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IL1 Indianapolis Indians

Bats Back Cole in 11-0 Shutout Win

May 31, 2013 - International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


COLUMBUS, OHIO -- Right-handed starter Gerrit Cole was nearly unhittable through 7.0 shutout frames while the Tribe offense knocked a season-high 19 base hits, including four from both center fielder Felix Pie and catcher Tony Sanchez, as the Indianapolis Indians (37-19) coasted to an 11-0 shutout win over the Columbus Clippers (29-26) on Friday night at Huntington Park. The 11-run win ties the team's record for the largest margin of victory over the Clippers, matching a 13-2 triumph on July 27, 2007 at Columbus.

RHP Gerrit Cole (W, 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, BB, 5 SO) delivered a gem as he allowed just two base hits through 7.0 innings in what proved to be the right-hander's best outing of the 2013 season. The Tribe starter faced only three batters above the minimum in his masterful start, while also striking out five and walking just one. After surrendering a walk in the fourth frame, Cole retired the side in order through the fifth, sixth and seventh inning en route to his team-leading seventh quality start of the season.

With Cole in control on the mound, the Indianapolis Indians' offense exploded for 11 runs on 19 hits in a contest that saw 48 Indians batters come to the plate. The onslaught featured seven extra-base hits, including four doubles and three homers, as the Tribe produced at least one base knock in all nine innings while never being retired in order. All nine of the Indians starters produced at least one base hit, eight of nine scored at least one run and seven of nine collected at least one RBI in Friday's massacre.

Indianapolis was all over Columbus starter RHP Joe Martinez (L, 5.1 IP, 16 H, 10 ER, BB, 5 SO) from the first pitch, as the Indians pounded out a new Victory Field era record 16 hits against the right-hander. Along with seeing his ERA in the month of May inflated to 9.26 (36 ER in 35.0 IP), Martinez has also now allowed 60 hits during the month, the most base knocks surrendered in all of Minor League Baseball during that stretch.

2B Josh Harrison initiated the Tribe's 11-run eruption as he slapped an infield single and advanced all the way to third on a two-base throwing error from 3B Lonnie Chisenhall. CF Felix Pie then lined an RBI single to left, before 1B Matt Hague crushed a towering two-run blast that quickly put the Indians up 3-0.

Just one frame later, Indianapolis duplicated it's three-run first-inning effort beginning with a monstrous solo shot from RF Jerry Sands that bounced off the top of the scoreboard in right field, extending the lead 4-0. After DH Jeff Larish was sat down on strikes, Harrison grounded a single to right field in front of back-to-back run-scoring doubles from SS Chase d'Arnaud and Pie that widened the advantage to 6-0.

In the fourth, the Tribe padded its lead when Pie singled to right and crossed home on a base hit from Matt Hague, making the score 7-0, before the visitors completely blew the game open in the sixth inning.

Pie opened the three-run rally with his fourth hit in as many at-bats, singling to right to lead off the frame. Hague then lined a base hit to center, and with runners on first and third, 3B Jared Goedert roped an RBI double to right to score Pie and put the Indians up 8-0. Following a strikeout from RF Brett Carroll, C Tony Sanchez barely missed a home run as he slammed a two-run double to center that boosted Indianapolis to 10-0.

The catcher wasn't quite finished, however, and put the exclamation point on his four-hit night with a solo blast to center that put the contest even further out of reach at 11-0.

With the game clearly in-hand, Indianapolis turned to its bullpen to preserve the shutout as RHP Duke Welker (1.0 IP, H, BB) pitched a scoreless eighth and RHP Zack Thornton (1.0 IP, 2 H) did not allow a run in the ninth in his season debut, giving the Indians an 11-0 shutout victory. The Tribe now boasts a league-best five shutouts during the 2013 campaign.

Indianapolis and Columbus will continue their four-game series tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. The Indians are scheduled to send RHP Brooks Brown (3-1, 4.33) to the mound while the Clippers are scheduled to throw RHP Carlos Carrasco (2-0, 1.85).

The game will 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 6:45 p.m.

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