Charlotte Erases Early Deficit with Four Unanswered Runs

CHARLOTTE - The Indians couldn't hang on to an immediate lead Sunday night in Charlotte, giving up four runs on 10 hits and falling in game three of the series. The Knights left 10 men on base in the contest while the Indians saw two at-bats with runners in scoring position.

 Indy (25-22) wasted no time putting numbers in the scoring column, scoring three in three straight at-bats in the first inning. 
 
Kevin Newman worked his way to third base after singling in the game's first at-bat and scored on a Jordan Luplow sac fly. Kevin Kramer smacked a two-strike double that plated Christopher Bostick. Kramer came around to score when Jacob Stallings had a would-be out dropped by Knights left fielder Alex Presley.

J.T. Brubaker (L, 2-1) found trouble keeping the bases empty early on as he allowed seven base runners in the first two innings. Charlotte (19-30) first got to Brubaker in the second when Casey Gillaspie and Eddy Alvarez smoked RBI doubles to cut the Indians lead to 3-2.
 
Over 4.2 innings, Brubaker surrendered nine hits and walked four, both setting or tying a season-high with the Indians this year. The right-hander faced no fewer than five batters every inning and twice turned an 0-2 count into a walk against him. A night after four Indy pitchers held the Knights to no extra base hits, it roped four off of Brubaker.
 
Charlotte ate into the lead again in the fourth with a Jake Elmore sac fly that scored Alvarez. Alvarez drove in his second run of the game with a hard ground ball into left field, giving the Knights a 4-3 lead they would not relinquish.
 
Donn Roach (W, 4-2) gave up three of his six hits allowed in the three-run first inning. After the opening frame, he retired the Indians in order three times. Roach lasted six innings, allowed two earned runs and struck out three.
 
Two throws from catcher Dustin Garneau alleviated base runners to lead off the fourth and fifth innings. In his first game with Charlotte, he gunned down Stallings on a steal attempt and picked off Newman when he wandered too far from first base. He also went 1-for-3 with a walk at the plate, scoring the Knights' first run.
 
Half of the Knights 10 hits came from the bats of Gillaspie and Alvarez. The combo also contributed six total runs - three RBI and three runs scored - to Charlotte's effort offensively. Newman put together the Tribe's best night offensively, reaching safely in three of his four plate appearances with two hits and a walk. 
 
The Indians bullpen dazzled again. Bo Schultz and Damian Magnifico combined to allow a single hit and strike out six in 3.1 innings. In May, the Tribe's relievers have produced a 2.23 (24 ER/97 IP).
 
A Memorial Day matinee awaits the two clubs for the final game of the series. For Indy, Clay Holmes will get the start and will face fireballer Michael Kopech. First pitch is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. from BB&T Ballpark on the getaway day.