Five-Run Sixth Propels Red Wings To Series Opening Win
Published on June 17, 2011 under International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release
ROCHESTER N.Y. -- Rochester first baseman Aaron Bates began the scoring with a two-run first inning double before lifting another two-bagger to lead-off the sixth and spark a marathon five-run rally in support of starter Andrew Baldwin who allowed just one run over six innings to propel the Red Wings over the Indianapolis Indians 7-4 on Friday night at Frontier Field.
With the loss Indianapolis drops to 33-35 on the season, while the victory improves Rochester's record to 26-37. The win also gives the Red Wings a 1-0 series lead over the Tribe in what was the first meeting of the season between the two clubs.
The Red Wings got off to a quick start and never looked back plating two runs in the bottom of the first sparked by a lead-off ground-rule double off the bat of CF Dustin Martin. Following Martin's two-bagger, RF Jeff Bailey drew a base-on-balls, before the pair both trotted plateward on Bates' two-base hit.
Indianapolis cut the lead in half with a score of their own in the top of the second inning as 1B John Bowker led of the frame with a base hit, stole second and came plateward on a line drive base knock off the bat of C Eric Fryer. With his two hit-effort Bowker (2-for-4, 1 R) has now hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games during which time he has posted a .400 batting average (16-for-40) with five runs, five doubles and 10 RBI.
Following the early frame score, both pitchers settled down and put zeros on the board in the third, fourth and fifth frames. However, in the bottom of the sixth everything would fall apart for the Indians as the Red Wings plated five runs on two hits, two walks and two errors.
After capping the first inning rally for the Red Wings, Bates began the second as he lifted a lead-off double to right field to begin the sixth. Then following a walk and Indians' throwing error, Bates was forced home on bases loaded free pass, before a hit by pitch by the following batter forced in another Rochester run.
C Steve Holm, who entered the contest mired in a 2-for-34 slump, then broke the game wide open with a two-run single to left plating 2B Toby Gardenhire and DH Nicholas Romero to push the Red Wings advantage to 6-1. Rochester would complete the sixth inning outburst with another Tribe miscue allowing 3B Chase Lambin to cross home to push the lead to 7-1.
Despite the five-run sixth inning outburst, the early two scores were all that Rochester starter Andrew Baldwin (6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO) needed as he surrendered just one score on five hits over six solid frames of work to earn the victory and improve to 4-5 on the season. Following Baldwin, Red Wings RHP Carlos Gutierrez (2.0 IP, 1 H, 3 SO) struck out three over two scoreless inning of relief, before RHP Anthony Slama (0.1 IP) picked up his first save of the season by escaping the ninth inning struggles of LHP Dusty Hughes (0.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 SO).
The Indians did make things interesting in the ninth off of Hughes as pinch hitter Andy Marte led off the final frame with a double to center, before scoring on base hit by fellow pinch hitter Miles Durham. CF Gorkys Hernandez then lifted a ground-rule double to center and came plateward with Durham on a two-run double by SS Chase d'Arnaud. However, Slama would slam the door on the series opening victory by inducing a game-ending groundout from DH Corey Wimberly.
Hernandez (3-for-4, 1 R, 2 2B) led the Indians with three base knocks, including two doubles, while Bowker (2-for-4, 1 R) also posted a multi-hit effort for the Tribe. On the other side, Bates (3-for-4, 1 R, 2 RBI) paced the Red Wings with three base knocks and two doubles of his own, while Lambin (2-for-2, 1 R, 1 RBI) also collected multiple hits on the evening.
Tribe starter Rudy Owens (5.0 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 2 SO) struggled with his control, allowing six runs (five earned) on five hits and four walks to suffer the loss and fall to 6-5 on the season. Following Owens, the Indianapolis bullpen turned in an excellent effort as LHP Justin Thomas (0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER), RHP Jose Ascanio (0.1 IP, 1 SO), RHP Jared Hughes (1.0 IP, 1 H) and RHP Sean Gallagher (1.0 IP, 2 SO) combined to allow just one unearned run over three innings of relief.
Indianapolis and Rochester now meet up for a day-night doubleheader on Saturday with game one set to get under way at 1:05 p.m. and game two scheduled to start at 7:05 p.m. Indians LHP Brian Burres and former Tribe RHP Eric Hacker are the probables for game one, while Indianapolis LHP Justin Wilson and Red Wings LHP Jake Stevens are expected to take the mound in game two.
The contests will be carried on WNDE.com and via iheartradio, a mobile application for iPhone, Blackberry and Android phones, with Howard Kellman and Scott McCauley on the call. The pre-game show for game one begins at 12:45 p.m.
International League Stories from June 17, 2011
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