SWB Yankees (28-22) @ Indianapolis (24-30) 6/2

THE STATE OF THE YANKEES…
The Yankees wrap the second half of their eight game eight day road trip with the final game of a four game series on Thursday night at Victory Field inIndianapolis.  Scranton/Wilkes-Barre has the chance to take three out of four in the series against the Indians.  The Yankees are 5-2 on the current road trip having won three of four atLouisvilleon the opening half of the trip.  The Indians picked up an 8-5 win in the opening game of the four game series on Monday night with the Yankees rebounding to win the next two games with a 10-3 win on Tuesday night and a 1-0 shutout win on Wednesday afternoon. The Yankees remain 3.0 games behind IL North division leadingLehighValleywith Wednesday’s win and an Iron Pigs win at Gwinnett. 

YANKEES AND INDIANS…
Since the Yankees affiliation moved to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre prior to the 2007 season, the Yankees have dominated the Indians at Victory Field inIndianapoliseven with Monday night’s loss winning 15 of 19 games.  The Yankees completed a four game sweep at Victory Field in 2007 and have won winning three of four games over Indianapolis from 2008-2010.  The Yankees lead the series withIndianapolissince 2007 by a 26-13 mark.  All-time Scranton/Wilkes-Barre is 70-58 against the Indians.

LAST TIME OUT…
Ramiro Pena’s RBI groundout in the top of the eighth inning was the only run scored in the Yankees 1-0 shutout win at Indianapolis on Wednesday afternoon.  The shutout win for the Yankees was their fifth of the season and second on the current road trip, having shutout Louisville 5-0 last Thursday.  D.J. Mitchell (W, 4-3) picked up his fourth win on the road with 7.0 shutout innings allowing 5H with 1BB and 5K.  Indians starter Brian Burres (ND) held the Yankees without a run over 7.0 innings allowing just three hits in a no decision.  SWB picked up the winning run after a lead off double in the eighth by Dan Brewer, who moved to third on a single by Luis Nunez before the one out RBI grounder off closer Tim Wood (ND).  Wood came on with one out reliving Tony Watson (L, 2-3) who gave up the hits to Brewer and Nunez.  Kevin Whelan (S, 16) pitched around a lead off double in the ninth to earn the save.

NOW PITCHING FOR THE SWB YANKEES…
Andrew Brackman looks to snap a three game losing streak when he takes the mound in the final game of the four game series with Indianapolis.  Brackman has been winless over his last his last six starts and hasn’t picked up a victory since a start at PNC Field vs. Syracuse on April 24^th. In the six starts since his last win Brackman has allowed 27R in 29.1 IP for an ERA of 8.28.  Brackman tossed 4.1 innings in his most recent start at Louisville on May 26^th allowing 2ER on just 1H.  The right hander struck out a season high eight Bats hitters but also set a season high with six walks and threw 96 pitches in the outing.  Brackman earned no decision at PNC Field vs. Indianapolis on May 22^nd tossing 6.0 innings allowing 6H and 4ER with 3BB and 4K.  Brackman has struggled away from PNC Field this season posting a 1-2 record with a 7.06 ERA in six starts covering 29.1 innings allowing 32H and 23ER with 22B and 26K.  The IL is hitting .291 against him on the road.

BAGEL CATCHER…
The Yankees have recorded five shutouts in 2011 and Jesus Montero has been behind the plate for all five of the no run games against SWB this season.  Montero leads the Yankees catchers with a 21-13 record and a 3.36 ERA.  In 295.0 innings behind the plate Scranton/Wilkes-Barre has given up 110 earned runs.

A LOW SCORING WINNER…
SWB picked up a 1-0 shutout win on Wednesday afternoon marking the fewest combined runs scored in a Yankees game this season.  Ramiro Pena’s RBI groundout off Tim Wood proved to be the game winner.  The last time the Yankees were involved in a 1-0 shutout win as on opening night 2010 with the team shutout Buffalo by the same score.  David Winfree provided the offense for the Yankee that night with a solo homer in the bottom of the fourth inning off Bisons starter Tobi Stoner.

STREAKING NO MORE…
Jesus Montero and Brandon Laird each had hitting streaks stopped on Wednesday afternoon with Montero going 0-4 with 2K and Laird going 0-4 with 1K.  Laird’s streak reached a season high eight games with a two hit effort on Tuesday night.  During his eight game run Laird hit .364 (12-33), with 3R, 4 2B, 5RBI and 3K and has raised his overall average from .236 to .254.  Montero streak stopped at 11 games, he picked up his second straight two hit game on Tuesday night and finished his streak hitting .277 (13-47) with 6R, 2 2B, 3B, 2HR, 9RBI, 3BB and 15K. 

MULTIPLE SOUTHPAWS…
The Yankees have faced 39 right handed starters and 11 left handers in 2011.  SWB has posted an 8-3 record against left hander starters and are in the midst of a stretch where they will face six consecutive southpaw starters.  The Indians threw Rudy Owens, Brian Burres and will start Justin Wilson in the final game of the four game series on Thursday night.  Toledo comes into PNC Field opening a four game series on Friday and are scheduled to throw former SWB Yankee Phil Coke on a big league rehab and then another pair of lefties with Duane Below on Saturday and Andrew WIlk on Sunday before finally seeing a right hander on Monday Thad Weber in the series finale. 

AT LONG LAST A LENGHTY HOME ENGAGEMENT…
After finishing up their current eight game eight day road trip, the fourth trip of the season for the Yankees of six games or more on the season, the Yankees return home for a stretch of 16 of 20 games.  SWB will host Toledo(June 3^rd-6^th) and Charlotte (June 7^th-10^th) at PNC Field and following a four game series at Syracuse (June 11^th-14^th), the Yankees return home for four against Columbus (June 16^th-19^th) and four against Norfolk (June 20^th – 23^rd).

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PROBABLE PITCHING MATCH UP vs. TOLEDO

Friday  TOL – LH Phil Coke (NR) vs. SWB – RH David Phelps (4-4, 3.50)
Saturday  TOL – LH Duane Below (4-3, 3.57) vs. SWB RH Adam Warren (3-1, 3.81)
Sunday  TOL – LH Adam Wilk (4-4, 3.54) vs. SWB RH Carlos Silva (2-0, 3.44)
Monday TOL – RH Thad Weber (2-5, 6.02) vs. SWB RH D.J. Mitchell (4-3, 2.78)

The Yankees will see left handers in three of the four games vs. Toledo with the Mud Hens expected to start former SWB Yankee Phil Coke in the opening game of the four game series against the Yankees on Friday.  Coke went 2-2 for SWB with a 4.67 ERA in 2009 appearing in 14 games with 1 start.  In 17.1 innings, Coke allowed 19H, 11R, 9ER with 5BB and 22K.  The southpaw was placed on the 15 day DL by the Tigers on May 24th with a bone bruise in his left foot.

The Tigers are also expected to send OF Magglio Ordonez to PNC Field to test his right ankle under game conditions.  Detroit placed Ordonez on the 15 day DL on May 13th (retro to May 11th) with right ankle weakness.  According to the Detroit News if all goes well with Ordonez at PNC Field over the weekend he could rejoin the Tigers as soon as Monday, when the team opens a series at Texas.

STARTING LINE UPS – June 2 @ Indianapolis  (* – LH / # – SH)

SWB Yankees (28-22)

5 – Kevin Russo 2b
19 – Ramiro Pena# ss
21 – Jesus Montero c
38 – Jorge Vazquez 3b
10 – Brandon Laird 1b
8 – Jordan Parraz rf
3 – Dan Brewer lf
15 – Luis Nunez dh
13 – Austin Krum cf

40 – Andrew Brackman (2-3, 6.35 ERA)

Indianapolis Indians (24-30)

19 – Chase d’Arnaud ss
12 – Brian Friday 2b
7 – Alex Presley* lf
23 – John Bowker* 1b
25 – Andy Marte 3b
26 – Matt Hague dh
16 – Eric Fryer c
28 – Miles Durham rf
13 – Gorkys Hernandez cf

45 – Justin Wilson* (5-3, 3.54 ERA)

SWB 1-0 (TOP 1st)

The Yankees picked up a pair of unearned runs in the top of the firwas st inning off Justin Wilson.  Kevin Russo led off the game with a triple on an ill-advised sliding attempt at a catch by right fielder Miles Durham.  Ramiro Pena tried to bunt home Russo from third but the bunt went to Wilson on the mound and his throw to the plate was bobbled and eventually dropped by catcher Eric Fryer. Russo scored and the Yankees led 1-0. Pena moved from from first ot second on a wild pitch and scored on a two out RBI single to left center from Brandon Laird.  Laird’s first hit in the month of June after 29 in May drove home his 16th runs of the season and the Yankees had the 2-0 advantage.

IND 3-2 (BOT 2nd)

SWB Andrew Brackman imploded in the third inning putting the first three batters he faced on board with two walks and a hit batsman.  Yankees manager Dave Miley had seen enough and pulled the started in favor of Ryan Pope.  Pope gave up a gap double to right center off the bat of Miles Durham that scored three runs (all charged to Brackman) and the Indians grabbed a 3-2 lead.

IND 8-2 (BOT 4th)

This one got out of control in a hurry as the Indians put five on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning with four of the runs coming off Ryan Pope.  Pope hit Eric Fryer with a pitch to open the inning, Fryer went first to third on a Gorkys Hernandez double a walk to Chase d’Arnuad loaded the bases for Brian Friday, who got home Fryer home on a sacrifice fly for a 4-2 lead.  Alex Presley was the next hitter to stand in againt Pope and took the Yankees right hander over the wall in right field for a 7-2 Indy lead.  George Kontos was brought in out of the SWB bullpen and gave up a triple to the first hitter he faced, Andy Marte.  During the AB of the next hitter John Bowker, Kontos uncorked a wild pitch scoring Marte for a 7-2 lead.

IND 9-2 (BOT 5th)

The Indians added to their lead with their second homer of the night, this one coming off George Kontos.  Matt Hague lead off the fifth with a lawn shot to left and the lead went to seven.

IND 13-2 (BOT 8th)

Another big inning for Indy in the bottom half of the eighth inning scoring four more runs off the fourth Yankees pitcher Kaneoka Texeria.  Alex Presley’s second three run homer of the game highlighted the six hit inning that also saw an RBI single from Eric Fryer.  The Indians sent 10 men to the plate in the frame.