Indians Lose Again, That's Eight Of 11

A 6-1 loss at Yankee Stadium made it five of six and eight of 11 on the down side for the Indians. The only fight they showed was pretty much posturing, too, as benches emptied during a kinda-sorta skirmish in which players milled around and yelled. The best news in the organization came from Double-A Akron as Den Denham fanned seven over five perfect innings in the Aeros' 10th straight win.

Jason Michaels had two of the Indians' five hits. Cleveland's only run came in the fifth inning when Eduardo Perez singled, went to third on a single by Ronnie Belliard and scored as Ben Broussard hit into a double play.

Jason Johnson (3-7, 6.00 ERA) allowed 10 hits and six runs over 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander is 1-7 since April 18 -- but for the first time in weeks, people weren't talking about his poor performance on the mound, but the way he upset the Yankees by pitching inside.

Things got semi-ugly after Johnson hit Yankees catcher Jorge Posada with a pitch and the two exchanged words in the bottom of the sixth.

In the top of the seventh, Randy Johnson fired a fastball way inside to Perez, who pointed his bat at the pitcher, then took a few steps toward the mound. Randy Johnson and Yankees manager Joe Torre were ejected, but the Indians couldn't do anything against the Yankees bullpen anyway.

Class AAA Buffalo (32-35) had its scheduled game at Durham postponed by rain.

Class AA Akron (42-22) rallied to win its 10th in a row, 6-4, at Connecticut as Dan Denham (2-0, 2.84 ERA) was sensational in relief. The right-hander pitched five perfect innings of relief, striking out seven. Ryan Mulhern (.275) drove in two runs and Kevin Kouzmanoff (.427) went 2-for-3 and scored a run. Eider Torres (.271) had one hit, one stolen base (No. 24) and scored two runs while Ivan Ochoa (.240) had two hits, one run, one RBI and one steal (No. 5). Starter Mariano Gomez, recently called up from Kinston, allowed four runs and nine hits over four innings.

Class A Kinston (42-21) lost a doubleheader. In the first game, the K-Tribe blew a 4-0 lead and eventually lost in 11 innings to visiting Lynchburg, 7-4. Kinston got only two hits in a 5-0 loss in the seven-inning second game.

In the opener, Jordan Brown (.269) hit a two-run homer, his fifth, and Argenis Reyes (.275) had two hits and one run to lead the offense. Starter Chuck Lofgren (1.90 ERA) allowed two runs over 5 2/3 innings. Ryan Knippschild (4.31 ERA) then gave up two more runs over 3 1/3 innings and T.J. Burton (0-3, 6.59 ERA) pitched a scoreless 10th, but ended up allowing three runs in the 11th to lose it.

In the second game, Reyes and Stephen Head (.216) got Kinston's only hits. Starter Scott Roehl (3-4, 2.98 ERA) allowed four runs (three earned) over three innings and Michael Finocchi gave up one unearned run over three innings before Wyatt Allen (1.00 ERA) worked one scoreless.

Class A Lake County (27-37) overcame a 4-0 deficit to defeat visiting Lexington, 9-5. John Drennen (.311) went 4-for-4 with two runs, one RBI and one stolen base while Josh Noviskey (.232) hit a two-run homer, his sixth, and finished with four RBI to lead the Captains. Carlton Smith (2-3, 4.76 ERA) gave up four runs over five innings. Recently acquired Jeff Stevens gave up one run over two innings in his first game in the Indians organization after being acquired from the Cincinnati Reds, then Mark Jecmen (5.49 ERA) worked two scoreless innings for his first save.

TODAY'S FARM SYSTEM THREE STARS (HITTING)

PLAYER	TEAM	AB	H	HR	R	RBI	SB	BB	SO
1. J. Noviskey	Lake County	4	2	1	2	4	0	0	0
2. J. Drennen	Lake County	4	4	0	2	1	1	1	0
3. I. Ochoa	Akron	3	2	0	1	1	1	0	0

TODAY'S FARM SYSTEM THREE STARS (PITCHING)

PLAYER	Team	W	L	SV	IP	ER	H	BB	SO
1. D. Denham	Akron	1	0	0	5.0	0	0	0	7
2. M. Jecmen	Lake County	0	0	1	2.0	0	2	1	1
3. M. Finocchi	Kinston	0	0	0	3.0	0	2	0	0