Late rally gives Louisville 6-4 win over Tribe
The Bats improve to 61-56 on the season, while the Indians fall to 62-54 overall. Indianapolis continues to lead the International League's West Division by one-half game over Toledo, pending the outcome of Wednesday night's Mud Hens-Columbus Clippers game.
The Bats sent eight men to the plate in their big inning. 2B Aaron Herr opened the frame with a walk and moved to second on 3B Earl Snyder's single to left center. Louisville then collected three straight run-scoring, extra-base hits with 1B Jesse Gutierrez hammering an RBI double, RF Matt Kata whacking a two-run triple and C Ryan Jorgensen smoking an RBI double.
Indianapolis trimmed the deficit with a pair of runs in the eighth, but Bats RHP Scott Chiasson (1.1 IP, 1 BB, 2 SO) came in to snag his team-leading 23rd save of the season.
Louisville RHP Tom Shearn (0.2 IP, 1 BB) closed out the sixth and was credited with the win, improving to 7-3. Tribe LHP Sean Burnett (6.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO) was pinned with the loss, falling to 7-9.
Snyder (2-for-3, 2 R, 2 RBI) and Jorgensen (2-for-4, 1 RBI) recorded multi-hit games for the visitors, while C Carlos Maldonado (3-for-5, 1 RBI) and 1B Chris Richard (2-for-2, 2 RBI) managed more than one base knock for the home team.
The clubs traded early scores before the Indians pulled ahead with a run in the sixth. SS J.J. Furmaniak roped a single to right center, went from first to third on a groundout and scored on a throwing error by the Louisville first baseman.
The Bats answered, plating five unanswered runs -- four in the seventh and one in the eighth -- to open up some breathing room.
Indianapolis reached the 10-hit plateau for the 35th time this year (11 hits), but tied a season-high for runners left on base (15).
The Indians, who own the IL's best fielding percentage at .982, also registered their 60th errorless games of the campaign.
The two teams wrap up their four-game "home and home" series Thursday night at 7 p.m. RHP Ryan Vogelsong is scheduled to start for Indianapolis, while LHP Mike Gosling is expected to get the nod for Louisville.
The game will be carried by ESPN-950 AM and IndyIndians.com as Howard Kellman and Scott McCauley have the call. Thursday's pre-game show begins at 6:40 p.m.