IL1 Indianapolis Indians

Indians Push Past Pawsox 5-3

Published on June 9, 2010 under International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


INDIANAPOLIS -- Third baseman Pedro Alvarez fell just a single short of the cycle as he collected a second inning triple, fourth inning two-run longball and fifth inning double to help lead the Indianapolis Indians past the Pawtucket Red Sox 5-3 on Wednesday afternoon at Victory Field.

With the win, Indianapolis' record improves to 33-27, while the loss drops Pawtucket to 27-33 on the season. The victory also gives the Indians the 2-0 series lead and pushes their record to 5-1 against the PawSox this season.

Looking to become the first Indians' player to post a cycle during the Victory Field era, Alvarez tore through Pawtucket pitching as he not only fell just a single short of the cycle but also collected his team-leading 12th homer and 49th and 50th RBI of the season.

Alvarez's offensive outburst began in the second when he lined a triple to center field and eventually came around to score on groundout by CF Brandon Moss. The three-bagger by Alvarez was his fourth on the season and pushed him into a tie with teammate Kevin Melillo for the second most triples in the International League.

Then, after Pawtucket evened the score at 1-1 when 1B Lars Anderson doubled home SS Angel Sanchez in the top of the third, Alvarez put the Tribe ahead 3-1 when, following a lead-off double by 1B Brian Myrow, he lifted a 1-2 pitch over the wall in right field. The home run for Alvarez was his first since May 28 in Charlotte and gave him his team-best 13th multi-RBI game on the season.

The Red Sox quickly answered back with two, two-out runs in the top half of the fifth as Sanchez and RF Daniel Nava began the rally with back-to-back singles, before a steal by Sanchez and a walk to Anderson loaded the bases. DH Aaron Bates then stepped to the plate and came through with a clutch two-out two-run line drive single to center that plated both Sanchez and Nava and pulled the score even at 3-3.

Indianapolis, however, quickly re-took the lead for good in the home half of the fifth as SS Argenis Diaz led off the frame with a base-on-balls and immediately came around to score what turned out to be the game-winning tally when LF Kevin Melillo lifted a double to right. Then, following a key sacrifice bunt by 2B Doug Bernier that moved Melillo to third, Myrow came through with an important insurance run when he drove home Melillo with a sacrifice fly to right.

Later in the fifth, Alvarez lined a double to center to draw within striking distance of the cycle, and, despite falling just short of Victory Field history, the left handed slugger posted the Indians only multi-hit, multi-run and multi-RBI effort on the afternoon. For Pawtucket, Sanchez (2-for-3, 2 R) and Nava (2-for-4, 1 R) collected multiple hits with only Sanchez scoring multiple tallies and only Bates (1-for-3, 2 RBI) driving in multiple base runners.

Indianapolis starter Mike Crotta (6.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO) earned the victory to improve to 4-3 on the season after he allowed three runs on seven hits over six innings of work. The Tribe bullpen was again spectacular as relievers Wil Ledezma (1.1 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 2 SO), Anthony Claggett (1.0 IP, 1 BB, 2 SO) and Jean Machi (0.2 IP) combined to allow just one hit over three innings of scoreless relief with Ledezma and Claggett earning holds and Machi notching his team-leading ninth save of the season.

The Tribe relief corps has now collected 13 saves, posted a 2.07 ERA (28 ER in 121.2 IP) and notched 100 strikeouts over 121.2 innings of work since the calendar flipped to May.

Pawtucket starter Kris Johnson (5.0 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 4 SO) suffered the loss to fall to 3-5 on the season after allowing all five Indians' runs on five hits over five innings, while Paw Sox relievers T. J. Large (2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 SO) and Chad Paronto (1.0 IP, 1 SO) combined to allow just one hit over three scoreless innings of work.

Indianapolis continues its four-game set with Pawtucket on Thursday, June 10 at 7:00 p.m. RHP Daniel McCutchen is expected to get the call for the Indians, while RHP Michael Bowden is the probable starter for the PawSox.

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 6:40 p.m.

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