After steamrolling most of the teams that crossed their path, the Indians showed a chink in their armor tonight as they arrive at the midway point on a losing note. After all, they did win 12 of their last 15 with an eight-game winning game thrown in there. At the All-Star break, the Indians have the best record in the International League (56-34) while Jeff Clement is tied for the fourth most extra base hits. Speaking of Clement, he went 2-for-4 while belting his 13th dinger of the season. He now sits with a .299 average at the All-Star break. The only other major contributors offensively for the Indians came on the shoulders of Brandon Boggs and Anderson Hernandez. Boggs finished the night 2-for-4 with two doubles, his 14th and 15th of the season, and two RBI. He Hernandez continued swinging a hot stick as he went 3-for-4 with three RBI tonight and was 6-for-9 in the past two games.
With a Starling Marte promotion imminent, the daily Marte update goes as follows: 1-for-4 on the night and now sitting with a .290. He will join teammates Rudy Owens and Jordy Mercer as Indians representatives in the International League All-Star Game. Jose Tabata also went 1-for-4 in the lead-off spot and is now 7-for-23 (.304) since being demoted to Indianapolis.
Rich VandenHurk also earned his first loss in what was his worst start in an impressive for him. He went five innings and allowed seven runs (five earned) on five hits and five walks. Kris Johnson came in relief and did not help the cause either, allowing three runs on three hits and a walk. Duke Welker allowed a run coming in relief in the 8th while Tim Wood threw a scoreless ninth.
AA Altoona | Altoona 9 Binghamton 10
Despite an eighth inning rally putting five runs on the board, the Curve fell short of a victory tonight. The cog of the rally came off the bat of Matt Curry, who led the inning off with a "trip, trip, triple" and scored immediately an Oscar Tejada sac-fly. With a 3-for-4 night at the plate, Curry raised his average to .320 and will be worthy of a promotion to Indianapolis soon. All-Star Brock Holt's bases-clearing double was the powder keg that put the Curve within one run. But later in the inning, Holt was thrown out at home to end the huge eighth inning rally. Holt, along with Robbie Grossman, Stefan Welch (Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi Oi Oi!), Jarek Cunningham, Charles Cutler, and Jeremy Farrell each had one hit apiece. Brandon Cumpton was pegged with the loss, allowing six runs (four earned) on five hits and two walks. The Curve can close out the first half of the season with on a good note in the series finale against Binghamton.
A West Virginia | West Virginia 5 Lakewood 7
Once again, the BlueClaws? What an awesome name! Anyway, cool names aside, just like the rest of the affiliates, the Power suffered the loss tonight. Despite a four run fifth inning by Power, led by Gregory Polanco's 12th bomb on the season, Mike Jefferson could not close the door in relief. He allowed two runs on two hits in two and a third innings as the BlueClaws took the lead in the eighth and never looked back. Ryan Hafner was given the no-decision after going four and a third on the bump surrendering five runs on four hits. Willy Garcia, Gregory Polanco, and Francisco Apointe all finished the night 2-for-4 at the dish while Alen Hanson, Dan Gamache, Chris Lashmet, and Ashley Ponce all added hits.
A Bradenton | Bradenton 3 St. Lucie 9
Starter Matt Benedict struggled right from the get-go as the Mets lit him up for five earned runs on four hits. Benedict was touched up badly as only lasted a mere one inning. Kenn Kasparek pitched four innings of scoreless long relief and handed the ball over to Zach Foster, who gave up three runs himself in three innings. Doug Salinas took the bump in the ninth and joined the party of giving up his own two runs. It was definitely not a great night for the Marauders pitching staff. Mel Rojas Jr. belted his fourth long ball of the season on a night where all of the hits were scattered throughout the game. Carlos Paulino had an outstanding game at the dish going 3-for-3 with two two-baggers. Justin Howard also added two hits while Alex Dickerson put his average at .295 with a hit.
A State College | State College 3 Vermont 1
Unfortunately, it was a bad night for every Pirates Minor League affiliate as all five teams suffered losses. Despite taking a 2-0 lead early in the third inning, the wheels came off the track as Vermont put up a crooked three and five runs in the 8th and 9th. Josh Smith gave up the three runs in the eighth and was pegged with the loss. Even worse, Kyle Haynes tossed an abysmal two-thirds of an inning of relief by giving up five runs on six hits. But on the bright side, Clay Holmes continued his outstanding first season of professional ball by tossing a one-hit five inning shutout. Holmes' jem puts him at a 1.45 ERA in four starts. With the exception of Ryan Hornback and D.J. Crumlich, the Spikes were rather bone dry offensively. Hornback finished the night 2-for-4 with an RBI as he took advantage of his time behind the dish without fellow backstop Jacob Stallings in the lineup. D.J. Crumlich also went 2-for-4. Go D.J., that's my D.J., go D.J.