7-15-2012

Columbus Clippers Triple A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians Vs. Indianapolis Indians The Triple A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Victory Field, Indianapolis, Indiana

14th game and 11th stadium this road trip. Can’t forget the 6th state I have seen a baseball game in this trip. I also belive this is my 5oth game of the season. This is the second time I have been to Victory Field the last time was my first road trip in 2010.

Today was a bobble head give away game. We arrived a little after the gates opened and got them. Than we had a little over an hour to game time. usually when they have a bobble game in the Springs or at Coors you have to be there early that was not the case with this stadium. Getting there early gave me time to wander a little around the stadium. I have been there before so it was not all to eventful but I always like to just check out the concourse and things that they have at the stadiums or in this case anything new. They have added a few things since I was last here one was the Captain Morgan Cove in left field and another was the Victory Bell in right.

Here is a look at the concourse from left field.

This stadium does show a little history about the team through the years but not much. Baseball has been played in Indianapolis for 135 years. They have signs throughout the concourse of players that have been Indians and have made it to the big leagues including Harmon Kilabrew, Roger Maris, Ted Beard and Ben Sheets and those are the ones I remember. Other Alumni include Frank Viola, Andrés Galarraga, Marco Scutaro and Andrew McCutchen.

Captain Morgan Cove on the right field concourse.

Here is a look at Victory Field from Left Field.

This is a look towards the outfield from where my seat was located with the huge Marriott across the street.

The Indians starter Rick VanderHurk throwing in the bullpen.

Catcher Tony Sanchez waiting for the throw.

The Indians stretching before the game.

 Rick VanderHurk throwing the first pitch to the Clippers Ezequiel Carrera. Carrera would fly out to left. The next batter Jason Donald would hit a single .

Indians third baseman Brian Friday watches the ball go down the third base line after he made an attempt to dive for a very hard hit ball by the Indians Vinny Rotino.

Jason Donald turns to third after Rotino’s hit. He would score for a quick 1-0 lead for the Clippers.

Matt LaPorta takes a swing for a fly out to right for the 2nd out of the inning. The Indians only let up that one run in the inning.

Clippers starting pitcher T.J. McFarland pitching to the Indians Alex Presley who was on a rehab assignment for the Pirates and is at Coors and actually batting in the 8th inning as I am writing this!!!! Wow even players I saw in the minors are getting to Coors before I am!!! Including Josh Rutledge who was in Tulsa when I was there over 3 weeks ago. Wow it has been a long trip. So back to this game Pressley lead off the game with a single. At Coors he grounded out to Roenicke Who threw to Michael Cuddyer for the out!!!!

Oddly enough he hit one back to the pitcher as well…

…but do to a bad throw to first base he was safe.

The next batter Brandon Boggs did not get so lucky he hit into a double play getting Presley at second and himself at first to end the inning.

Tim Fedroff got on base as the second batter of the 2nd inning for the Clippers.

He would get picked off at first after getting caught off the base. It was a great heads up play by Sanchez behind the plate to get him.

Jeff Clement would start the second inning for the Indians with a single. Than with 2 outs Chase D’Arnaud would hit a double to score him to tie the game at 1.

D’Arnaud stopping at second.

D’Arnaud rounds second on a Anderson Hernandez single to score the Indians second run of the game to take a 2-1 lead.

Hernadez was than caught at third after he tried to go first to third on a wild pitch for the final out of the inning. The Clippers would go down in order in the third for the second inning in a row. this inning they included the whole infield for the 3 outs first grounding out to short, then third and the last to second. Just found that interesting. I know I am seeing way to much baseball when I am looking for unique innings the outs in the first for the Clippers were to all 3 outfielder also!!!!

With one out in the 3rd. Alex Presley hit his second single of the game. He would then score on a Brandon Boggs single.(3-2) Indians.

The Indians would score a 4th run in the 5th inning after a Brian Friday lead off the inning with a single and would score on a Boggs single. (4-2) Indians.

The Clippers would get and additional run on a Russ Canzler 2 out solo home run in the 8th.

Tim Wood warming up in the bullpen in 8th inning. he would be the third pitcher for the Indians. The second was Brian Morris who came in the game in the 7th. Morris pitched the 7th and 8th.

Brandon Boggs got caught stealing second in the 8th inning.

Tom Wood heading to the mound for the 9th inning.

Here he is pitching to the Clippers Tim Fedroff who grounded out for the first out of the inning. Wood did get in trouble in the inning. With 2 outs Luke Carlin hit a single followed by an Ezequil Carrera single with to men on Jason Donald hit a ball to left…

and it looked like pinch runner Trevor Crow headed home to try to tie the game…

…he was tagged for the final out of the game in relief of everybody in the stands. The run would have tied the game and it was so hot we just wanted it over. I attended this game with some of my cousins who live in Indy.

The Indians won this game 4-3.This was the 10th home team win I have seen on this trip.  Home teams are 10-3 with me at the games. I have only seen 3 home team loses, one was the Rangers beating the Rockies, another was the Hickory beating Greensboro and the third was Delmarva at Hickory. Only if the Rockies can do the same when I get back!!

I may hit up another Indians game while I am here in Indy before heading home.

Remember the bobble head I mentioned earlier this is what it looks like.

That is it for this one til next time see ya at a random stadium or when I return to Coors.

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Just a thought: If the Indians Beat Columbus in 1492 we would most likely not have baseball!