Indians Light Up Louisville For 8-3 Victory
Published on August 20, 2009 under International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release
INDIANAPOLIS -- Starting pitcher Daniel McCutchen allowed just two runs and struck out eight in seven strong innings and third baseman Neil Walker went 2-for-4 with four RBI to lift the Indianapolis Indians over the Louisville Bats 8-3 on Thursday night at Victory Field.
With the win the Indians improve to 62-63 overall and 32-28 at home, while the Bats drop to 72-53 overall and 30-29 on the road with the loss. Indianapolis evens up the current home/road split series at two games apiece, but Louisville still leads the season series 9-6 with the two more contests left in the current set.
McCutchen (7.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 SO) earned his 13th victory of the season tying him for first in the International League in wins after he gave up only two earned runs on seven hits, while striking out eight and walking just one. The right hander has now gone at least 6.0 innings in each of his last eight starts and has won eight of his last nine decisions.
The reigning IL pitcher of the week has been sensational this month with a 3-0 record along with a 1.67 ERA and 27 strikeouts compared to just three walks in four starts so far in August. McCutchen also collected a single, scored a run and reached on a bases on balls in the winning effort.
The 26-year-old also received help from his fellow hitters as three Tribe batters tallied multiple base knocks and two recorded multiple RBI. Walker (2-for-4, 2 2B, 4 RBI) collected his second straight multi-hit performance with a pair of two-run doubles and has now doubled in six of his last seven contests after entering Thursday ranked in the IL top 10 for two-baggers.
2B Pedro Lopez (2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI) and LF Brian Myrow (2-for-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 BB) joined Walker with multiple hits as Myrow also brought in two runs. With his two-hit effort Thursday night, Lopez has now posted multi-hit performances in each of his last six contests, while he also tallied a run in the contest and has scored at least once in five of his last six games.
The Bats however, did strike first in the third inning when 2B Luis Bolivar smacked a one-out triple to left-center field with no one on and one out. Bolivar then came plateward when Jasper, Indiana native 3B Scott Rolen, who is with the Bats on a Major League rehab assignment, slapped an RBI single to left field.
Indianapolis answered quickly in the bottom half of the third when McCutchen tallied their first run of the contest. The pitcher came plateward after he reached with a bunt single, moved to third on a double by CF Jose Tabata and ran home on an RBI groundout by Lopez.
After two scoreless frames the Indians sparked a rally as they plated three runs in the sixth and four runs in the seventh. Lopez and Myrow led off the seventh with back-to-back singles before Lopez scored on an RBI single by RF Tagg Bozied.
Walker then brought Myrow and Bozied plateward with the first of his multi-run doubles, a two-bagger to left field. The hot bats continued in the very next frame as it was again Myrow and Walker doing the damage.
Tabata led off the frame with a base on balls and quickly trotted home as Myrow launched a two-run long ball into the right field lawn for his 12th home run of the season. 1B Jeff Clement and Bozied then followed the roundtripper with back-to-back walks before Walker collected his second two-run double of the night.
Louisville scored one run in the top half of the seventh and one in the eighth, but it was not enough as the Indians continued to dominate on the mound. After McCutchen's seven strong innings Tribe right handers Juan Mateo (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO) and Jon Meloan (1.0 IP, 1 SO) combined to allow only one run on one hit, while striking out three in two innings of combined relief.
Bats' starter Matt Klinker (6.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO) was handed his second career Triple-A loss after he allowed four earned runs on seven hits, but struck out eight in six innings of work. Right hander Pedro Viola (0.1 IP, 1 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB), who entered Thursday third in the IL with 49 appearances, replaced Klinker in the seventh and fell subject to the Myrow homer and Walker double to give up four earned runs on one hit and three walks in just 0.1 innings of relief.
Rolen (2-for-3, 1 RBI) went on to collect two base knocks including the early RBI single in what was his first rehab game with the Bats this season. 3B Juan Francisco (2-for-4, 1 3B, 1 RBI) tallied the only other Louisville multi-hit effort with a triple and single and has now recorded multiple base knocks in five of the six contests he has played with the Bats.
Indianapolis continues their three-game series with Louisville on Friday at 7:15 p.m. RHP Ty Taubenheim is scheduled to start for the Indians, while RHP Same LeCure is expected to get the nod for the Bats.
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 6:55 p.m. .
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Post-game quote -- RHP Daniel McCutchen
(on the bunt single in the third inning)
"I was just trying to spark a rally and get something going. Hacker (Indians RHP Eric Hacker), Lincoln (Indians RHP Brad Lincoln), and Virgil (Indians RHP Virgil Vasquez) have all been able to get something going with the bat and each of them have gotten a win because of it. I really haven't done that yet this year. Everyone knows that I am not a very good hitter, but I have some wheels.."
(on what was working tonight)
"I was going out there tonight with multiple weapons and I was able to locate my fastball, but not as well as I have in the past. My change up was effective and I got some swings and misses with my slider. I also snuck my curveball in there when I needed to. I really just tried to fill up the strike zone. Neil (Indians 3B Neil Walker) had some good plays at third base and we had some good plays in the outfield. I was just letting my defense work behind me."
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