IL1 Indianapolis Indians

Louisville Wins Two One-Run Contests

Published on July 2, 2009 under International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Louisville Bats' hurlers allowed just three runs in two games as they took home two one-run victories, 2-1 and 3-2 to sweep away the Indianapolis Indians in Thursday's doubleheader at Louisville Slugger Field.

With the doubleheader sweep the Bats improve to 44-36 on the season and 24-16 at home, while the Indians fall to 37-42 overall and 18-20 on the road. The doubleheader sweep for Louisville increases their season series edge to 5-2 and increases their lead to 6.5 games over Indianapolis in the International League west division race.

In game one, Louisville starter Ramon Ramirez (6.1 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO) and reliever Pedro Viola (0.2 IP, 1 SO) combined to hold the Tribe to just one run on six hits as Ramirez picked up the win to improve to 3-5 and Viola finished off the seventh for his fifth save.

The Bats jumped out to an early lead with single runs in the first and second innings and Ramirez and Viola made it stand up allowing just a seventh inning solo home run to Tribe LF Larry Broadway. The longball for Broadway was his fifth of the season and his first since being activated from the disabled list on June 30.

In just his fifth game at the Triple-A level RF Chris Heisey sparked the Bat's first inning scoring attack, when he drew a two-out walk and came plateward on former Indianapolis Indians' INF Kevin Barker's run scoring double. Louisville then quickly extended their lead to 2-0 in the second, when LF Danny Dorn led off the frame with a double and trotted home on a single by 2B Chris Valaika.

The two runs were all the Bats would need as they held off the Tribe scoring attack to take game one by the score of 2-1. Both teams managed only six hits in the pitcher's duel as only CF Drew Stubbs (2-for-3) managed multiple hits for Louisville and just CF Luis Cruz (3-for-3) turned in a multi-hit performance for the Indians.

Indians' starter Eric Hacker (4.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO) took the loss in game one to drop to 2-2 on the season even though he allowed just two early runs, while Tribe reliever Donnie Veal (1.2 IP, 2 SO) held the Bats hitless in his 1.2 innings out of the bullpen.

Little changed in game two as Louisville hurlers again held down the Indians' offense, allowing just two runs on six hits as the Bats' collected their second straight one-run victory by the score of 3-2.

Louisville starter Adam Pettyjohn (4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO) allowed just two runs on four hits, but failed to go the needed five innings for the victory. Instead, relievers Jeff Kennard (2.0 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 3 SO) and Robert Manuel (1.0 IP, 1 H) combined for three shutout innings with Kennard collecting the victory to improve to 2-1 and Manuel notching his seventh save with a scoreless seventh.

Louisville, led by SS Adam Rosales and Valaika, plated all the runs they would need with single tallies in the second, third and fourth innings.

After having his 13-game hitting streak broken in game one, Rosales sparked the Bats' scoring attack in both the second and fourth innings. Rosales led off the second with a double and came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Valaika, before leading off the fourth with a single being plated a second time when Valaika ripped a double to right-center.

In between the Rosales and Valaika connection, IL All-Star Stubbs sparked a third inning score, when roped a single to center, stole second and came around to score on a base hit by 3B Edwin Encarnacion. Both Encarnacion (2-for-3) and Rosales (2-for-3, 2 R) collected multiple hits for the Bats, while only 1B Miguel Perez (2-for-3, 1 R) managed a multi-hit effort for the Tribe.

Broadway, however, remained on an offensive power surge for the Indians as he blasted his second solo home run of the double header, connecting off Pettyjohn for a lead-off shot to right to begin the fourth. Perez led the other Indians' scoring rally when he lifted a one-out single in the second and eventually trotted home on a double by 2B Brian Bixler.

Indianapolis starter Jeremy Powell (4.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO), pitched well but allowed all three Bats' runs to take the loss and drop to 4-4 on the season, while reliever Juan Mateo (1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB) continued the Indians' bullpen dominance with 1.1 scoreless innings of work in the defeat.

Indianapolis wraps up their short three game series in Louisville on Friday at 7:05 p.m. LHP Tom Gorzelanny is scheduled to start for the Indians, while LHP Ben Jukich is expected to get the nod for the Bats.

The contest will be carried by WXLW-950 AM and www.IndyIndians.com with Howard Kellman and Scott McCauley. The pre-game show begins at 6:45 p.m.

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International League Stories from July 2, 2009


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