Bisons rally to beat Indianapolis
Brandon Phillips laid down a successful squeeze and Jake Gautreau homered as the Bisons rallied for a 6-5 win over Indianapolis in Game 2 of the IL semifinals at Victory Field.
Trailing 5-4, the Bisons mustered two runs in the top of the ninth. With one out and the score tied, Phillips laid down a bunt in front of the mound as Ben Francisco broke home from third base. Pitcher Mark Corey (0-1) tried to scoop the ball and flip it to catcher Ronny Paulino, but the veteran right-hander had no play on Francisco as Buffalo grabbed the lead for the third time of the night.
After hitting the decisive two-run single in a 5-1 victory in Game 1, Gautreau came through again for Buffalo leading off the ninth with a solo shot off Vladimir Nunez.
The Indians, who executed a similar rally earlier in the contest, nearly came back again in the bottom frame against Buffalo closer Jake Robbins. Graham Koonce doubled to center field with one out to bring the winning run to the plate. After Ronny Paulino grounded out, Yurendell De Caster smashed a ball down the third-base line, but Gautreau made a game-saving play, diving into foul territory to snag the ball to hold pinch-runner Eddie Olszta at third.
"Jake, he's great over there at third," said Robbins, who saved 23 games during the regular season. "I depend on my infielders a lot to make plays because I'm a sinkerball guy, not a fastball guy."
Left fielder Jason Cooper then made a sliding grab on Jon Nunnally's fly ball for the final out, giving the Bisons a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series.
The seesaw affair featured five lead changes. Trailing 4-2, the Indians scored one in the sixth on a Ray Sadler RBI single and took the lead in the seventh on a Koonce run-scoring double and a Nunnally sacrifice fly.
Koonce and Sadler each had three hits and combined for three RBIs for the Tribe, while De Caster went 2-for-3 with two walks and an RBI single.
Cooper clubbed a solo homer for Buffalo, while Andy Abad went 2-for-4 with an RBI single prior to his ejection in the eighth for arguing balls and strikes. Joe Inglett and Francisco each collected three hits in the victory.
Jose Diaz (1-0) earned the victory in relief with 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Steve Watkins started for the Bisons and scattered nine hits, giving up three runs while striking out two and walking three over 5 1/3 innings.
Indy starter Brian Bullington was chased early, leaving the game with one out in the fifth after yielding four runs on nine hits. The former top overall draft pick struggled with his control, walking two and uncorking three wild pitches that led to a Buffalo run in the fourth.
The Bisons head home to Dunn Tire Park with three chances to knock out the Indians.
"It's nice to go home and hopefully our fans will support us and we can put it away," Robbins said.
Fausto Carmona (7-4, 3.25) will take the ball against Indy's Mike Connolly (2-4, 4.42) in Game 4 on Friday night at 7:05 ET.