IL1 Indianapolis Indians

Gwinnett Outlasts Indianapolis 2-1 in Extras

Published on May 26, 2009 under International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. -- Gwinnett Braves pitching held the Indianapolis Indians to only one run on six hits in 10 innings, while center fielder Gregor Blanco brought in the winning run with a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the tenth to lead the Braves past the Tribe 2-1 on Tuesday evening at Gwinnett Stadium.

With the loss the Indians drop to 21-23 overall and 12-11 on the road, while the win improves the Braves to 25-21 on the season and 12-12 at home. The victory for the Braves evens the series to one game apiece with two left to play.

Braves starting pitcher and number one prospect Tommy Hanson (7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 9 SO) and his fellow Gwinnett pitchers Francisely Bueno (1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 SO) and Luis Valdez (1.2 IP, 2 SO) held the Tribe to only run in ten innings on Tuesday night. The Braves' hurlers combined to strike out 13 Indianapolis hitters and held the Indians to 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Hanson recorded a no decision in yet another stellar start after striking out nine and allowing only one run in seven innings, while Valdez collected his first win of the season with 1.2 scoreless innings of relief.

Gwinnett ended the extra inning deadlock with a late two-out rally sparked by RF Reid Gorecki, who tallied the first Braves extra-base hit with a ground rule double down the right field line. Gorecki then came plateward as Blanco knocked a single up the middle to give the Braves the walk-off win. The base-hit was the second of the night for Blanco (2-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 BB), who along with 1B Barbaro Canizares (2-for-4) turned in multi-hit performances for the Braves.

Tribe starting pitcher Eric Hacker (6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO) matched the Braves top prospect Hanson with a dominating performance of his own as the right hander allowed only one run on five hits in six innings of work. Hacker has now only given up one run while striking out 12 in his first 11.2 innings as a member of Indianapolis' pitching staff.

Right hander Brian Slocum (3.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 SO), who replaced Hacker allowed just one Braves hit over three scoreless innings of relief. Fellow Tribe reliever Juan Mateo (0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 SO) struck out the first two batters in the tenth, but was handed the loss to drop to 2-2 on the season after Gorecki and Blanco's back-to-back hits.

The Braves jumped out on the board first as Hanson led off the third with a single and then came home when SS Brooks Conrad drew a bases loaded walk. However, the Indians evened the score in the following inning when RF Garrett Jones doubled to center field scoring LF Jeff Salazar, who singled earlier in the inning.

Despite being held to only one run the Tribe hitters did manage to collect five doubles to extend their streak to 44 straight games with an extra-base hit to begin the season. 3B Neil Walker (2-for-4, 2 2B) tallied two of the Indians' doubles as well as Indianapolis' only multi-hit performance on the evening. Walker came into Tuesday ranked first on the Tribe and tied for tenth in the International League with 12 doubles.

Indianapolis continues their four game series with Gwinnett on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. RHP Ty Taubenheim is scheduled to start for Indianapolis, while RHP James Parr is expected to get the nod for the Braves.

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 6:40 p.m.

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International League Stories from May 26, 2009


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