IL1 Indianapolis Indians

Indians Hold off Hens 9-8

August 6, 2011 - International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


INDIANAPOLIS -- Indianapolis All-Star first baseman Matt Hague blasted the first grand slam of his professional career as part of a seven-run second inning, while every batter that came to the plate for the Indians reached base, as the Tribe held off the Toledo Mud Hens 9-8 in a wild back-and-forth affair in front of a crowd of 10,153 on Saturday evening at Victory Field.

With the win, Indianapolis improves to 60-55 on the year, while the loss drops Toledo's record to 53-62. The victory also pushes the Indians to a 2-1 advantage in the four-game series, while evening the season series at 7-7. With their crowd of 10,153 on Saturday night, the Tribe has now averaged 10,036 fans over their last 28 home games.

The Mud Hens began the contest's scoring with a single tally in the second frame. 1B Ryan Strieby led off the frame with a walk and then came home when RF Ben Guez doubled to left to give Toledo the lead. It was the first of four times that Strieby would reach base, thanks to a trio of free passes.

The deficit would not last long however, as the Tribe exploded for seven runs in the bottom half of the inning . DH Jeff Clement began the rally with a free pass, before he coming across on 3B Josh Harrison's RBI double to tie the contest at one. C Jason Jaramillo then brought home Harrison with a two-bagger of his own, before CF Gorkys Hernandez drove in Jaramillo with a run-scoring triple to give the Tribe a 3-1 advantage.

LF Jose Tabata, who was with Indianapolis on a Major League rehab assignment, followed with a walk, before both SS Pedro Ciriaco and RF John Bowker collected base knocks to load the bases and set the stage for Hague. The All-Star infielder then sent the first pitch of the at bat over the left field wall for his tenth longball of the year, and first grand slam of his professional career.

However, the Mud Hens charged back with five runs in the fourth to make it a one-run game. Strieby again began the rally with a base-on-balls, before Inge and CF Jeff Salazar reached with base knocks to fill the bases for Guez, who singled home both Strieby and Inge before being tagged out in a rundown.

Worth subsequently doubled to left to score Salazar, before Worth came in on 2B Will Rhymes' RBI two-bagger to bring Toledo to within two. The scoring in the fourth would be capped when Rhymes came across on Perez's run-scoring base hit to center, which cut the Indianapolis advantage to one.

Toledo's would complete their comeback with a single run in the sixth that evened the score at 7-7. Guez led off the frame with a triple, his third hit of the contest, before he was driven home courtesy of Worth's RBI single to right.

The tie would not last long though, as the Indians countered with a pair of scores in the bottom of the sixth. After SS Brian Bocock walked and stole second base, RF Miles Durham came through with a clutch two-out single singled to bring in Bocock and snag the lead back. The Tribe then went on to tack on another run when Durham came plateward on an RBI base hit from Clement to give Indianapolis a 9-7 advantage.

Toledo would make things interesting as they got a run back in the following frame to once again make it a one-run game. Strieby singled and moved to third when Inge followed with a base hit of his own, before Salazar brought home Stribey with a fielder's choice to push the score to 9-8.

However, Indians relievers Daniel Moskos and Tim Wood came on to shut the door with two scoreless innings of relief to give the Tribe the victory. Moskos (0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 SO) received his fourth hold of the season for 0.2 scoreless frames, while Wood (1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 SO) fired the final 1.1 innings to notch his 22nd save of the year.

All 11 Indians batters in the contest reached base, with nine of those 11 also scoring a run. Clement (2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB) was the lone Indians hitter to record a multi-hit game, while Perez (2-for-5, 1 RBI), Inge (2-for-5, 1 R), Guez (3-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 3 RBI) and Worth (3-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI) all collected two or more hits for Toledo.

Indianapolis starter Brian Burres (3.1 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 5 SO) did not figure in the decision, after allowing five earned runs on five hits in his 3.1 frames, while reliever Jared Hughes (2.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 SO) earned the win to improve to 2-1 after giving up two earned runs on four hits in his two frames of relief.

Mud Hens starting pitcher Enrique Gonzalez (2.0 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO) also did not receive a decision after relinquishing seven earned runs on seven hits in two frames, while reliever Matt Hoffman (1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO) suffered the loss to fall to 1-5 after surrendering two earned runs on two hits in 1.1 innings. Right-handers Jose Ortega (2.1 IP, 2 BB, 2 SO) and Brendan Wise (2.1 IP, 1 H, 1 B, 1 SO) each were solid out of the Hens' pen, as both tossed 2.1 scoreless frames.

Indianapolis and Toledo will complete their four-game series at Victory Field on Sunday afternoon at 2:05 p.m. LHP Garrett Olson is scheduled to take the hill for the Tribe, while LHP Andy Oliver is scheduled to get the start for the Mud Hens.

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 1:45 p.m.

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