Indians

Final Score Game 1:  Indians 3, Red Sox 7

Sunday, March 19, 2006, 8:30 a.m., Minor Field

The Alameda AAA Indians were defeated in their season opener by strong pitching from a talented Red Sox team.

The game was well played with both teams exhibiting good defensive play.  The Indians were the home team and the Red Sox were first at bat.  They were unable to score, however, with the lead-off man singling and then being thrown out at second on a single from the Red Sox’s second batter.  The third batter walked, and after a strike-out, the Sox’s final batter of the inning grounded out, stranding two on base.

The Indians closed the first inning leaving one man on base.  After a lead off single by Nick Stevens, the Red Sox were able to hold the Indians scoreless with a strike-out, a fly out, and another strike-out.

The Indians held the Red Sox scoreless in the second inning, allowing only a single behind solid pitching by Derek Snediker and team fielding.  At bat the Indians were unable to score, however, with a lead-off walk stranded by three successive strike-outs.

The third inning saw an Indian’s pitching change, with Trevor Greenley taking over from Snediker.  Pitching remained strong and only one hit was allowed from the Red Sox lead-off batter, but fielding errors allowed the runner to score on stolen bases.  A good fielding effort prevented further scoring as the Indians supported their pitcher by catching two fly balls and throwing the Red Sox’s Kim out when he hit a grounder.

The Indians were three up and three down in the bottom of the third and the inning ended with the Red Sox up by one.

The fourth inning proved to be a breakout in scoring for both teams.  The Indian’s Greenley struck out the first Red Sox batter.  The next batter hit a long fly ball, but was held to a double by a good Indians cut off throw.  A wild pitch to the next batter allowed the runner to advance to scoring position, but the Indian’s pitching held and the batter struck out.  The next batter scored the runner from third on a single, and was batted in himself by Hobbes of the Red Sox’s ground ball double.  He was able to steal third and then home on some difficulties between the pitcher and catcher of the Indians, but after walking one batter Indians got the third out on a force play to second.  The score stood at four to nothing, Red Sox.

The Red Sox made a pitching change for the fourth inning and the Indians were able to take advantage of the fresh pitcher for three runs.  Liam Bergstrom, leading off for the Indians walked, and then was advanced to third base on a double by Nick Stevens.  Jackson Tracy walked to load the bases.  Bergstrom scored for the Indians, stealing home on a wild pitch, and the runners advanced to second and third.  The Indian’s batter struck out, but not before Stevens stole home for the Indian’s second run on a mishandled pitch.

Michael Copple, next up for the Indians, batted in Tracy but was thrown out at first, and the next batter struck out to end the inning with the Indians now down by one run.

The Indians called on Isaac Maximov to pitch the fifth inning, and after allowing a single to the lead off man, struck out the next two batters.  The Red Sox’s last batter of the inning hit a grounder back to the pitcher and the Red Sox base runner was thrown out at home to retire the side.

The Red Sox brought in a fresh pitcher for the fifth inning and the Indians were unable to score, striking out in order, the second batter on a called strike three.

The Indians had a rough time of the final inning, allowing the Red Sox to score three runs.  After a double and then a stolen third base from the lead off batter the Red Sox scored when the second batter grounded to short and was thrown out at first. The third Red Sox batter singled, and a line drive hit along the third baseline by the fourth man up made it one away with runners on first and second.  A wild pitch advanced the runners to second and third before the Red Sox batter flied out for two away, and a fielding error on a single from the next batter scored both base runners.  The side was retired when the final Red Sox batter flied out, with the Red Sox now up seven to three.

The Indians were unable to mount a comeback, and the game ended with the Indians down four runs as the final three batters went three up and three down, all striking out, the first and last on called third strikes and the second batter swinging.

All in all it was a well played game with only a few mistakes made.  A little more Indians offense would have made the score closer, or even pulled out a win.

Game recap written by J. Michael Bergstrom.  All rights reserved.