IL1 Indianapolis Indians

Buffalo Blasts Past Tribe 5-4 in Eleven

July 31, 2012 - International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


INDIANAPOLIS -- Third baseman Zach Lutz blasted two solo home runs, including the game-winner in the top of the eleventh, while second baseman Josh Satin added a two-run bomb of his own to help the Bisons gain a series split with a 5-4 extra-inning victory over the Indians on Tuesday night at Victory Field.

Trailing 4-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth, the Indians would rally to send the game into extras as 1B Jeff Clement led off with a single and LF Jeff Larish followed with a walk, before RF Brandon Boggs came through with a clutch two-run double.

Following Boggs' two-bagger, the Indians looked on their way to a walkoff victory when C Jose Morales ripped a fly ball to deep right-center field that would have easily ended the game. However, Indians bane CF Matt den Dekker tracked down the ball from Morales, making a fantastic running catch to send the game into extras.

The Indians let another golden opportunity slip away in the 10th when CF Jose Tabata lined a one-out single and swiped second before pinch hitter Christian Marrero was intentionally walked to put runners at first and second with just one out. However, Buffalo closer Fernando Cabrera would strikeout Clement and LF Yamaico Navarro to end the threat.

This would send the game to eleventh where Lutz would come through with his second longball of the game to give the Bisons the victory. The bomb for Lutz was the first earned run scored off Tribe reliever Doug Slaten (1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER) since his first outing of the season with the Indians on April 7 and pinned him with the loss to drop his record to 3-1 on the season.

The game began with Tribe starter Chris Leroux (6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO) rolling through the first four frames on Tuesday night, benefiting from three double plays to hold the Bisons scoreless. SS Chase d'Arnaud and 2B Anderson Hernandez combined for all three double plays, turning one each in the second, third and fourth innings.

Clement then gave Leroux the first lead of the game when he snuck a solo home run just inside the left-field foul pole for his team-best 15th longball of the season. With his solo homer, Clement has now reached base in eight straight games during which he has batted .357 (10-for-28) with six runs, four doubles, two home runs, seven RBI and five walks.

Buffalo would, however, respond with a big blast of their own as Lutz led off the top off the fifth with a line drive base hit to left before Satin launched a mammoth blast to deepest part of the ballpark to give the Bisons a 2-1 advantage. The shot for Satin was his first hit in the four-game series in Indianapolis and 11th home run on the season.

Following Satin's shot, the Tribe would respond and even the score in their half of the fifth as C Tony Sanchez led off the frame with a base-on-balls and quickly came plateward when Boggs followed with a double. Boggs' RBI double was one of only two extra-base hits on the night for the Indians and gave him 20 two-baggers on the season.

The power surge would continue, however, for the Bisons as Lutz led off the seventh with a big fly to left to put Buffalo ahead at 3-2. The round-tripper for Lutz came in his first start of the series for the Bisons and continued an excellent month of July for the third baseman, who has now connected for five homers in 17 games in the month after hitting just three in 27 games combined between April and May.

The Bisons tacked on what proved to be a key insurance tally later in the seventh as 1B Adam Loewen drew a walk, stole second and came plateward on a double by CF Kirk Nieuwenhuis. The RBI base knock for Nieuwenhuis came in his first start since being optioned back to Buffalo from the New York Mets.

Buffalo starter Collin McHugh (6.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 4 SO) did not figure in the final decision after allowing two runs on three hits and four walks over six innings of work. Despite allowing the Tribe's comeback Cabrera (2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO) would earn the victory to improve to 4-3 on the season, while RHP Jeff Stevens (1.0 IP, 2 SO) finished off the 11th to earn his first save.

Tribe relievers Jose Diaz (1.0 IP, 2 SO) and Tim Wood (2.0 IP, 1 H, 4 SO) were bright spots out of the Indianapolis bullpen, combining to strikeout six over three scoreless innings in a losing effort.

Despite the defeat, the Indians (68-44) maintain their nine-game lead over second-place Columbus in the IL West Division as the Clippers fell to Rochester 10-8 earlier in the day.

Following an off day on Wednesday, the Indians will head on the road for a four-game series against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees in Rochester, N. Y. The Yankees are playing in the home of the Rochester Red Wings due their home stadium undergoing construction this season. RHP Daniel Cabrera is expected to get the start in game one of the series on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m., while the Yankees are scheduled to counter with RHP Adam Warren.

The game will be carried on WNDE 1260 AM-WFBQ-HD2, 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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Post-game quotes -- RF Brandon Boggs

(On being a late addition to the lineup after OF Gorkys Hernandez was traded) "It goes back to my role in the big leagues. In my first year there, I had a lot of times where guys would go out or couldn't play just 30 minutes before game time and I had to come out and just relax and just put good swings on the ball. Obviously, it's a lot easier to do it here, but it's just one of the roles I've just got to adapt to and it's a role that's just easier for me to do."

(On his game-tying hit in the bottom of the ninth) "I just knew that I couldn't try to do too much in that situation. I know I was in a hitter's count. At times like that in this league, guys aren't going to come at you with a fastball. He didn't, so he threw me a changeup and he wanted to throw it for a strike, but he left it middle, and I was able to stay inside of it enough to keep it fair down the line. I just didn't try to swing too much. If I tried to swing harder, I might have missed it or ended up grounding into a double play."

(On making the change from being home the majority of July to being on the road for much of August) "Really, it's just getting in the mindset that we're going to other parks, but just not wanting to get beat no matter where we go. We've got to score runs early and put the pressure on them to win it in the bottom half of the ninth."

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