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IL1 Indianapolis Indians

Indians Knock Out Knights, 9-7

May 27, 2010 - International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


FORT MILL, S.C. -- After falling behind 4-1 after three innings, the Indianapolis Indians plated seven runs over the fourth and fifth frames, before the bullpen made the lead stand up with 5.1 innings of solid work to propel the Tribe to a 9-7 series opening victory over the Charlotte Knights on Thursday night at Knights Stadium.

With the win, Indianapolis moves back above the .500 mark at 24-23, while the loss drops Charlotte's record to 20-28. The victory also gives the Tribe a 1-0 series lead after they posted a 5-3 record overall against the Knights last season.

In a game where every single batter on both sides reached base at least once and seven collected multiple hits, it was four Indianapolis relievers, who combined to allow just one run on two hits and strikeout nine over 5.1 innings of work that proved to be the key to the Tribe's victory.

LHP Justin Thomas (1.1 IP), who was the first Indians' reliever out of the bullpen, earned the victory to improve to 3-0 on the season after tossing 1.1 perfect innings. RHP Vinnie Chulk (2.0 IP, 5 SO) then came on and struck out five of the six batters he faced over two frames to earn his first hold of the season, before LHP Wil Ledezma (1.0 IP, 1 BB, 2 SO) and RHP Jean Machi (1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO) each struck out two in an inning of work with Ledezma earning his third hold and Machi notching his sixth save.

Besides a ninth inning solo home run by 1B Dayan Vicedo, the Knights plated all of their runs over the first four innings of the contest, led by LF Buck Coats, who led off the first with a triple to right and quickly came around to score on a base hit by SS Brent Lillibridge. After scoring the first runs of the contest, Coats then plated the second, when he rolled a single to center to plate 3B Luis Rodriguez, who had reached on a walk earlier in the frame.

RF Stefan Gartrell then took over offensively for the Knights as he drove in multiple runs in both the third and fourth innings with a two-run longball that scored DH Josh Kroeger in the third and a two-run two-bagger that plated Coats and Lillibridge in the fourth.

However, after falling behind early the Indianapolis offense exploded with eight runs over the third, fourth and fifth frames as well as an insurance tally in the ninth on their way to the 9-7 victory. All but one Indians' batter collected at least one hit, all but three scored at least one run and all but three drove in at least one run led by LF Kevin Melillo and 3B Pedro Alvarez, who combined to go 6-for-9 with four runs and three RBI.

Melillo got the Tribe on the board first when he lifted a sacrifice fly in the third inning to plate 2B Brian Friday, who led of the frame with a base hit. Indianapolis then took over the lead with four runs in the fourth sparked by 1B Brian Myrow and Alvarez, who reached on a throwing error and base hit, respectively, to begin the Tribe rally.

C Luke Carlin came through with the first RBI base knock in the fourth when he brought home Myrow with a single to right, before DH Brandon Jones broke out of an 0-for-22 slump with a double that scored Alvarez for the second tally of the frame. SS Argenis Diaz then capped the fourth inning scoring with single to center that brought both home both Carlin and Jones and gave the Tribe their first lead of the game at 5-4.

After the Knights retook the lead with two runs in the bottom of the fourth, Melillo and Alvarez put the Indians back on top as Melillo blasted his first longball in an Indians' uniform to lead off the fifth and Alvarez singled and later scored on a wild pitch. Alvarez's single was sandwiched between a base on balls by Myrow and run scoring double by RF Brandon Moss that plated the other Tribe run of the frame.

Finally in the ninth, Alvarez and Melillo combined to give the Indians some extra insurance as Melillo led of the final frame with a triple and later scored on Alvarez's double to center.

Along with the duo of Alvarez (4-for-5, 2 R, 1 RBI) and Melillo (2-for-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI), Diaz (2-for-4, 2 RBI) also turned in a multi-hit effort for the Tribe, while Myrow drew two walks and scored twice. On the other side, Coats (2-for-4, 2 R, 1 RBI), Lillibridge (3-for-5, 1 R, 1 RBI), Viciedo (2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI) and Gartrell (3-for-5, 1 R, 4 RBI) all collected multiple hits for the Knights with only Coats scoring multiple times and only Gartrell driving in multiple runs.

Neither starter figured in the final decision as Indianapolis RHP Hayden Penn (3.2 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 6 BB, 3 SO) allowed six earned runs on eight hits and six walks over 3.2 innings of work and Charlotte RHP Jeff Marquez (4.0 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO) surrendered five runs (four earned) on seven hits over four innings pitched. Knights reliever Scott Elarton (0.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO) suffered the loss to drop to 1-2 after allowing three runs on three hits in just a third of an inning of work.

The two teams continue their four game series on Friday May 28 at 7:15 p.m. RHP Brad Lincoln is expected to get the call for Indianapolis, while RHP Matt Zaleski is the probable starter for Charlotte.

The contest will be carried by WXLW-950 AM and www.IndyIndians.com with Howard Kellman and Scott McCauley on the call. The pre-game show begins at 6:55 p.m.

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