IL1 Indianapolis Indians

Tribe Collects Season High 18 Hits To Sweep Short Series Against Toledo

Published on April 22, 2009 under International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


TOLEDO, Ohio -- Every Indianapolis Indians batter recorded at least one hit for the second consecutive game as the Tribe collected a season high 18 hits and rolled to a 10-2 victory over the Toledo Mud Hens Wednesday night at Fifth Third Field.

The Indians improve to 5-7 overall and 2-1 on the road, while the Mud Hens fall to 8-5 on the season and 1-3 at home. The win is the third straight for Indianapolis over Toledo and improves their overall record to 3-3 against the Mud Hens this season.

In just his second game back with the Tribe 1B Luis Cruz fell just a triple shy of the cycle and tied an Indians' season best with four hits. The multi-dimensional utilityman broke the game open in the fourth inning when he launched a two-run long ball over the left field wall to give the Tribe a 6-0 lead.

Traveling along on Cruz's homer was Tribe C Erik Kratz, who turned in his second straight top notch performance at the plate with three hits and two runs scored. Kratz scored his first run in the second inning when CF Andrew McCutchen brought him plateward with an RBI groundout.

McCutchen continued to sizzle at the plate not only blasting his International League best fifth triple of the season, but also recording his team best 14th run of the season. Right behind McCutchen on the team leader board is SS Brian Bixler, who crossed the plate three times in Wednesday night's contest to reach 13 runs scored on the season.

Bixler also knocked in a run and drew two base-on-balls to increase his team high walk total to nine so far this season. The Tribe shortstop got things rolling for the offense in the first when he singled and came around to score on LF Jeff Salazar's triple to deep right field.

Along with his three-bagger, Salazar also singled and stole his team best fourth bag of the season. The Tribe also received extra-base hits from DH Steve Pearce, who doubled and scored in the second, and 3B Neil Walker who doubled and drove in two in the eighth.

RF Garrett Jones also added a base hit to the Indians' offensive attack to extend his hitting streak to a season-high 10 games. The Tribe outfielder has now hit safely in 11 of his first 12 games in an Indians' uniform and ranks among the League's best in doubles, hits and RBI.

Indianapolis continued to dominate Mud Hens pitching as six Indians turned in multi-hit performances, including McCutchen (2-for-6, 1 R, 1 RBI), Bixler (2-for-4, 3 R, 1 RBI), Salazar (2-for-4, 1 RBI), Pearce (2-for-5, 1 R, 1 RBI), Kratz (3-for-5, 2 R) and Cruz (4-for-5, 2 R, 3 RBI). On the other side Toledo stranded 11 runners, went 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position and collected just two multi-hit games. SS Brent Dlugach was the offensive star for the Mud Hens as went 2-for-4 and blasted two solo long balls, while former Indian Don Kelly led Toledo with three hits in four at-bats.

Indianapolis RHP Daniel McCutchen (5.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 7 SO) struck out seven over five innings and picked up the win to improve to 1-1 on the season, while Toledo starter Ron Chiavacci (3.1 IP, 11 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO) was pinned with the loss to drop to 0-2 on the season after allowing six runs on 11 hits in just over three innings of work.

The Indians stay on the road and make their first ever trip to Huntington Park in Columbus for a four-game set against the Clippers. Indians RHP Virgil Vasquez and Clippers LHP Jeremy Sowers are the probables for Thursday's series opener at 6:05 p.m.

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 5:45 p.m.

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International League Stories from April 22, 2009


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