Pie Powers Tribe Past Mud Hens 8-5
Published on May 11, 2013 under International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release
INDIANAPOLIS -- Left fielder Felix Pie cleared the bases with the Tribe's first grand slam at Victory Field since August 6, 2011 in the bottom of the second inning to help power the Indianapolis Indians (26-11) past the Toledo Mud Hens (10-27) on Saturday night at Victory Field. With the win, the Indians are now off to their best home start in the Victory Field era (since 1996) at 16-3.
Pie not only blasted a grand slam on Saturday night, but also added a double and walk, while scoring two runs to continue his blazing start to the month of May. After hitting just .172 with no home runs and only one RBI over 18 games in the month of April, Pie has flipped the script by hitting .323 (11-for-34) with five runs, three home runs, 11 RBI and five steals in 10 games during the season's second month.
The former Chicago Cubs top prospect began the night by lining a double to right with two outs in the bottom of the first, before being brought plateward when 1B Matt Hague followed with a base hit to left. The base knock for Hague not only gave the Tribe an early 1-0 lead, but also extended the Tribe first baseman's on-base streak to 18 straight games.
Indianapolis kept the offensive outburst rolling into the second inning as RF Jerry Sands and C Lucas May each singled to put runners on the corners with one out. 2B Ivan DeJesus then plated the game's second score when he reached on a fielder's choice that allowed Sands to cross the plate to extend the Indians advantage to 2-0.
Following the fielder's choice, CF Alex Presley drew a free pass to load the bases and set the stage for Pie, who smashed the second pitch he saw over the right field fence to push the Tribe's lead to 6-0. The grand slam was the Tribe's first since Starling Marte on May 27, 2012 at Louisville, and first at Victory Field since Matt Hague belted one on August 6, 2011 also against Toledo.
The Mud Hens chipped away at the Tribe advantage with single scores in the fifth, sixth and seventh frames. LF Nick Castellanos drove in the Mud Hens first score with an RBI groundout in the fifth, before a double from C Bryan Holaday plated another in the sixth and CF Avisail Garcia blasted a solo homer to right to lead-off the seventh.
Another Indianapolis two-out rally tacked on two key insurance scores in the bottom of the seventh. Hague began the rally with a line drive single to center, before 3B Jared Goedert followed with a double to left and Sands lined a single to center to extend the Indians' advantage to 8-3.
These two scores proved to be important as Toledo battled back with two runs of their own in the top of the eighth. The visitors quickly loaded the bases in the frame with walks from Argenis Diaz and Garcia sandwiching a single from 3B Kevin Russo. A single from 1B Jordan Lennerton and force out off the bat of Castellanos then plated two scores to draw Toledo within 8-5.
However, with the bases loaded later in the frame, closer Vic Black struck out C Bryan Holaday to end the threat, before going on to toss a perfect ninth to earn his team-leading 10th save of the season. Black (2.0 IP, 1 BB, 2 SO), who earlier in the day was named the Indians April Player of the Month, now ranks second in the International League in saves and has 31 strikeouts over 21.0 innings pitched.
Overall, the Indians were able to overcome a season-high 12 walks from their pitching staff to earn the win as starter Andy Oliver (5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 6 BB, 6 SO) battled through a season-high six walks to earn the win and improve to 3-1 on the season
Toledo starter Derek Hankins (6.0 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO) suffered the loss to drop to 0-2 as he allowed six runs (two earned) on seven hits over 6.0 innings pitched.
The Indians and Mud Hens now continue their series with game three on Sunday afternoon at 1:35 p.m. RHP Brandon Cumpton (2-2, 3.38) is expected to make the start for Indianapolis, while Toledo is scheduled to counter with LHP Casey Crosby (1-4, 4.96)
The contest will be televised on HTSN, Hometown Sports and News, available via cable or over-the-air on digital channel 6.2. The game will also be carried on WNDE 1260 AM, WNDE.com and via iheartradio, a mobile application for iPhone, Blackberry and Android phones with Howard Kellman and Will Flemming on the call. The pre-game show begins at 1:15 p.m.
International League Stories from May 11, 2013
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- Pie Powers Tribe Past Mud Hens 8-5 - Indianapolis Indians
- RailRiders Rally Late to Beat Braves, 4-3 - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
- Pawsox Record First Shutout Of 2013 - Pawtucket Red Sox
- Scranton Edges G-Braves, 4-3 - Gwinnett Stripers
- Bats Get 13 Hits, But Drop Shootout - Louisville Bats
- Force Is Not with Bulls on Star Wars Night - Durham Bulls
- Chiefs Fall Short in One-Run Loss to Tides - Syracuse Mets
- SWB Game Notes - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
- Black Named April Player of the Month - Indianapolis Indians
- Bisons Notes - Buffalo at Louisville (6:05 p.m.) - Buffalo Bisons
- LHP John Danks Set to Start for Knights on Sunday - Charlotte Knights
- IronPigs Game Notes - Lehigh Valley IronPigs
- Rochester Red Wings Game Notes - Rochester Red Wings
- Indians Rally Past Mud Hens 4-3 - Indianapolis Indians
- Hamilton Hits Two Homeruns, Bats Fall 7-5 - Louisville Bats
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