Lambo Launches Tribe to 9-8 Walk-Off

INDIANAPOLIS -- For the second straight game the Tribe earned a win in walk-off fashion as designated hitter Andrew Lambo launched a solo shot in the bottom of the 13th inning to send the Indianapolis Indians (44-21) to a 9-8 walk-off victory over the Norfolk Tides (37-27) on Sunday afternoon at Victory Field. The 13-inning marathon was the longest contest ever played at Victory Field, clocking in at four hours and 42 minutes. 

Trailing 8-7 in the bottom of the ninth, the Indians wasted no time putting the tying run aboard when CF Felix Pie slapped a leadoff single to center field. Following a strikeout from 1B Matt Hague for the first out of the frame, 3B Jared Goedert unloaded on a 1-1 offering for a double that split the left and center fielder and rolled all the way to the wall. While Goedert's two-bagger careened off the outfield fence, Pie raced all the way home from first base to tie the score 8-8 and send the contest to extras.

Though the Tribe constructed several solid opportunities to score the go-ahead run, the game remained in a deadlock through three and a half innings until the bottom of the 13th. With both bullpens completely depleted, Norfolk was forced to send their starting designated hitter Chris Robinson (L, 0.1 IP, H, ER) to the mound. 

Surprisingly, the DH-turned-relief-pitcher induced a flyout and even worked a full count against the dangerous slugger Lambo before his eephus pitch was exposed. Lambo, recently promoted from Double-A Altoona where he was leading the Eastern League with 14 homers, continued his hot streak at the plate to blast a solo shot over the right field wall that sent the Indians to a 9-8 walk-off win.

In the back-and-forth marathon it was Norfolk who found the scoreboard first, in a fashion that would set the tone for the rest of the afternoon. CF Jason Pridie leadoff the game with a grounder up the middle and broke for third just two batters later when 3B Zelous Wheeler smashed a double to right-center. As Wheeler's liner headed for the alley, RF Brett Carroll dove to make his second highlight reel play in as many nights, however the outfielder's outstretched glove couldn't stab the ball, and even with CF Felix Pie trailing Carroll, the base hit rolled all the way to the wall to send Pridie racing home to score on Pie's error and put the Tides up 1-0.

The visiting team's early edge proved to last just one frame as the Indians batted around the order and erupted for five runs in the bottom of the second. The Hit Collector Hague lead off the run-scoring rally with a double that rolled down the right field line, and after Goedert knocked a single, Hague came plateward on a wild pitch from RHP Jake Arrieta (4.2 IP, 9 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO) to even the tally at 1-1.

Following a passed ball by C Chris Snyder that advanced both runner up a bag, RF Brett Carroll coaxed a walk before Lambo laid down a perfect squeeze bunt to not only score Goedert, but also reach safely when Arrieta sent an errant throw bouncing behind home plate. With Carroll standing on third, C Lucas May collected his first of two RBI on the afternoon with a run-scoring single that extended the lead 3-1. After LF Darren Ford grounded out for the first out of the frame, SS Chase d'Arnaud hit a roller to second to score Lambo and 2B John McDonald then capped off the rally with an RBI single to left that widened the lead 5-1.  

Indianapolis would pad its lead in the third when Goedert legged out an infield single, moved to third on a two-bagger from Carroll and finally scored on a sac fly from Lambo to make the score 6-1. Through is first two plate appearances of the game, Lambo drove in two runs without recording an at-bat, going 0-for-0 with a sacrifice bunt and sac fly.

The insurance run proved to be vital as the Tides came roaring back in the top of the fourth, largely thanks to control issues from Indians starter LHP Andy Oliver (3.1 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 6 BB, 4 SO). Indianapolis' southpaw, who had escaped several jams in the first three innings, was not as lucky his fourth time around, as he issued a leadoff free pass to SS Brandon Wood and uncorked a wild pitch to send the runner to second. 

Although the hurler fanned 2B Buck Britton for the inning's first out, he then loaded the bases with a walk to Robinson and single from LF Xavier Avery. From there, Oliver was unable to find the strike zone, and after surrendering a score on a wild pitch and issuing an RBI walk to RF L.J. Hoes, the Tribe's left-hander yielded a two-run base hit from Wheeler that brought the Tides all the way back to within 6-5.

The Indians buffed their lead to 7-5 in the fifth on an RBI single from May, but Norfolk erased the home team's two-run lead just half a frame later in the top of the sixth. Hoes sparked the two-out comeback with a walk from RHP Zack Thornton (2.2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, BB, 4 SO), setting the stage for Wheeler, who put the exclamation point of his afternoon with a two-run homer to left that tied the contest 7-7.

Having battled all the way back to knot the score, Norfolk would not be denied a late-game lead and jumped all over LHP Atahualpa Severnio (2.0 IP, 5 H, ER, BB, 2 SO) in the top of the eighth. Though the Indians left-hander allowed just one run over his 2.0 frames of relief, he ultimately allowed the Tides to claim their temporary 8-7 lead after surrendering a mammoth homer to Hoes.   

Among six Indianapolis hurlers to appear in the contest, it was RHP Brooks Brown (W, 1.0 IP) who earned the victory, picking up his second straight win in as many days. The right-hander authored a hitless 13th inning to ensure Lambo and the Indians offense had a fair crack at claiming the win. 

Indianapolis and Norfolk will square off in the third contest of their four-game set on Monday at 7:05 p.m. at Victory Field. The Tribe is scheduled to send RHP Brandon Cumpton (4-3, 3.39) to the hill against Norfolk LHP Zach Britton (2-2, 3.48).

The contest will be televised on HTSN, Hometown Sports and News, available via cable or over-the-air on digital channel 6.2. The game will also be carried on WNDE 1260 AM, WNDE.com and via iheartradio, a mobile application for iPhone, Blackberry and Android phones with Howard Kellman and Will Flemming on the call. The pre-game show begins at 6:45 p.m.

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Postgame Interview with DH Andrew Lambo:

(On his walk-off homer in the bottom of the 13th)
"[Chris Robinson] was throwing a lot slower than normal position players so I moved up in the box. You've just gotta have a simple approach; sometimes you can get yourself out [when position players are pitching]."

(On a nearly five hour, 13-inning game)
"We battled. Both teams battled, scratching some runs across the plate. It was a good team effort."