MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com -LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Louisville scored the only run they would need in the very first inning as starting pitcher Ben Jukich and the Bats bullpen allowed only four hits and struck out eight to shut out the Indianapolis Indians 1-0 on Friday night at Louisville Slugger Field.

With the loss the Indians drop to 37-43 overall and 18-21 on the road, while the win improves the Bats to 45-36 on the season and 25-16 at home. The victory for Louisville gives them the 3-0 series sweep with the two teams set to begin a new three-game series tomorrow at Indianapolis.

Louisville received a stellar start from Jukich (7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 SO) who gave up only three hits and walked three, while striking out five in seven scoreless innings to move to 5-4 on the season. In two games against the Tribe, the left hander has picked up two victories and has allowed just one run with nine strikeouts in 13.0 innings (0.62 ERA).

The Bats’ bullpen replaced Jukich and continued the pitching dominance as RHP Jared Burton, LHP Pedro Viola and RHP Robert Manuel combined to toss two scoreless innings of relief. Burton (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 SO) picked up his first hold of the season after he allowed one hit in the eighth, while Viola (0.2 IP, 1 BB, 2 SO) earned his 11th hold of the year after he walked the first batter of the ninth but then struck out the next two. Manuel (0.1 IP) then replaced Viola and closed the door on the Indians as he retired the only batter he faced for his eighth save of the campaign.

Indians’ starting pitcher Tom Gorzelanny (8.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB 5 SO) was equally impressive in his eight innings on the mound for the Tribe. The lefty received the loss, but allowed no earned runs after he struck out five and gave up only five hits in an eight inning complete game.

Gorzelanny drops to 3-2 on the season, but has been dominant since returning to the Indians in early June after a stint in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ bullpen. Since his return from Pittsburgh the 26-year old has posted a 2-1 mark with a 0.82 ERA and has allowed just two earned runs, while striking out 26 batters in 22.0 innings of work.

The only run off of Gorzelanny and of the contest came in the very first inning as the Louisville offense capitalized on a Tribe defensive miscue. CF Drew Stubbs led off with a single for the Bats, but was forced out at second in the next at-bat as 3B Luis Bolivar grounded into a 1-6 fielder’s choice.

After a fly out by LF Chris Heisey, SS Adam Rosales collected the Bats’ second base knock of the frame with a single to left that placed runners on first and second with two outs in the inning.

Bolivar then created the only run of the game with aggressive baserunning as the speedy infielder stole third base to put runners on the corners. In that same at-bat Bolivar came plateward as the Tribe botched a pickoff attempt to third base, which allowed the infielder to score and gave Louisville the only run of the night.

Louisville went on to collect only three more base hits for the remainder of the contest as Gorzelanny was lights out after the troublesome first inning. Stubbs (2-for-3, 1 SB) was the only Bats hitter with multiple hits as the leadoff man recorded another base knock in the third and then stole his International League leading 32nd base of the season.

The Indians managed to tally only four hits in the contest with SS Brian Bixler (2-for-4, 1 2B) collecting two of them. The right hander slapped a single to shortstop and also recorded the only extra-base hit of the night with his team-leading 18th double to left field in the second inning.

The two teams will face each other again with another short three-games series to be played in Indianapolis beginning tomorrow. The three-game set will kickoff with a July Fourth spectacular at 6 p.m. in front of a sold out crowd at Victory Field with two firework shows set to follow the contest.

RHP Ian Snell, who struck out a Victory Field record 17 batters including 13 in-a-row in his last outing is expected to get the start for the Tribe, while LHP Matt Maloney is expected to get the nod for the Bats.

The contest will be carried by WXLW-950 AM and www.IndyIndians.com with Howard Kellman and Scott McCauley. The pre-game show begins at 5:40 p.m.

Post-game quotes - Pitching Coach Ray Searage

(on Tom Gorzelanny’s pitching performance)
“He was outstanding. He found his rhythm after the first inning and if he makes a good throw to third we would still be playing. After that first inning Tommy (Gorzelanny) was in attack mode and was better tonight than he was against Toledo (6/27 vs. TOL; 5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 12 SO).”

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