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IL1 Indianapolis Indians

Bats Escape With A Win Over Indianapolis In 16 Innings

September 4, 2009 - International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


INDIANAPOLIS -- In the longest game in Victory Field history the Tribe rallied to tie the score in the bottom of the ninth and send it to extras where the Louisville Bats plated two runs in the top of the 16th for the 4-2 win over the Indianapolis Indians on Saturday night at Victory Field.

With the loss the Indians fall to 69-71 overall and 36-35 at home, while the Bats improve to 82-57 overall and 38-31 on the road with the win. The victory for Louisville gives them the current 2-0 series lead as well as the season series advantage at 13-6.

Down 2-1 in the ninth the Indians made a last minute comeback to push the game into extra innings. 3B Hector Gimenez reached on a one-out single and then moved to second on a Louisville error which also allowed SS Argenis Diaz to reach first.

Pinch-hitter Chris Barnwell then singled to load the bases, setting the stage for CF Brian Bixler to tie the score with an RBI ground out. It would be the last run over the next five innings as the Indians were shut out in extras and the Bats did not push runs across until the game-winning tallies in the 16th.

Louisville RF Michael Griffin led off the 16th with a single and was followed aboard by C Chris Denove, who reached on an error in his sacrifice bunt attempt. After a sac bunt by 1B Wes Bankston the Indians intentionally walked 3B Juan Francisco to load the bases with one out.

Griffin quickly came across home plate after a passed ball allowed all runners aboard to advance. The passed ball gave the Bats the one run lead, but they were not finished as 2B Todd Frazier brought Denove plateward with an RBI single.

The Bats used a total of five pitchers who combined to strike out 17 batters and give up just one earned run on 11 hits in 16 innings. Louisville starter Ben Jukich (6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 SO) received a no decision after he struck out nine and gave up just one run on five hits over six innings of work and was followed by RHP Joe Krebs (2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 SO) who earned his first hold of the season with two scoreless innings of relief.

Krebs then gave way to RHP Enerio Del Rosario (1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R) who was handed his first blown save of the season after he allowed the Tribe's run in the ninth. LHP Lee Tabor (5.0 IP, 3 H, 3 SO) then tossed five excellent shutout innings before RHP Greg Atencio (2.0 IP, 4 SO) earned the win as he struck out four in a shutout 15th and 16th.

Indianapolis also used five pitchers in the contest as they combined to strike out 11 and give up just two earned runs on 10 Louisville base knocks. Starter Bobby Livingston (7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO) recorded a no decision in his first ever outing with the Tribe after he allowed one earned run on six hits in seven innings of work.

The Tribe relief corps, which consisted of RHP Jeff Sues (2.0 IP, 1 H, 2 SO), RHP Jean Machi (2.0 IP, 1 BB, 1 SO), LHP Corey Hamman (4.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO) and RHP Juan Mateo (0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 SO), then combined to give up just two runs in nine innings of work. Hamman was handed the loss after he allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits, but put up a valiant effort out of the bullpen with 4.1 innings of relief and 53 pitches thrown.

The Bats initially struck first and plated two runs in the top of the fourth on a clutch single and an Indians defensive miscue. C Ryan Hanigan, on a Major League rehab assignment, began the inning with a double down the left field line before RF Jay Bruce, who is also on rehab, reached on with a base-on-balls.

The Indians were close to escaping the inning with two straights outs, but Frazier came through in the clutch with a two-out, two-run single to left-center field. The single scored Hanigan, while a throwing error to third base allowed Bruce to come plateward for the second score.

The single and miscue gave Louisville the 2-0 lead, but the Tribe quickly answered with a score in the bottom half of the fourth. LF Tagg Bozied slapped a one-out single to shallow center and was quickly moved to third when the very next batter, 1B Larry Broadway, doubled to right field.

Bozied then scored the Indians' first run of the night on a sacrifice fly by C Erik Kratz. The sac fly could have done a lot more damage however Louisville CF Lew Ford made a great running catch against the wall to help the Bats walk away with the lead still in tact.

Following the fourth, both teams pitchers settled in as neither squad tallied a score until the Tribe's comeback in the ninth, which ultimately led to the Victory Field record 16 innings of play.

Frazier (4-for-7, 2 RBI, 1 SB) along with Francisco (3-for-6, 1 2B, 1 BB) both recorded multi-hit efforts for the Bats, while Bixler (2-for-7, 1 RBI), Bozied (2-for-6, 1 R, 1 BB) and Diaz (2-for-6) all collected multiple base knocks for the Tribe in Friday night's contest. With a double by Broadway and Kratz the Indians have now collected an extra-base hit in each of their last 56 games dating back to July 8.

The streak of 56 games comes after the Indians posted an impressive extra-base hit streak of 50 games in-a-row to begin the season, a streak which also extended to 84 games in-a-row dating back to July 29, 2008. The Tribe has now had only three games this year in which they have not recorded an extra-base hit.

Indianapolis wraps up their 2009 home schedule against division rival Louisville on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. RHP Jeremy Powell is scheduled to start for the Indians, while LHP Camilo Vasquez is expected to get the nod for the Bats.

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 5:40 p.m.

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