Indianapolis Beats Braves 4-3 in Ten Frames
Published on August 2, 2011 under International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. -- Indianapolis shortstop Jordy Mercer, along with catcher Ryan Doumit and center fielder Gorkys Hernandez all recorded two hits, while All-Star third baseman Matt Hague drove in two runs to push the Indians to a 4-3 ten-inning win over the Gwinnett Braves on Tuesday night at Coolray Field.
With the win, Indianapolis pushes their record to 58-54 ton the year, while the defeat drops Gwinnett' to a 61-49 mark. The Indians victory also give the Tribe a 2-2 series split with the Braves, as well as a 4-4 draw in the season series.
After the Braves forced extra innings by scoring in the bottom of the ninth, Indianapolis responded by scoring the eventual winning run in the tenth. LF John Bowker began the inning with a walk and moved from first to third on Doumit's single, before coming plateward on a force out.
Gwinnett had been held hitless until the fourth, when they would plate the contest's first run. RF Stefan Gartrell and 3B Brandon Hicks each drew a free pass, before Gartrell scored on LF Wilkin Ramirez's RBI infield single to take a 1-0 advantage.
The lead did not last long however, as Indianapolis answered with two scores in the following frame. RF Miles Durham began the rally with a double, before he was sent in on an RBI single by Hernandez to tie the game. Hernandez then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, before he was brought home on Mercer's run-scoring two-bagger to move the Tribe ahead 2-1.
The Indians would increase their lead to two in the eighth. Mercer led off with a single, before 2B Josh Harrison reached on an error and Doumit walked to load the bases for Hague. The infielder would bring home Mercer by drawing a base-on-balls to push the margin to 3-1.
Gwinnett however, narrowed the deficit back to one in their half of the frame. CF Matt Young started the inning with a walk and took second and third on consecutive groundouts, before coming home on 1B Mauro Gomez's RBI single to center.
The Braves then sent the game to extra innings with a tally in the ninth. Ramirez began the game-tying rally with a double and took third on a wild pitch, before coming across on a passed ball to draw the contest even at 3-3.
Mercer (2-for-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI), Hernandez (2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI) and Doumit (2-for-4, 1 BB), who was on a Major League Rehab Assignment with Indianapolis, each recorded multi-hit efforts, while Ramirez (2-for-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI) was the only Braves hitter to collect two hits. Both Bowker and Hague did not record a hit to snap their respective hit streaks, with Bowker's eight-game stretch coming to an end, while Hague had hit in each of his previous seven contests.
Despite good outings, neither team's starter figured in the final decisions. Indians LHP Garrett Olson (5.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 4 SO) gave up just a lone earned run on only two hits in his 5.1 innings, while Braves RHP Todd Redmond (7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO) allowed just two earned runs on six hits, in addition to seven strikeouts, in seven frames.
Tribe relievers Jared Hughes and Tim Wood each fired 2.1 innings of relief in support of Olson, combining for four hits and one earned run. Hughes (2.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO) received his fifth hold of the season, while Wood (2.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO) earned the victory to improve to 2-0, while suffering his third blown save of 2011.
Gwinnett relief pitcher Jairo Asencio (2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO) was pinned with the loss to fall to 2-2, after surrendering an earned run on two hits in his two frames of work.
Indianapolis has the day off Wednesday, before returning to action on Thursday evening at 7:05 p.m. to begin a four-game homestand against the Toledo Mud Hens. RHP Ross Ohlendorf, who is with Indianapolis on a Major League Rehab Assignment, is expected to get the start for the Indians Thursday night, while the Mud Hens are scheduled to send LHP Fu-Te Ni to the hill.
The contest will be carried on WNDE 1260 AM, WNDE.com and via iheartradio, a mobile application for iPhone, Blackberry and Android phones, while also being broadcast live on Comcast and Bright House Networks digital channel 81 with Howard Kellman and Scott McCauley on the call. The pre-game show begins at 6:45 p.m.
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Post-game quotes -- RHP Tim Wood
(on the adrenaline rush from coming into the game from the bullpen) Yeah, it's definitely an adrenaline rush. That's why we all play this game, to get that quote, unquote high. Being in that type of situation you have to be able to tone it down. That's the biggest thing [Indians pitching coach Tom] Filer's been working on with me. Getting worked up seems to work to my disadvantage sometimes."
(on his mindset during the ninth inning) "You have the mindset that you're doing out there to put up a zero. They got one run off me and then I said to myself you can't give up anymore. You know, they're not going to leave us on the field here. So you have to have a mindset that you take it as it comes, get that final out, get back in the dugout and hopefully we have a chance to win the game.."
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