IL1 Indianapolis Indians

Knights Walk Off with 5-4 Extra-Inning Win over Tribe

Published on June 16, 2012 under International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


FORT MILL S.C. -- After the Indianapolis Indians took a 4-3 lead in the top of the 11th inning on a solo home run from right fielder Brandon Boggs, the Charlotte Knights fought back to earn a 5-4 walk-off win with two scores in bottom half of the frame capped by a game-winning base hit by designated hitter Josh Phegley on Saturday evening at Knights Stadium.

In a game full of base running mistakes, outfield assists, wild pitches, passed balls and multiple late-inning rallies, Charlotte would have the last laugh in the bottom of the 11th. RF Justin Greene, who was the star of the night for the Knights, led off the 11th by taking a close pitch on a 3-2 count to draw a base-on-balls.

Greene then stole his second base of the evening to set up the red hot CF Greg Golson, who came through with a line drive base hit to plate Greene and even the score at 4-4. After a wild pitch moved Golson to second, back-to-back walks to LF Tyler Kuhn and 1B Dan Johnson loaded the bases, where after a near double play, Phegley would eventually end the contest with his walk-off base knock.

The Tribe looked to be on their way to the victory when Boggs belted his fifth home run of the season and first since April 16 with two outs in the top half off the 11th, but it wasn't to be as in game full of twists and turns the Knights finished with the final advantage.

The Knights jumped out to an early lead with single scores in the third and fifth innings. Charlotte used their speed on the basepaths to manufacture the games first run in the bottom of the third.

Greene began the third inning rally when he rolled a one-out infield single and stole second before moving to third when Golson reached on a wild pitch after being struck out by Tribe starter Rudy Owens. Golson then followed Greene's steal with one of his own to put runners on second and third, before Johnson drew a two-out base-on-balls to load the bases.

Former Indians INF/C Hector Gimenez then lined a base hit to left that scored Greene to give the Knights the first lead of the contest at 1-0. On the RBI base knock by Gimenez, Golson would also try to score, but would be gunned down by Indians LF Gorkys Hernandez at the plate to end the threat.

After scoring the game's first run, Greene would also plate the second when he led off the bottom of fifth with a home run over the left field wall. Overall, including the fifth inning longball that extended the Charlotte lead to 2-0, Greene finished the contest 2-for-4 with three runs, an RBI, a walk and two steals.

The Indians' offense after being held scoreless over the first five frames would finally get on the board in the top half of the sixth inning, but would also leave a couple more runs on the basepaths. Gorkys Hernandez would lead off the frame with a line-drive double to center, but would be gunned down at home plate by Golson after attempting to score when SS Chase d'Arnaud followed with a base hit to center.

d'Arnaud, however, would continue the rally when he stole his 17th base in his 17th steal attempt, before being brought plateward when CF Starling Marte followed with an RBI single to left. Marte, however, would be picked off/caught stealing later in the frame to end the Indians threat.

Trailing 2-1 entering the eighth the Indians would rally to take their first lead of the contest with the benefit of just one base hit. 3B Brian Friday began the rally with a one out double to left and, after walks to Gorkys Hernandez and d'Arnaud loaded the bases, would come home when Marte grounded into a force out.

On the force out by Marte, Gorkys Hernandez would move up to third where he would later score the go-ahead run on a passed by ball by Gimenez to give the Indians a 3-2 advantage. The Tribe's advantage would however be short lived as the Knights responded and evened the score with a run of their own in the bottom of the eighth

The Knights took advantage of a Tribe throwing error that allowed 2B Drew Garcia to reach second base, where he would immediately be brought home when 3B Ray Olmedo followed with a base hit to center to even the score at 3-3. Olmedo would, however, be erased by another Indians outfield assist as Marte nailed the Knights' third baseman trying to stretch his base hit into a double.

The game would then head into extra innings, where despite opportunities on both sides in the 10th inning, it would be Charlotte's two score 11th that would decide the contest

Both starters turned in excellent efforts but did not figure in the final decision of the extra-inning contest. Indians LHP Rudy Owens (6.0 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO) worked around nine base hits to allow just two scores over six innings of work, while Knights RHP Matt Zaleski (6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO) surrendered just a single score over six innings of his own.

The contest would however be decided in the bullpens both of which featured excellent and rough outings from a variety of relievers.

For Charlotte, despite giving up what looked to be a potential game-winning run RHP Gregory Infante (2.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO) earned the victory to improve to 3-0 on the season. Also turning in an excellent effort for the nights was LHP Leyson Septimo (1.1 IP, 1 SO), who tossed 1.1 scoreless frames of relief.

For Indianapolis reliever Evan Meek (0.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 0 SO) blew his second save and suffered the loss to fall to 1-2 after surrendering both Knights scores in the bottom of the 11th. Prior to Meek, Tribe relievers Daniel Moskos (1.0 IP, 1 H), Tim Wood (2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO) and Duke Welker (1.0 IP, 1 BB) combined to allow just a single unearned run over four strong innings of work out of the Indianapolis bullpen.

With the defeat the Indians (39-29) lead in the International League's West Division falls to 7.5 games after second place Columbus earned a 6-1 victory over Gwinnett.. Indianapolis and Charlotte will wrap up their four-game series on Sunday afternoon at 2:15 p.m. with the Tribe expected to send LHP Justin Wilson to the mound and the Knights scheduled to counter with LHP Charlie Leesman.

The game will be carried on WNDE 1260 AM-WFBQ-HD2, WNDE.com and via iheartradio, a mobile application for iPhone, Blackberry and Android phones with Howard Kellman and Will Flemming on the call. The pre-game show begins at 1:55 p.m.

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International League Stories from June 16, 2012


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