IL1 Indianapolis Indians

Long Ball Lifts Indians To 5-2 Win Over Knights

June 3, 2007 - International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


INDIANAPOLIS -- Center fielder Rajai Davis extended his hitting streak to a career-best 21 games with a homer in the first, while second baseman Luis Ordaz and shortstop Brian Bixler added roundtrippers in the fifth as Indianapolis notched a 5-2 win over Charlotte Sunday afternoon at Victory Field.

The Indians improve to 33-22 overall and 17-12 at home, while the Knights fall to 23-33 on the season and 7-18 on the road. Sunday will be the Tribe's 49th consecutive day atop the International League's West Division.

It didn't take long for Davis (1-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI) to extend the longest hitting streak of his seven-year professional career. He led off the first by yanking an inside fastball over the left-field wall for his fourth dinger of the season. The 26-year-old, whose 21-game streak also ties a Victory Field era record, is hitting .363 with 15 runs and 13 RBI during the stretch.

The Tribe added three runs to its lead in the fifth. Ordaz (1-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI) started things off with his first homer of the year -- a solo shot to left. C Einar Diaz (2-for-3, 1 R) followed with a double to left, stole third and scored on a throwing error by the Charlotte catcher. Bixler (3-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI) then put a cap on the big inning with his third long ball of the campaign -- a solo shot to left.

Charlotte was held scoreless until the sixth when C Wiki Gonzalez (2-for-4, 1 R, 2 RBI) belted his eighth dinger of the season -- a two-run shot over the left field wall.

Indianapolis RHP John Van Benschoten (5.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 SO) earned the win, improving to 6-3. RHP Franquelis Osoria (3.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO) worked his way out of the sixth and shut down the Knights the rest of the way to pick up his third save of 2007.

Knights RHP Vladimir Nunez (6.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO) suffered the loss, falling to 1-7.

The two teams wrap up the four-game series on Monday at 7 p.m. RHP Marty McLeary is expected to take the hill for Indianapolis, while LHP Heath Phillips is scheduled to start for Charlotte.

The contest will be carried by ESPN-950 AM and IndyIndians.com with Howard Kellman and Scott McCauley. The pre-game show begins at 6:40 p.m.

It will be "Monday Dollar Menu" night at Victory Field as hot dogs, popcorn, peanuts, Cracker Jack and potato chips will be available for $1 each.

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