IL1 Indianapolis Indians

Homer Barrage Lead Indians Past Bats 8-3

Published on July 1, 2012 under International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Before a thunder-and-lightning storm caused the game to be called after seven-and-a-half innings, Indianapolis provided some thunder of its own as three batters hit one home run apiece Sunday night in Louisville, leading the Tribe to an 8-3 win over the Bats at Louisville Slugger Field as Indians left-handed starter Rudy Owens picked up his seventh win of the season.

The home run barrage started in the top of the third as SS Chase d'Arnaud led off the frame with a bang, launching his second home run of the season over the left-center-field fence. After a strikeout, CF Starling Marte got in on the act, knocking his ninth homer of the season to dead center field, at the time giving Indianapolis a 4-0 lead.

The Indians had taken a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, scoring first on a single by Marte that drove in LF Gorkys Hernandez, who had walked. Marte then scored all the way from first when 3B Matt Hague hit a line-drive double into left field.

The Bats cut into the Tribe's lead in the bottom of the third inning when 2B Willie Harris and C Corky Miller led off the frame by drawing back-to-back walks. After a sacrifice bunt by RHP Tim Gustafson advanced the runners to second and third, Owens picked up a huge strikeout for the second out of the inning. However, CF Joey Gathright came through in the clutch for Louisville with a two-out infield single, scoring Harris to cut the Tribe's lead to 4-1.

Indianapolis got the run back quickly, however, as 2B Yamaico Navarro led off the top of the fourth inning with his third home run with the Tribe, an opposite-field job over the right-field fence. The home run was third of the game for the Indians and gave them a 5-1 lead.

Louisville got another run back in the bottom of the fourth inning when Harris reached on an error that would have ended the inning. Scoring on the play was 1B Neftali Soto, who had led off the frame with his 12th double of the season.

The Indians, however, picked up another run in the top of the sixth inning. RF Jeff Larish reached on a two-out single to center field and came all the way around to score on C Tony Sanchez's fourth double with the Tribe, putting Indianapolis ahead 6-2. The Bats then cut that lead to 6-3 in the bottom of the seventh when Miller drew a one-out walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a double by LF Felix Perez.

That would be the final run of the game for Louisville, however, and the Indians added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the eighth inning. Hague led off the eighth with a single, but was erased when 1B Jeff Clement reached on a fielders choice. With a heavy rain falling, Navarro then reached on an error before Larish drew a walk to load the bases. Sanchez took advantage, driving in his second run of the game with a single to right field, scoring Clement.

With the bases reloaded, PH Jordy Mercer deflected a groundout off of Louisville RHP Nick Christiani. Although Mercer was putout 1-4-3, Navarro crossed the plate to give the game its final 8-3 score. At that point, a major storm had moved into the area, causing the game to be called after the top of the eighth inning.

Taking advantage of his offense's output, Owens (6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K) picked up his seventh win of the season, tying undefeated RHP Rick VandenHurk for the team lead. For Louisville, Gustafson (4.0 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 3 HR) took the loss, lasting just 4.0 innings and giving up all three Indianapolis home runs.

The Indians (52-31) and Bats (31-54) continue the Louisville portion of their current six-game home-and-home series with game three in Lousiville on Monday night at 7:05 p.m. Indianapolis is expected to send LHP Justin Wilson (6-4, 3.57) to the mound, while Louisville will likely counter with RHP Pedro Villarreall (2-5, 4.48).

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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International League Stories from July 1, 2012


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