IL1 Indianapolis Indians

Tribe Sweeps Away Toledo with 6-5 Walk-Off Win

Published on June 28, 2010 under International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


INDIANAPOLIS -- Left fielder Kevin Melillo hit a walk-off home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to lead the Indianapolis Indians to a 6-5 win and the team's first four-game sweep of the Toledo Mud Hens since 1999 on Monday night at Victory Field.

With the win, Indianapolis' record improves to 44-34, while Toledo falls to 41-37 on the season. The victory ups the Tribe's record against the Mud Hens to 6-8 and propels the Indians to a season-high 10 games over .500.

With the score tied at 5-5 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Melillo strode to the dish with two outs and the bases empty. After quickly falling behind in the count 0-2, Melillo watched two pitches sail in for balls before the outfielder drilled the fifth offering of his at-bat for a mammoth blast out to right field to give the Tribe the 6-5 walk-off win.

Melillo's homer accounted for the Indians' second win in their final at-bat this season with the first walk-off win coming on June 8 against Pawtucket when Melillo scored on an error after hitting a triple in the bottom of the 11th inning.

In a back and forth affair, Indianapolis scored first for the first time in the four-game set against Toledo when two runs crossed the plate with two outs in the home half of the fourth inning.

With one out in the frame, 2B Jim Negrych singled on a ground ball to centerfield to start the Indians' rally. After a stolen base and an out set a two-out, runner at second stage for Jeff Clement, the Indians' DH doubled to right-center field to plate Negrych and give the Tribe a 1-0 lead.

The rally continued when the red-hot Brandon Moss stepped to the plate one batter later and, on a 2-1 count, lined the fourth offering of his at-bat to right field for a run-scoring triple and a 2-0 Indians' lead. In his last six games, Moss is hitting .462 (12-for-26) with four home runs, 15 RBI and five multi-hit performances.

Toledo cut the Indianapolis advantage to 2-1 when CF Casper Wells led off the fifth with a walk, moved to second on a ground ball out, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and then, with one out in the frame, touched home on a sacrifice fly off the bat of C Robinzon Diaz.

Then, with the Indians clinging to a one-run advantage following the Mud Hens first score, Negrych stepped to the plate with runners at second and third and two outs in the bottom of the fifth. The Triple-A rookie watched the first two pitches of his at-bat sail in for balls before singling to right to plate 3B Doug Bernier and SS Argenis Diaz and give the Tribe the 4-1 lead. Bernier led off the frame with a single and Diaz reached on an error before both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt.

The score held at 4-1 until the Mud Hens tied the contest with three runs in the top of the seventh on an RBI single and back-to-back bases loaded walks.

RF Wilkin Ramirez opened the seventh with a line drive single to left field and, after a strikeout, moved to second on a single to right field by DH Max Leon. A walk one batter later loaded the bases for 2B Will Rhymes, who singled to score Ramirez, before SS Brent Dlugach and 1B Ryan Strieby coaxed sacks packed walks to tie the contest at 4-4.

The Tribe scored a run in the bottom of the eighth inning to take a 5-4 lead when Bernier reached on an error to open the inning and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Diaz, before a strange set of circumstances allowed the Indians' infielder to touch home. With Melillo at the dish, the Indianapolis outfielder struck out swinging at a pitch in the dirt, and, when the ball dribbled away, the Toledo catcher tried to throw down to first to get the out, but instead hit Melillo with the throw to allow Bernier to score.

Toledo tied the score in the ninth on a inside-the-park home run by Rhymes before Melillo's heroics in the ninth inning sent the Tribe faithful home happy.

Neither starter figured in the final decision as Indians' LHP Brian Burres (5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 SO) allowed one run in five innings of work, while LHP Ryan Ketchner (5.1 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO) gave up four runs in 5.1 IP but avoided the loss when the Mud Hens tied the contest in the seventh.

Tribe reliever Jean Machi (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER) earned his fourth win of the season after surrendering a run in one inning of work, while Mud Hens' RHP Jay Sborz (0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 SO) was strapped with his second loss of the season after allowing Melillo's game-winning home run.

On the offensive side of things, four Tribe batters - Negrych (2-for-4, 1 R, 2 RBI), 1B Steve Pearce (2-for-4), Clement (2-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI) and Moss (2-for-4, 1 RBI) - recorded more than one hit, while only one Mud Hens' hitter - Rhymes (4-for-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI) - notched more than one base knock on the evening.

Indianapolis now hits the road for a two-game trip against the Columbus Clippers beginning on Tuesday, June 29 at 7:05 p.m. before returning home to face the Clippers in two additional contests starting on Thursday, July 1. RHP Charlie Morton is expected to get the call for the Indians, while LHP David Huff is the probable starter for the Clippers.

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 6:45 p.m.

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