Tribe wraps up season with 5-2 win over Bats
The Indians improve to 68-76 on the season and 30-42 on the road, while the Bats fall to 88-56 overall and 44-28 at home. The win gives Indianapolis a series split with Louisville, who now heads to the International League playoffs, where they will face Durham.
McCutchen (7.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB. 9 SO) picked up the win for Indianapolis, striking out nine in seven innings of work to improve to 7-9 on the season. After Louisville loaded the bases in the second, McCutchen went on to retire 14 straight batters including six by the strike out.
In relief of McCutchen, RHP John Van Benschoten (0.1 IP) picked up his second hold of the season, while RHP Franquelis Osoria (1.0 IP, 2 H) notched his first save.
LF Chris Duffy sparked the Indians' offensive attack, going 3-for-4 with two runs and finished the season reaching base in 10 of his last 12 at-bats. Duffy also blasted his first long ball of the season, lifting a solo shot to right center field in the fourth inning to break up a 0-0 tie.
The Tribe tacked on another run in sixth, when SS Luis Cruz led off with a single, moved to second on a Duffy base knock, and eventually trotted home on a single by CF Andrew McCutchen.
Indianapolis added three important insurance runs in the top half of the eighth.
Duffy and 2B Brian Bixler led off the eighth with back-to-back singles and moved into scoring position with a double steal. 3B Neil Walker followed with a base hit of his own to drive in Duffy and tie his single season career high with 80 RBI.
Later in the inning, C Robinzon Diaz provided the games big blow with a two-run triple to right field that extended the Tribe's lead to 5-0.
Louisville mounted a come back in their half of the eighth as 1B Luis Bolivar led off with a triple and quickly trotted home on an RBI base knock by SS Paul Janish. CF Drew Stubbs then came through with a base hit of his own to drive in Janish and draw Louisville to within three at 5-2.
Duffy (3-for-4, 2 R, 1 RBI) and Diaz (2-for-4, 2 RBI) collected multiple hits for Indianapolis, while RF Michael Griffin (2-for-4) and LF Shaun Cumberland (2-for-4) turned in multi-hit efforts for Louisville.
Louisville starter Bobby Livingston (6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO) took the loss to drop to 4-4 on the season.
With four stolen bases on the afternoon, the Tribe finishes the season with an International League high 198 swipes, their largest total in the Victory Field era.
Louisville ended up winning the season series against Indianapolis -- 12 games to 10. The Bats finish the year 41-23 against IL West Division foes, while the Indians wrap up 27-37 in that same category.
Post-game quotes -- RHP Daniel McCutchen
(on setting down 14 in a row after the bases were loaded in the second)
"Today was a day where some breaks were going my way. I was able to get a ground ball back to me with the bases loaded, which is always a plus. Overall, I was able to make some good pitches and also get away with some bad pitches. It was important for me to end the season on a positive note and it felt good to get this win."
(on what pitches were working for him)
"Actually, all three of my pitches got me out of different jams. Even a bad curve ball wound up being strike three , which was one of my breaks on the afternoon. I did go to my changeup many times and it was working on both righties and lefties. My fastball was also good enough to get guys out today and I made sure to establish both inside and away. I really used all three pitches and never really got into a defined sequence."