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Indianapolis Indians

Indians Trample Over Tides 11-3

July 30, 2009 - International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


NORFOLK, Va. -- Starting pitcher Daniel McCutchen tossed seven scoreless innings, while center fielder Brian Bixler, third baseman Neil Walker and second baseman Shelby Ford combined to go 11-for-15 with eight runs and eight RBI as the Indianapolis Indians blasted the Norfolk Tides 11-3 on Thursday afternoon at Harbor Park.

With the win the Indians improve to 51-54 on the season and 25-28 on the road, while the Tides fall to 56-49 overall and 28-20 at home with the loss. The victory gives the Tribe a 2-1 series lead and wraps up the season series for Indianapolis as they take a 5-2 lead over Norfolk this season.

McCutchen (7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO) allowed just three singles over seven innings to notch his team leading 10th victory on the season. The workhorse right hander not only moved into sole possession of second place in the International League with his 10th win, but also went at least six innings for his fourth consecutive start.

The Indians gave McCutchen plenty of run support as they pounded out nine runs on 14 hits over the first seven innings before adding two in the ninth to take home the 11-3 victory. Bixler, Walker, and Ford all exploded at the plate as the trio went on to combine for 11 hits, eight runs, three home runs, eight RBI and at least one hit in all but two innings of the game.

For Ford and Walker it was also a day intersecting paths as for the second year in-a-row, Ford collected five hits and Walker launched two home runs on the same day. Last season on June 8, 2008, Ford posted the first five hit effort of his career for Double-A Altoona, while Walker blasted two longball's for Indianapolis, feats which they would accomplish on the same day again on Thursday, but this time as teammates.

Bixler and Walker jumped the Tribe out to an early lead as they led off the game with back-to-back singles and each eventually came around to score. Bixler would trot plateward on a groundout by 1B Tagg Bozied, before Walker later slid home safely on a Norfolk wild pitch to give the Indians the lead at 2-0.

Walker then broke the game wide open as he launched a two-run longball in both third and fourth innings for his ninth and 10th home runs of the season. Bixler traveled along on both of Walker's shots as he led off the third with a single, and then ripped his team leading sixth triple to score LF Chris Barnwell and Ford in the fourth.

Indianapolis added another run to extend their lead to 9-0 in the sixth, when RF Brian Myrow drew his IL leading 19th walk in the month of July, before eventually trotting home on a single by DH Hector Gimenez. Ford then put a cap on the offensive festivities in the ninth, when he blasted his fourth home run of the season to right-center field, scoring C Erik Kratz and giving the Tribe the 11-3 victory.

The five hit effort for Ford was the Indians first five hit game since C Ronny Paulino collected five base knocks against Louisville on June 7, 2008, while Walker joined OF Garrett Jones and 1B Steve Pearce as the only Tribe batters with multiple home runs in a game this season.

Norfolk did manage to prevent the shutout as they plated three runs off Tribe reliever Denny Bautista in the eighth. After a Justin Turner single and Jeff Fiorentino sacrifice fly brought in the first two Norfolk runs, 1B Brandon Snyder (2-for-4, 1 RBI), who turned in the Tides only multi-hit game, finished the Tides scoring with an RBI base hit of his own.

Tides starter Andy Mitchell (4.0 IP, 9 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO) took the loss after allowing a season high eight earned runs on nine hits in just four innings of work. Norfolk All-Star closer Jim Miller (2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 SO) turned in the Tides only positive effort out of the bullpen as he allowed just one hit in two innings of work, while Indians reliever Jason Davis (1.0 IP, 1 SO) came through with a perfect ninth to seal the deal for the Tribe.

Indianapolis will wrap up their four-game series with Norfolk on Friday at 7:15 p.m. RHP Ty Taubenheim is scheduled to start for the Indians, while LHP Troy Patton is expected to get the nod for the Tides.

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 6:55 p.m.

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Post-game quote -- INF Neil Walker

(on breaking out with a two home run game) "It felt good. I am starting to feel better at the plate after coming back from my injury. I am finally starting to help this team out, which what I always try to do and I was just happy to have such a good game today."

(on if he likes hitting in the spacious Harbor Park) "I like hitting when the wind is blowing in the direction where I am trying to hit the ball. Today that turned out to be the case, where normally that is not the case in Norfolk. I think I was the beneficiary of some wind induced home runs today and I am quite happy about it."

Post-game quote -- INF Shelby Ford

(on the key to his five-hit effort) "I just kept it simple, made sure I was ready on time and when I saw good pitch, do with it what I could."

(on his approach since the All-Star break) "Branson (Indians' hitting coach Jeff Branson) and I talked before the first game after the All-star break and he told me to go back to the way I know how to hit. He told me if I like that first pitch then swing at it and drive it. I feel like that has always been one of my strengths. If I see a first pitch I like I am going to put a good swing on it and drive it."

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