Bats Split Series With 2-0 Blanking Of Tribe; Indians Still Up One Game In Wild Card Race
September 3, 2005 - International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release
INDIANAPOLIS -- Right-handers Jimmy Serrano, Allan Simpson, Tom Shearn and Chris Booker combined for a five-hit shutout as Louisville rolled to a 2-0 blanking of Indianapolis in front of a season-high 15,780 Saturday evening at Victory Field.
The Bats, who have already been eliminated from playoff contention, improve to 65-77 with the victory. The Indians, who have seen their last 18 losses come by a total of 28 runs, fall to 77-65 on the season. Indianapolis continues to lead the International League Wild Card race by one game over Columbus after the Clippers fell to Toledo earlier in the night. The magic number for a Tribe playoff berth now stands at two.
Serrano (5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 8 SO) earned the win, improving to 4-4. Simpson (2.0 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 3 SO) and Shearn (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 SO) were effective as middle relievers, while Booker (1.0 IP, 1 H) slammed the door for his 20th save of the campaign.
Louisville scored the only two runs it would need in the top of the sixth. SS Jeff Bannon walked, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and came plateward on LF Pedro Swann's double down the left-field line. RF Eric Crozier followed with a two-bagger to the same spot as Swann came around to touch the dish.
Swann was the only individual on either side to register more than one hit, going 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI.
Indianapolis LHP Mike Connolly (5.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 5 SO) was pinned with the loss, falling to 2-4. Connolly retired 12 straight batters before running into difficulty in the sixth. RHP Kirk Bullinger (1.1 IP, 1 SO) set down all four of the batters he faced, while RHP Brian Mallette (2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 3 SO) also kept the visitors off the scoreboard.
Just one night after collecting five extra-base hits and 18 total bases in an 8-7 win over the Bats, the Indians were held to five singles in the series finale.
The Indians have seen 30 of their last 36 games decided by three runs or less. In addition, the Tribe has only been beaten by more than two runs once over the past 37 days.
Indianapolis wraps up its 144-game, regular-season slate with a two-game series at Toledo, beginning Sunday night at 5 p.m. RHP Chris Enochs is scheduled to take the hill for the Indians in the opener, while RHP Kenny Baugh is expected to get the nod for the Mud Hens. The contest will be carried by ESPN-950 AM with Howard Kellman and Robert Portnoy calling all the action. The pre-game show begins at 4:40 p.m.
International League Stories from September 3, 2005
- Lynx Fall To Bisons 4-3 - Ottawa Lynx
- Knights lose to Bulls 15-1 - Charlotte Knights
- Bats Split Series With 2-0 Blanking Of Tribe; Indians Still Up One Game In Wild Card Race - Indianapolis Indians
- R-Braves raise over $5,000 for hurricane refief fund - Gwinnett Stripers
- Tide edges Braves - Gwinnett Stripers
- R-Braves game notes - Gwinnett Stripers
- Lynx To Donate $4,200 To The Max Keeping Foundation - Ottawa Lynx
- Bisons Notes - Buffalo Bisons
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