IL1 Indianapolis Indians

Tribe Walks off with 3-2 Win Over Clippers

August 25, 2011 - International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


INDIANAPOLIS -- Despite Tribe hitters recording just one hit through the first seven innings, Indianapolis catcher Eric Fryer came through with a clutch two-out two-run walk off single in the bottom of the ninth to give the Indians a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over the Columbus Clippers on Thursday night at Victory Field.

With the victory, Indianapolis improves to a 69-65 record this year, while the loss drops Columbus' record to 82-52. The win also evens the four-game home/road series at 1-1, while the Clippers maintained a 12-7 advantage in the overall season series.

After entering the final frame trailing 2-1, Indians RF John Bowker led off the frame by reaching on a key defensive miscue from Columbus 1B Nick Johnson. Then after Bowker was forced when 1B Matt Hague reached on a fielder's choice, DH Jeff Clement doubled to put runners on second and third and set the stage for Fryer.

The Indians' backstop came through in the clutch as he lined a 1-1 pitch over the glove of Columbus 2B Argenis Reyes into right center to stun Columbus by plating Hague and Clement for the win. Fryer, who entered the series on an 0-for-13 slide, has now gone 4-for-5 with a run, two RBI and three walks over the Tribe's last two contests.

Columbus starter Joe Martinez (7.1 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO) quieted the Tribe's bats for a large majority of the contest, but did not receive a decision despite yielding just one earned run on four hits in 7.1 frames. The right-hander at one point retired 17 consecutive Indians hitters, while also giving up just one hit through seven innings, a single from 2B Jordy Mercer in the first.

Fryer also ended the drought with a base knock in the eighth to trigger Indianapolis' first scoring rally. After his single, the right handed slugger took second on RF Miles Durham's infield hit, before scoring on CF Gorkys Hernandez's run-scoring base knock to narrow the margin to 2-1.

Columbus struck first in the fourth frame with a single score to make it 1-0. RF Chad Huffman led off the frame with a double to center and moved to third on a base hit from Johnson, before Reyes put down a sacrifice bunt to plate Huffman and give the Clippers the lead.

Reyes would also double Columbus' margin to two all on his own in the seventh frame, with a home run to right center. The longball for Reyes was his first of the year, with his last roundtripper coming on August 14, 2009 when he was with the Buffalo Bisons.

The Clippers had plenty of other chances to score, however the Tribe turned key double plays in the fifth, sixth and eight innings to erase potential runs. Indians reliever Jared Hughes entered the contest in the fifth in a tight spot, with runners on first and second with no out and was able to induce one of those important double plays, followed by a groundout to end the peril.

Fryer (2-for-3, 1 R, 2 RBI) was the only Indians' hitter to collect two base hits in the contest, while Huffman (3-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B) and Valbuena (2-for-5) each recorded multi-hit efforts for the Clippers. Bowker saw his nine-game hitting streak come to an end after failing to tally a base knock.

Indians starter Jeff Locke (5.0 IP, 8 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 SO) was in line for the loss before Fryer's clutch hit, but ultimately received a no-decision after giving up a lone earned run on eight hits over five frames. Hughes (2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 SO) gave up just one hit, in two frames of support, while RHP Aaron Heilman (0.1 IP, 1 SO) earned the win after firing 0.1 innings of relief. In between Hughes and Heilman, RHP Steven Jackson (1.1 IP, 3 H, 1 SO) and LHP Justin Thomas (0.1 IP) combined for 1.2 scoreless innings.

Columbus reliever Nick Hagadone (0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 0 ER) suffered the loss, as well as his second blown save of the year, to fall to 4-3 after yielding two unearned runs on two hits in the final 0.2 frames.

Indianapolis and Columbus now travel to Columbus for a two-game series, which begins on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. RHP Corey Kluber is scheduled to get the nod for the Clippers, while the Indians have yet to announce their starter.

The contest will be carried on WNDE 1260 AM, WNDE.com and via iheartradio, a mobile application for iPhone, Blackberry and Android phones, with Howard Kellman and Scott McCauley on the call. The pre-game show begins at 6:45 p.m.

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Post-game quotes -- C Eric Fryer

(on his walk-off two-run base hit) "I faced him in Double-A before and that's what we had on him. He throws the ball pretty hard. I just wanted to put a good swing on a fastball and that's what I was sitting on and that's what I got. I was looking away the whole time. I was figuring that was where he was going to attack me and sure enough he did."

(on adjusting to three different Tribe relievers in the eighth) "You've just got to know everyone's strengths. That's what bullpens are for. That's what talking to them before games, after games, asking what's working for them. You've just got to know how to attack the opposing hitter and that's what we did. Just kind of kept it low and away, we wanted some groundballs and it worked out perfect for us. We got out of some big jams and were able to pull it out in the ninth."

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