IL1 Indianapolis Indians

Morgan Steals Five Bases to Tie 72-Year-Old Team Record

Published on August 15, 2008 under International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


INDIANAPOLIS -- Scoring five times in the last three innings off three Indians relief pitchers Friday night, the Durham Bulls fought back from a 5-1 deficit and defeated Indianapolis 6-5 at Victory Field.

Home runs by C John Jason and 1B Chris Richard sparked the Durham comeback. Richard went 2-for-5 and drove in three runs.

Playing before 12,169 fans, Indians LF Nyjer Morgan drove in three runs and stole five bases to tie a 72-year-old team record.

The Bulls, who lead the International League South, are now 67-60. The Indians are 59-68.

In the first inning, the Tribe manufactured a run without a hit off Durham RHP Jeff Niemann. Niemann hit Morgan with a pitch to start the frame. Morgan promptly stole second and, one out later, swiped third. After CF Andrew McCutchen drew a base on balls to put runners at the corners, the Indians executed a double steal that made it 1-0.

Indianapolis loaded the bases in the second on consecutive walks to 1B Jason Delaney, RF Matt Kata, and DH Ryan Mulhern. After 2B Luis Cruz flied out, Morgan lined a bases-clearing double to left - the Tribe's first of the game - that gave the Indians a 4-0 lead.

Indianapolis went up in the third 5-0 when 3B Neil Walker crushed a 92mph fastball over the left field wall for his 15th homer of the year.

While Niemann struggled, Indians starter RHP Jimmy Barthmaier cruised. After a leadoff bunt single by CF Fernando Perez, Barthmaier didn't allow another hit until DH Jonny Gomes doubled to start the fourth. One out later, Gomes rode home on a double to right by 1B Chris Richard. The run ended a 21-inning scoreless streak by Indians pitchers, who had thrown back-to-back shutouts in two previous contests.

Niemann (4.2 IP, 2 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 6 BB, 6 SO) was relieved in the fifth by RHP Nick DeBarr. LHP Heath Phillips took over for DeBarr in the sixth.

Barthmaier (6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO, 1 WP) gave way in the seventh to RHP Marino Salas. Jaso tagged Salas's first delivery for a homer to make it 5-2.

John Van Benschoten entered the game in the eighth and gave up a one-out, two-run blast to Richard that narrowed the gap to 5-4.

Durham scored twice more in the ninth. 2B Elliot Johnson opened the frame with a double off LHP Juan Perez and LF Nathan Haynes bunted for a base hit. Cruz, covering first base on the play, couldn't handle the throw from Delaney as Johnson raced home to tie the game. Haynes went to third on a wild pitch and scored on RF Jon Weber's sacrifice fly.

Perez (2-2) took the loss. RHP Calvin Medlock (2-2), who came on in the eighth for Durham, got the win. Scott Dohmann closed out the two-hour, 44-minute contest with a scoreless ninth inning to earn his 19th save of the year.

Along with his three thefts in the first, Morgan stole third in the second inning and swiped second base in the fourth. The five steals tied the team record set by Robert Fausett on May 14, 1936. Morgan now has 43 on the year, the league's second-highest total.

In his last 13 games, Morgan is 21-for-48 with a dozen runs and 14 runs batted in.

RHP Matt Capps joined the Indians Friday on a rehab assignment. Before going on the disabled list on July 2 with bursitis in his right shoulder, Capps was 2-3 with a 3.12 earned run average for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

RHP Wade Davis (3-0) pitches for Durham against LHP Tom Gorzelanny (2-1) in Saturday's 7:00 p.m. contest.

The zany, hysterical and unbelievable ZOOperstars, who recently appeared on the popular NBC network show "America's Got Talent", will be on hand to entertain fans of all ages courtesy of Clarian Health Partners and AAA Hoosier Insurance.

The game will air on WXLW-950 AM and www.IndyIndians.com with Howard Kellman and Scott McCauley. The pre-game show begins at 6:40 p.m.

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International League Stories from August 15, 2008


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