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IL1 Indianapolis Indians

Indians Walk Off With 7-6 Win Over Wings

July 25, 2011 - International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


INDIANAPOLIS -- Third baseman Josh Harrison delivered a clutch two-out game-winning single in the bottom of the 12th after left fielder John Bowker tied the game with a run-scoring base knock earlier in the frame, to lead the Indians to a 7-6 extra-inning walk-off victory over the Rochester Red Wings in front of a crowd of 11,125 on Monday night at Victory Field.

With the win, Indianapolis improves their record to 54-50, while the loss drops Rochester to 38-64. The victory also gives the Tribe a 3-1 series victory and 5-3 season series win in what was the last meeting between the two teams in 2011. The large crowd also continued the strong attendance numbers at Victory Field as of late, with the Tribe now averaging 10,032 fans over the past 25 home contests.

After the Red Wings plated a score in the top of the frame, Indianapolis answered with a pair of tallies in the bottom half of the 12th to end the eight-game homestand in style. SS Pedro Ciriaco drew a lead-off walk and moved over to second on a sacrifice bunt, before scoring on Bowker's base knock to left to draw the game even at 6-6. Harrison then came through with a clutch base knock to center to send Bowker plateward and give the Tribe the victory.

Rochester had taken the lead earlier in the 12th when 3B Chase Lambin began the frame with a base hit and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt to set the stage for C Rene Rivera. Rivera, who had blasted two homers against the Tribe two nights ago, came through with a single to left to give the Red Wings a 6-5 advantage.

Rochester started the game's scoring by putting up a three-spot in the third frame. Lambin led off the frame with a single and moved to second on a walk from DH Aaron Bates, before both came across on Rivera's two-run double down the left field line. After advancing to third on a groundout, Rivera was brought home when 2B Luke Hughes lifted a sacrifice fly to center to take a 3-0 advantage.

The Tribe would get one of those runs back in the fifth to cut the deficit to 3-1 as RF Miles Durham led off the frame with a bunt single and subsequently stole second before scoring on 2B Jordy Mercer's RBI single to center.

The contest would eventually be drawn even at 3-3 with a two-run sixth from Indianapolis. All-Star 1B Matt Hague began the rally with a base hit and came across when DH Andy Marte doubled down the third base line to bring the margin to one. C Dusty Brown then followed with a single to move Marte to third, before Durham drove home Marte with a sacrifice fly to center to tie the game.

The Indians in the following frame took a 5-3 lead with a two-run two-out rally. Bowker made it 4-3 with a solo shot to right field, before Hague reached on a two-base error and scored on Marte's single to right. Bowker's blast was his team-leading 12th of the season and second of the homestand after also leaving the yard on July 21 against Charlotte.

A Rochester roundtripper in the eighth however, would narrow the margin to one when Bates led off the frame with a homer to right, his fourth of 2011, to cut the score to 5-4.

The Red Wings then sent the game to extras with a single score in the top of the ninth. CF Dustin Martin began the game-tying really with a lead-off single and moved to second on 1B Jeff Bailey's walk before they both advanced another base on a wild pitch. Martin then came plateward on an RBI groundout from LF Brian Dinkelman to even the score at 5-5 and set the stage for the extra-frame excitement.

Bowker (3-for-6, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI), Marte (3-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI), Hague (2-for-6, 2 R) and Harrison (2-for-6, 1 RBI) all collected multi-hit games for the Indians, while Tolbert (2-for-5, 1 2B, 1 BB), Lambin (2-for-5, 2 R), Bates (2-for-3, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI) and Rivera (2-for-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 3 RBI) all tallied two or more hits in the contest for the Red Wings. Eight of the nine hitters in Indianapolis' starting lineup recorded a hit with CF Gorkys Hernandez the lone player to not do so, snapping his seven-game hit streak.

Neither starter figured in the final decision despite both turning in solid outings, as Indians RHP Brad Lincoln (7.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO) gave up three earned runs on just three hits in his seven frames, while Red Wings RHP Kevin Slowey (6.0 IP, 10 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 SO) relinquished three earned runs on ten hits in six innings.

Indianapolis RHP Chris Leroux (0.2 IP, 1 SO) earned the victory to improve to 4-2 on the year after firing the final 0.2 frames, while fellow relievers Steven Jackson (1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER), Justin Thomas (0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO) and Jared Hughes (2.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO) each allowed one earned run in their 4.1 total frames. Jackson notched his fourth hold of the year, while Thomas suffered his first blown save of the season.

Rochester reliever Jim Hoey (2.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO) suffered the loss to fall to 1-3 after surrendering two earned runs on two hits in his 2.2 innings of relief, after RHP Cole DeVries (2.0 IP, 1 BB, 1 SO) tossed two shutout innings of no-hit ball in support of Slowey.

Indianapolis now heads to Charlotte to begin an eight-game road trip on Tuesday night, after defeating the Knights 3-1 in their four-game set earlier this month at Victory Field. First pitch for tomorrow's series opener is et for 7:15 p.m. with LHP Justin Wilson set to take the hill for the Tribe and RHP Jose Bisenius expected to get the start for Charlotte.

The contest will be carried on WNDE 1260 AM, WNDE.com and via iheartradio, a mobile application for iPhone, Blackberry and Android phones, with Howard Kellman and Scott McCauley on the call. The pre-game show begins at 6:55 p.m.

Post-game quotes -- 3B Josh Harrison

(on his walk-off base hit)

"I was looking to get something out over the middle. The last time I faced him, I hit the one pitch pretty hard so I knew I had some pretty good timing off him. Everything he threw me that at-bat I was right on and that one I actually put in play."

(on the mosh pit after the walk-off)

"As soon as I hit it I knew it was in a spot where nobody could catch it so it was a relief that we got another extra-inning game out of the way. I threw my helmet down because I didn't want them to hit me on top of my head but they all came at me and hit me with some body shots."

(on the stretch of close games)

"We know it's never over until they get that last out. (Indians left fielder John) Bowker came through with a big hit and extended the inning and I was put in a good position to get a good pitch to hit and thank God I came through."

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