercer also turning in the games only multi-run performance. On the other side, Perez (2-for-5, 1 R), Thomas (2-for-4, 2 RBI) and 1B Ryan Strieby (2-for-4) all collected multiple base knocks for the Mud Hens.

Toledo starter Fu-Te Ni (6.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO) suffered the loss to fall to 5-2 after surrendering all four Tribe runs on seven hits over 6.1 innings of work. Mud Hens reliever Ryan Perry (1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 SO) turned in a strong showing out of the Toledo bullpen as he tossed 1.2 scoreless frames in relief of Ni.

Indianapolis and Toledo now continue their four-game series at Victory Field on Friday night at 7:15 p.m. LHP Rudy Owens is expected to get the start for the Indians, while the Mud Hens are expected to counter with LHP Adam Wilk.

The contest will be carried on WNDE 1260 AM, WNDE.com and via iheartradio, a mobile application for iPhone, Blackberry and Android phones, while also being broadcast live on Comcast and Bright House Networks digital channel 81 with Howard Kellman and Scott McCauley on the call. The pre-game show begins at 6:55 p.m.

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Post-game quotes -- 2B Jordy Mercer

(on his approach at the plate) "Not trying to do too much. I've been doing that approach for the last couple games and it's been working for me. I've been putting a lot of work in the cage with Brano [Indians' hitting coach Jeff Branson] and just trying not do too much. Put the barrel on the ball and see what happens."

(on what he means by not trying to do too much) "Don't try to hit a home run. That's basically it right there. Just trying to meet the ball, that's all I try to do."

(on what the last few games have been like with all the close outcomes) "It's been fun, it really has. We're not out of it until the last out and we know it. We can feel it in our dugout and it's been fun with these guys. We rally around each other and continue to push."

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