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SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Center fielder Alex Presley went 3-for-4 with two runs, two RBI, a walk and a stolen base, and had a hand in all four Tribe scoring rallies as the Indianapolis Indians pulled to with-in one half game of Syracuse in the International League Wild Card race with a 8-5 victory over the Chiefs on Tuesday night at Alliance Bank Stadium.

The victory for Indianapolis improves their record to 54-51 on the season, while with the loss Syracuse falls to 54-50. The win also helps the Indians move to with-in one half game of the Chiefs and Louisville Bats in the International League Wild Card race.

After Syracuse jumped out to an early lead with single runs in the first two frames on an RBI double by 1B Jason Botts and solo shot by former Tribe C Carlos Maldonado, the Indians surged ahead with two runs in the third and four more in the fourth.

Starting pitcher Charlie Morton began the Indians' first offensive rally with a line drive single to right, before Presley drew a key two-out walk to set the stage for RF Brandon Moss, who plated both Morton and Presley with a double to center. Moss continues to be an RBI machine for the Tribe as after adding another RBI in the fourth, the left handed slugger has now driven in a team best 66, which ranks him second to only Durham's Dan Johnson for the most in the IL.

After evening the score at 2-2, the Indians exploded for four runs in the fourth to pull ahead for good. 1B Jonathan Van Every started the fourth inning fireworks, when he led off the frame with his ninth home run of the season and sixth in the month of July.

The Tribe would then load the bases when following singles by C Luke Carlin and SS Argenis Diaz, Morton would reach on a force out of Carlin at third and 2B Brian Friday would draw a base-on-balls. After 3B Akinori Iwamura then drew a bases loaded walk to force in Diaz, Presley again came through with a key base knock as he lined a single to left to plate Morton, before Moss tied up the frame with an RBI groundout that gave the Tribe a commanding 6-2 advantage.

After bridging the rally in the fourth, Presley then sparked an insurance rally in the seventh, when he led off the frame with a base hit and following walks to LF Jim Negrych and Van Every came around to score on single by Carlin. However, the Triple-A rookie was not finished as he tacked on the final Tribe tally in the eighth with a run scoring base hit that brought home SS Doug Bernier.

Overall, Presley finished the night having reached base in four of six plate appearances and was joined by Friday (2-for-3, 1 R) and Carlin (2-for-4, 1 RBI) in posting multi-hit efforts for the Tribe. On the Syracuse side, Maldonado (3-for-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI) led the way with three base knocks, while Botts (2-for-4, 1 RBI) also came through with multiple hits.

Despite Syracuse drawing to with-in striking distance with two runs in the seventh and another in the eighth as well as loading the bases in the bottom of the ninth, the Indians' bullpen was able to shut the door and give the Tribe the victory.

Indianapolis starter Charlie Morton (6.2 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO) earned the victory to improve to 3-4 on the season after allowing four runs and striking out five over 6.2 innings of quality work. Tribe left handed relievers Corey Hamman (1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 SO) and Daniel Moskos (1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 2 SO) then held the Chiefs to just one run over the final two frames with Hamman earning his first hold of the season and Moskos notching his first Triple-A save.

Syracuse starter Shairon Martis (3.1 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 1 SO) suffered the loss to fall to 6-6 on the season after allowing six runs on six hits and four walks in just 3.1 innings of work.

Indianapolis continues their four-game series with the Syracuse Chiefs on Wednesday, July 28 at 7:00 p.m. RHP Mike Crotta is the expected starter for the Indians, while Major League veteran Jason Marquis is the probable starter for the Chiefs.

TinCaps stroll to 6-1 victory
Fort Wayne draws 11 walks from Burlington pitchers
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The TinCaps drew 11 walks on their way to a 6-1 win over the Burlington
Bees, Monday at Parkview Field. Dean Anna smoked a key three-run double.
Fort Wayne has won five straight games and is now a season-high six games above the .500 mark.
It was the TinCaps' first sweep of a three-game home series in almost a full year.
The TinCaps scored all of their runs in the second inning. Nate Freiman drew a leadoff walk, but
was still at first base with two outs. Burlington RHP Matt Mitchell walked two more hitters to load
the bases for Anna, who smacked the first pitch into the gap in right-center to clear the bases and
make it 3-0. After another walk, Jeudy Valdez served an RBI single to center. Mitchell's fifth walk
of the inning chased him from the game, then Nate Freiman hit a soft grounder to third. He beat
the throw, which was wild, and a pair of runs scored to make it 6-0.
In the top of the fourth, Gerard Hall led off with a single, stole second and later scored on a
groundout for the only Burlington run of the game.
TinCaps starting RHP Jerry Sullivan worked three hitless innings, but exited as the Padres keep
his innings total capped in his first full professional season. RHP Matt Jackson and LHP Nick
Greenwood each worked scoreless innings.
RHP Jon Berger (3-0) got the win to stay perfect, allowing a run in four relief innings; Burlington's
Mitchell (1-7) was the losing pitcher.

Hawks and Rattlers Split DH
Nick's homer gives South Bend game one victory; Wisconsin wins game two late
South Bend, IN - The South Bend Silver Hawks couldn't carry over the momentum from a thrilling game one victory into game two of a double header against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Monday evening in front of 5,582 at Coveleski Stadium. The Silver Hawks won game one 4-3 before dropping game two 4-3 to finish their games against the Western Division with a record of 9-13.
Game one was a back and forth contest that saw the Silver Hawks win it late. Down 3-2 in the fifth inning, Keon Broxton drew a two-out walk against Wisconsin starter Nick Bucci (LP, 4-5) to keep the inning alive for David Nick. Nick provided the heroics for South Bend, hitting a two-run homer to left to put South Bend up 4-3.
Reliever Kevin Munson (WP, 1-0) tossed a perfect sixth after recording the final out in the fifth with Rattlers on first and third, earning his first professional win. Yonata Ortega (SV, 21) struck out the side in the seventh to record his 21^st save and move him to a tie atop the Midwest League leader board.
Beloit took an early lead against Mike Belfiore (ND) on a RBI double by Kentrail Davis in the first. South Bend responded to take the lead in the fourth when Nick scored on a passed ball and Errol Hollinger drove home Matt Davidson with two outs. Wisconsin regained the advantage by scoring two runs in the fifth on two walks, two errors, and three wild pitches.
Game two was close as well, with the game tied heading to the seventh and final inning. With two outs, Michael Marseco lined a Bradin Hagens (LP, 2-5) pitch over a shallow outfield to put Wisconsin up for good. The Timber Rattlers added an insurance run on a RBI double by D'Vontrey Richardson that would prove large, as Broxton drove home Victor Estevez in the seventh to cut the deficit in half. Jon Pokorny (SV, 10) struck out Nick with Broxton at first as the tying run, however, to secure the game and series victory for Wisconsin.
South Bend fell behind early again in game two as a Chris Dennis homer and Austin Stockfisch RBI single gave the Timber Rattlers a 2-0 lead in the second. Starter Diogenes Rosario (ND) recovered to throw 6.0 innings while striking out four to keep the Silver Hawks in it. South Bend tied the game with tallies in the fourth and fifth against Hiram Burgos (WP, 2-5). Tyson Van Winkle reached third with no outs in the fifth, but was stranded on strikeouts by Nick and Bobby Borchering.