Five-run Eighth Boosts Bulls Over Tribe 6-4
Published on August 7, 2010 under International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release
DURHAM, N.C. -- Former Tribe infielder J.J. Furmaniak capped a five-run eighth inning rally with a two-run single to center to lead the Durham Bulls to a 6-4 victory over the Indianapolis Indians and drop the Tribe to 5.5 games behind the Louisville Bats in the International League Wild Card race on Saturday night at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
The loss drops the Indians' record to 58-57 on the season, while with the win Durham becomes the first International League club to reach 70 victories as they improve to 70-43 on the season. The win also gives the Bulls a 4-3 advantage in the season series with the two clubs to wrap up their 2010 matchups in Sunday evenings contest.
Trailing 3-1 entering the eighth the Durham Bulls rallied for five runs on just two hits, three walks and a hit by pitch.
SS Elliot Johnson sparked the Bulls eight inning rally when he led off the frame with an infield single, before a walk to RF Justin Ruggiano and intentional walk to 1B Joe Dillon loaded the bases. LF Leslie Anderson then drew a hit by pitch to force in Johnson, before a walk to 3B Angel Chavez and a fielder's choice by C Jose Lobaton scored Ruggiano and Dillon to give the Bulls their first lead of the contest at 4-3.
However, Durham was not finished as Furmaniak, who played for the Indians during the 2005 and 2006 seasons, came through with what turned out to be the game winning base knock, when he lined a single to center to score Anderson and Chavez and give the Bulls a 6-3 advantage. The right handed Furmaniak, who did all his damage out of the nine hole for the Bulls, also plated Durham's first tally when hit a ground-rule double down the right-field line to score Anderson in the fifth.
The first RBI for Furmaniak was the only run Durham managed off of Tribe starter Charlie Morton (6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO), who did not figure in the final decision despite allowing just four singles and a double and striking out five over six strong innings of work. In his last start against the Bulls on June 24 this season, Morton tossed the Indians' only complete game of the season as he allowed just one run on two hits and has now allowed just two runs over 15 innings (1.20 ERA), while striking out nine and walking just three in his two starts against the Bulls this season.
The Indians offense also gave Morton some early support as they plated two runs in the first and another in the second to jump out to a quick 3-0 lead.
LF Doug Bernier led off the game with a base hit to left and quickly came around to score on a ground-rule double to right-center field by CF Alex Presley. RF Brandon Moss then lined the first pitch he saw to right field to plate Presley and propel the Tribe to a 2-0 advantage.
The Indians then extended that advantage to 3-0 in the second, when DH John Bowker drew a hit by pitch to lead off the inning and following a passed ball and fly out, trotted plateward on a sacrifice fly by C Jason Jaramillo. 2B Brian Friday also added a two-out RBI single in the ninth that scored SS Pedro Ciriaco, but it wasn't enough as Durham shut the door to come away with a 6-4 victory.
While Furmaniak (3-for-4, 3 RBI) led the Durham offense with three hits and three RBI, Moss (3-for-4, 1 RBI), Presley (2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI) and Friday (2-for-3, 1 RBI) paced the Tribe's offensive attack as each collected multiple base knocks and an RBI. The RBI for Moss was his team leading 78th on the season, which is good enough for second place in the International League, while Presley's two base knocks helped him maintain his team best .327 batting average.
Durham starter Heath Phillips (6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO) did not figure in the final decision despite allowing just two earned runs over six innings, as Bulls' reliever Darin Downs (2.0 IP, 3 H, 3 SO) struck out three over two scoreless frames to earn the victory and improve to 5-1 on the season and closer Winston Abreu ( 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 R, 2 SO) struck out two and allowed just one unearned run in the ninth to earn his team leading 16th save.
On the other side, besides RHP Joe Martinez (1.0 IP, 1 H) earning a hold with a scoreless frame of relief, the Tribe bullpen struggled mightily as LHP Daniel Moskos (0.1 IP, 1 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 0 SO) was pinned with the loss to fall to 0-5 after allowing four runs on one hit and two walks in just 0.1 of an inning and RHP Brian Bass (0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO) suffered his second blown save of the season after allowing a run on a hit and a walk in 0.2 innings of work.
The Indians now wrap up their four-game series with the Durham Bulls on Sunday, August 8 at 5:05 p.m. RHP Mike Crotta is the probable starter for the Indians, while the Bulls have yet to name a starter.
The contest will be carried by WXLW-950 AM and www.IndyIndians.com with Howard Kellman and Scott McCauley on the call. The pre-game show begins at 4:45 p.m.
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