IL1 Indianapolis Indians

Three-Run Sixth and Solid Bullpen Work Key To Red Wings Win

Published on July 16, 2010 under International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- After the Indianapolis Indians took a 4-2 lead in the fifth, Rochester rallied with three tallies of their own in the sixth, while the Red Wings' bullpen turned in four solid innings of work and held off the Tribe's late inning come back attempt to take home a 6-5 victory on Friday night at Frontier Field.

The loss drops Indianapolis' record to 48-46 on the season, while, with the victory, Rochester improves to 35-59 on the year. The win also improves the Red Wings' head-to-head record against the Tribe to 4-2 on the season.

The Indians offense exploded for 15 hits with each of the Tribe's top five hitters, 3B Brian Bixler (2-for-5, 1 R, 1 RBI), 2B Akinori Iwamura (2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI), 1B Brian Myrow (2-for-5, 2 R), DH Jeff Clement (2-for-5) and RF Brandon Moss (3-for-5, 3 RBI) all posting multi-hit efforts. However, Rochester starter Glen Perkins and relievers Kyle Waldrop, Pat Neshek, Jose Lugo and Anthony Slama were able to keep the Red Wings in the game, limiting the damage by surrendering just two walks and striking out a combined 11 Tribe batters.

Despite allowing four runs on eight hits and not figuring in the decision, Perkins (5.0 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO) kept the Red Wings in contention by striking out seven over five innings of work. Perkins then gave way to the heavily worked Rochester bullpen, which continued to perform with Waldrop (2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 1 SO) earning the victory to improve to 4-2, Neshek (0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 SO) and Lugo (0.1 IP) earning their first and seventh holds respectively and Slama (1.0 IP ,2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 SO) escaping the ninth to earn his 17th save of the season.

The Indians jumped out to a early lead as Iwamura got things rolling with a one out single in the top of the first inning, before a force out switched Iwamura and Myrow on the basepaths and a single by Clement moved Myrow into scoring position. This set the stage for the red-hot Moss, who lifted a clutch two-out single to center to plate Myrow and extend his hitting streak to seven games, during which time he is hitting .387 (12-for-31) with five runs and eight RBI.

However Rochester quickly answered back with a tally of their own in the bottom half of the first as RF Matt Macri drew one out walk, moved to second on a groundout by LF Jacque Jones and eventually came around to score on a clutch two-out base knock by 2B Brendan Harris. Macri then scored the go-ahead run just over an inning later when he rolled a one out single to left, moved to third on a base hit by Jones and came plateward to give the Red Wings a 2-1 lead when C Jose Morales lined a base hit of his own.

The Indianapolis offense then broke through and took what looked to be a commanding lead when they plated three runs in the fifth inning to pull ahead 4-2.

SS Argenis Diaz began the Tribe rally when he led off the fifth with a base-on-balls and quickly came around to score when the recently reacquired Bixler ripped a triple to right field. Bixler wouldn't stay on the basepaths for long as Iwamura brought him home with a single to left, before Moss capped the scoring yet again by plating Iwamura with another clutch two-out base knock.

However after escaping a potential Indians' rally in the top half of the sixth the Red Wings used the momentum to vault ahead with three scores of their own in the bottom half of the frame.

Morales continued to roll as he began the rally with a lead-off double to left and following a walk by 1B Brock Peterson came around to score when 3B D'Angelo Jimenez reached on an Indians' throwing error. Stud prospect C Wilson Ramos would then came through with the key hit of the frame when he followed the Tribe miscue with a line drive double to left to bring home both Peterson and Jimenez and give the Red Wings back the lead at 5-4.

The Red Wings would then tack on what proved to be the game-winning score in the eighth when Harris led off the frame with a triple and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Jimenez. This run proved to be the difference for Rochester because the Tribe pulled with-in striking distance with another ninth-inning comeback, led once again by Moss, who after Myrow led off the frame with a double, drove in his third run of the contest with a base hit to center.

Indianapolis starter Brian Burres (5.1 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 SO) suffered the loss to fall to 2-4 on the season after allowing five runs (four earned) on five hits over 5.1 innings of work.

Indianapolis continues its four-game series against the Rochester Red Wings on Saturday, July 17 at 6:05 p.m. RHP Charlie Morton is expected to get the start for the Tribe, while RHP Matt Fox is the probable starter for the Red Wings.

The contest will be carried by WXLW-950 AM and www.IndyIndians.com with Howard Kellman and Scott McCauley on the call. The pre-game show begins at 5:45 p.m.

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International League Stories from July 16, 2010


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