Cannonballs coming: Indianapolis hammered in playoff opener

Altoona’s playoff opener was rained out. They’ll try again at Bowie on Thursday with Mitch Keller on the mound.

— Clay Holmes (pictured) had a rough outing as Indianapolis dropped the first game of its series with Durham, 10-3. Holmes had a control meltdown in the first inning, walking four. He managed to survive the inning and didn’t walk any more batters, but departed after the first three first three batters in the fifth reached base. Johnny Barbato relieved and let two inherited runners score, along with three of his own, two of them unearned. Holmes was charged with six runs on seven hits and four walks, and struck out three. Indy had only four hits in the game, two of them solo HRs by Anderson Feliz and Joey Terdoslavich. Kevin Newman walked twice.

— Morgantown (40-35) took a 5-2 lead over Mahoning Valley into the eighth, but Beau Sulser gave up five runs and the Black Bears lost, 7-5. Gavin Wallace had a very good start, allowing just one earned and one unearned run in six innings. He gave up six hits, walked none and fanned seven. Morgantown went with a double Sunday lineup, playing few of their better hitters. Kevin Kramer, still on rehab, went 2-4, as did Raul Siri and Brett Pope.

Jared Oliva: 1-3, BB
Bligh Madris: 1-5, 2B
Joel Cesar: 0.2 IP, BB, K