Tribe's Offense Stalls in 2-1 Loss
Published on May 25, 2013 under International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Top prospect Gerrit Cole authored 5.2 hitless innings and left fielder Brett Carroll went 2-for-2 with a triple, but the duo's effort proved naught as the Buffalo Bisons (27-20) outlasted the Indianapolis Indians (34-16) on Saturday afternoon at Coca-Cola Park. The defeat marked the Tribe's first loss at Coca-Cola Park since May 19, 2012, snapping the team's five-game road winning streak in Buffalo.
In a tightly contested pitcher's duel, Buffalo produced all the offense it would need in the contest's opening frame, as each of the Bisons first three batters reached safely. 2B Jim Negrych began a string of back-to-back-to-back singles as he legged out an infield hit to short, before DH Eugenio Velez and 1B Luis Jimenez followed with a pair of base knocks to center field, that latter of which scored Negrych to give Buffalo a quick 1-0 advantage.
One batter later, RHP Gerrit Cole stared down to the plate to C Josh Thole, who has been a thorn in the Indians side this season with a team-high five RBI. However, it would be the Tribe's starter who emerged victorious in today's battle as he sat Thole down on strikes to keep the lead at just 1-0.
Just as Cole appeared to have regained his composure, the flamethrowing righty uncorked a wild pitch that ricocheted off C Tony Sanchez, allowing Velez to sprint home to widen the Bisons' edge 2-0. Although the damage had been done, Cole, largely thanks to a fantastic play by 1B Matt Hague, responded by coaxing an inning-ending double play to escape the first frame trailing by just two scores.
Indianapolis' starter buckled down from there as he worked five scoreless frames to keep the Tribe in the close ball game. After surrendering the trio of hits and pair of runs, Cole fired 5.2 straight hitless innings in which he collected three of his four total punchouts while also walking three batters. The top prospect faced just two batters above the minimum from the second frame until he exited in the sixth, but was ultimately saddled with the loss as Buffalo's pitching staff was just a tad more dominant than the Indians.
Headlining the home team's stellar performance on the mound was Toronto Blue Jays rehabbing right-hander Josh Johnson. The hurler spun 4.0 frames of one-hit ball in his Triple-A debut, and limited the normally selective bats of the Tribe to just a lone walk during his outing. Johnson exited the contest having fanned three while surrendering just an infield single to LF Brett Carroll in the top of the third inning.
Following his departure, the Indians were finally able to break through on the scoreboard as Carroll did everything he could to will his squad to a comeback. After reaching safely in the third and later swiping second base, the slugging outfielder sparked some life in Indianapolis' bats in the top of the fifth as he crushed a one-out triple that bounced off the center-field wall. Sanchez then picked up Carroll from third with a deep sac fly to center that cut the Tribe's deficit in half at 2-1.
The lone score proved to be the only damage the Bisons would allow in the afternoon contest as RHP Todd Redmond (W, 2.1 IP, 2 H, ER, BB, 4 SO), LHP Juan Perez (Hold, 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, BB) and RHP Neil Wagner (Save, 1.1 IP, BB, 3 SO) combined to hold Indianapolis to only one base hit over the final three innings.
Despite the stall at the plate, the Tribe found themselves with several golden opportunities to retie the contest in both the eighth and ninth inning. RF Jerry Sands was able to coax a leadoff walk in the eighth, but a fly out, groundout and strikeout ended the threat before a run crossed home.
In an almost identical situation, 1B Matt Hague coaxed a leadoff walk in the ninth to breathe life into a potential game-tying rally, but pinch runner Darren Ford was gunned down at second on a perfect throw from Thole to erase the early base runner. Down to their final two outs, the Indians batters were no match for the flamethrowing Wagner as Buffalo's closer collected two straight strikeouts to slam the door on Indianapolis and send the Bisons to a 2-1 victory.
Indianapolis and Buffalo will conclude their four-game series tomorrow at 1:05 p.m. at Coca-Cola Field. The Tribe is expected to send is scheduled to send undefeated RHP Brooks Brown (3-0, 3.72) to the hill, while the Bisons are scheduled to throw RHP Dave Bush (4-4, 5.23).
The game 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 Will Flemming on the call. The pre-game show begins at 12:45 p.m.
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