Indianapolis 9, Tides 3

A long night for the Norfolk Tides featured a controversial inning-ending call, a scary moment on the mound for Indianapolis pitcher T.J. Beam, and a seventh consecutive loss to the Indians. Indy drew nine walks and pounded out 12 hits on its way to a 9-3 victory over Norfolk.

You again?

For the second consecutive night, Tides manager Gary Allenson got up close with umpire Brian Reilly.

Reilly was the home plate umpire who ejected Allenson on Thursday.

On Friday, Allenson wasn’t ejected, but he disputed Reilly’s call on the final out in the third inning.

With the bases loaded and Indianapolis leading 3-2, Norfolk’s Chris Roberson laced a ground ball up the middle for what looked like a single. Second baseman Matt Kata made a diving stop and flipped for a force play to shortstop Josh Wilson, who dropped the ball.

Reilly called baserunner Chris Heintz out, ending the inning. Heintz jumped up to argue, and Allenson rushed to do the same.

“It looked like a bang-bang play if he’d caught it initially, but he dropped it and then had to pick it back up,” Allenson said. “I didn’t think it was close.”

Reilly “said he got it right,” Allenson added.

Half an inning later, the Indians busted the game open with Steve Pearce’s three-run homer.

Scary moment

Indy reliever T.J. Beam was struck in the face by Mike Costanzo’s line drive in the fifth inning, but the righthander didn’t lose consciousness and walked off on his own. Beam suffered a cut on his face and was taken for X-rays as a precaution.

Coming and going

Relief pitcher Lance Cormier, 1-1 with a 0.96 ERA in nine games with the Tides, was recalled by Baltimore on Friday. Two players – infielder Brandon Fahey and reliever Greg Aquino – arrived in Norfolk on Friday after earlier being sent down by the Orioles. Fahey hit .200 in 15 games with Baltimore, while Aquino was 0-0 with a 14.21 ERA in 6.1 innings.

Injury update

Tides outfielder Adam Stern, who injured his hamstring in the seventh inning Thursday, sat out Friday’s game. Stern, batting .250 in 20 games with Norfolk, is day to day.

Infielder Scott Moore remains out with a knee injury. He underwent an MRI on Friday.

The other dugout

Righthander Bryan Bullington, selected No. 1 overall in the 2002 major league draft by Pittsburgh, starts tonight for Indianapolis.

The 27-year-old Bullington, who missed the 2006 season after right-shoulder surgery, was the Triple-A all-star game starter last year. He’s 0-3 with a 5.89 ERA in six major league appearances.

Selected second behind Bullington in 2002? Chesapeake’s B.J. Upton, now playing for Tampa Bay.

By the numbers

1 Number of Tides who have hit a home run this season at Harbor Park. Costanzo hit his third homer in the eighth inning.

3 Pirates first-round draft picks on Indy’s roster: Bullington, lefthander Sean Burnett (2000) and third baseman Neil Walker (2004).

4 Consecutive losses for the Tides.

9 Walks – a season high – issued Friday by five Norfolk pitchers.