Indians Outlast Louisville 7-5
Published on September 2, 2010 under International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release
INDIANAPOLIS -- A four-run fourth inning, sparked by a two-out, three-run home run by left fielder Kevin Melillo and an RBI double by center fielder Alex Presley gave the Indianapolis Indians an early 5-4 lead, before Presley later came through with a clutch two-out, run-scoring triple in the sixth to propel the Tribe to a 7-5 victory over the Louisville Bats on Thursday night at Victory Field.
The victory improves Indianapolis' record to 69-71 on the season, while the loss drops Louisville to 77-62 on the year. The win also snaps a four-game losing streak for the Tribe and ups their record to 8-10 on the year against the Bats.
With the score tied at 5-5 with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, Presley stepped to the dish with 3B Akinori Iwamura standing at first. After working the count in his favor, Presley lined his sixth triple of the season off the 405-foot marker in deep center field to plate Iwamura and give Indianapolis a lead they would never relinquish at 6-5.
Before Presley's two-out, run-scoring triple gave Indianapolis the lead for good, the Bats jumped out to an early 3-0 advantage just three batters into the top half of the first inning. CF Dave Sappelt singled to lead off the contest, moved to third on SS Zack Cozart's 29th double of the season and later trotted home on Danny Dorn's 13th home run of the year that gave Louisville a quick three-run cushion.
Indianapolis responded with a tally of its own in bottom of the first inning when RF Brandon Moss lined a one-out single to right field to cut Louisville's lead to 3-1. The run-scoring base knock, which plated Melillo from third, upped Moss' RBI total to 90 on the season and pulled the outfielder to within five RBI of Durham Bulls' INF Dan Johnson's International League-leading 95 RBI.
After the Bats reclaimed their three-run cushion when Dorn collected his fourth RBI of the contest with a two-out, run-scoring single in the second, the Tribe struck for four, two-out runs in the fourth to take their first advantage of the game at 5-4.
Following two routine outs to open the inning, a hit-by-pitch of 2B Doug Bernier ignited the Tribe's four-run fourth. Pinch-hitter Jonathan Van Every extended the inning with a four-pitch base on balls, before Melillo cracked his 10th home run of the season out to deep right field to even the score at 4-4.
With the score still holding even at 4-4 in the bottom of the fourth, Iwamura kept the two-out rally rolling when he doubled to left-center field on a ball that touched the grass following a miscommunication between two Louisville outfielders. Then, with the Indians' third baseman standing in scoring position, Presley gave Indianapolis the lead when he laced his 14th double of the season out to right to plate Iwamura and propel the Tribe to a 5-4 advantage.
A lead-off triple by 3B Eric Eymann and a throwing error by the Indians' infield tied the score at 5-5 in the top half of the sixth inning, before Presley's second run-scoring base knock of the evening gave the Tribe the lead for good in the bottom half of the frame.
Despite allowing four runs on seven hits in four innings of work, Indians' LHP Dana Eveland (4.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 9 SO) struck out a season-high nine batters, which marks the most punchouts for the left-hander since he also recorded nine strikeouts against the Fresno Grizzlies on August 27, 2009. In relief of Eveland, LHP Justin Thomas (2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 SO) earned his fifth win of the season after logging two strong innings, while Steven Jackson (2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 SO) collected his ninth hold of the year before RHP Jean Machi (1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB) escaped a ninth inning jam to earn his 21st save.
Louisville starter Chad Reineke (6.0 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 4 SO) was strapped with his ninth loss of the season after he allowed six runs on eight hits in six innings of work. Out of the Bats' bullpen, RHP Micah Owings (0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO) allowed a run in the seventh inning, while LHP Daniel Ray Herrera (1.1 IP, 0 R, 3 SO) struck out three batters in 1.1 perfect innings of work to finish out the contest.
Offensively, the top three hitters in the Indianapolis batting order - Melillo (2-for-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB), Iwamura (2-for-3, 2 R, 1 2B, 2 BB) and Presley (2-for-5, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 RBI) - each recorded multiple hits, while CF Dave Sappelt (2-for-4, 1 R, 1 BB) and Dorn (2-for-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 BB) both tallied two base knocks for Louisville.
Indianapolis continues its final home series of the season against the Louisville Bats on Friday, September 3 at 7:15 p.m. RHP Mike Crotta is expected to get the start for the Tribe, while LHP Tom Cochran is the probable starter for the Bats.
The contest will be carried by WXLW-950 AM and broadcast live on Comcast and Bright House Networks digital channel 81 with Howard Kellman and Scott McCauley on the call. The pre-game show on WXLW-950 AM begins at 6:55 p.m.
Post-game quotes -- OF Kevin Melillo
(on taking advantage of two-out base runners in the fourth)
"It was a perfect situation with Doug (Indians' 2B Doug Bernier) getting hit by a pitch that goes on to spark a rally. Doug is a tough-nosed player and he found a way to get on base and then Van Every (Indians' pinch-hitter Jonathan Van Every) was patient at the plate and drew the two-out walk. After those guys got on, I was able to get a fastball middle in that I was able to hit out."
International League Stories from September 2, 2010
- PawSox Return to Winning Ways - Pawtucket Red Sox
- Aubrey's Homer Lifts Tides in 13 - Norfolk Tides
- Back and Forth Affair Does Not End in Bulls Favor - Durham Bulls
- Chiefs Down Red Wings 7-3, Win Fifth Straight - Syracuse Mets
- Gwinnett Downs Durham 7-6 in Short-Series Opener - Gwinnett Stripers
- Indians Outlast Louisville 7-5 - Indianapolis Indians
- Bulls Allowing Facebook Fans to Vote for 2010 Fan Favorite Award - Durham Bulls
- International League News & Notes - IL1
- Bisons Notes - Buffalo Bisons
- Mets Promote Bisons Catcher Mike Nickeas - Buffalo Bisons
- Mud Hens Announce 2011 Schedule - Toledo Mud Hens
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
