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Local News

Avon Lake police ID drowning victim

Monday, August 1st, 2011

AVON LAKE — Avon Lake police have identified the teen whose body was pulled from Lake Erie this morning.

Daryle Phoeur, 17, of Cleveland was in the water about 6:45 last night and was helping to rescue his 24-year-old cousin at Miller Road Park. The cousin survived, but Phoeur did not.

Phoeur’s body was spotted by employees at the Gen On power plant floating in the area about 6:20 this morning, according to Avon Lake police. Police said his body was found about 20 yards from land.

Avon Lake police, the Avon Lake Fire Department, the Lorain County Dive Team and the U.S. Coast Guard all assisted in the search.

According to police, investigation into the incident revealed that there were four males swimming together at the far east end of the beach area near the discharge of the Gen On power plant. The 24-year-old got caught in the current from the discharge and yelled for assistance. The 17-year-old went to help and also became caught in the current. The 17-year-old went under the water, and the 24-year-old was pulled onto a raft that was being used by nearby boaters.

The 24-year-old was pulled from the water and transported to St. John Westshore Hospital for treatment.

Search and rescue operations for the teen continued until 12:41 a.m. when the diving operations were suspended until daylight. The Coast Guard remained on scene throughout the night with their boat and helicopter along with police personnel.

Elyria man LifeFlighted from motorcycle accident

Monday, August 1st, 2011

EATON TWP. — An Elyria man was LifeFlighted following an accident last night in Eaton Township.

Tony Hale, 38, is in serious condition today at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland.

The State Highway Patrol ws called to the two-vehicle crash on state Route 82 west of Giles road about 7 p.m. yesterday.

According to the patrol, Thomas Farley, 46, of Elyria, was eastbound on 82 in a Ford F-150 pickup truck, which was pulling a Coachman camper trailer.

Farley slowed his vehicle, and Hale, who was behind him on a 2009 Honda 1300 motorcycle, struck him from behind and was ejected.

Hale was taken to MetroHealth with incapacitating injuries, according to the patrol.

Farley, who was wearing a seat belt, was not hurt.

The investigation into the accident is ongoing, but alcohol was not a factor, according to the patrol.

Royals 5, Indians 3: Homestand goes in wrong direction

Sunday, July 31st, 2011

CLEVELAND — An eight-game stint at home seemed like an ideal time for the Indians to put some distance between themselves and the Tigers in the race for the Central Division title.

Instead, it did the opposite.

Visits from the White Sox, Angels and Royals wound up costing Cleveland in the division standings, as the Indians dropped six of the eight games, culminating in a 5-3 loss to Kansas City on Sunday at Progressive Field.

Cleveland entered the stand in a first-place tie with Detroit, but now trails the Tigers by 2 1/2 games, and leads the third-place White Sox by just 1 1/2 games.

“It was a disappointing homestand,” said manager Manny Acta, whose club has lost eight of its last 10 games and 10 of its last 14. “After playing well on the road (4-4 against Baltimore and Minnesota), we came over here in front of our fans and lost all three series. We just couldn’t wake up those bats.”

Offense has been a sore spot for the Indians for much of the season, especially as of late, and it was in the series finale as well.

Despite outhitting KC 10-9, Cleveland struggled to come up with a key hit — something that has plagued the Indians throughout their recent cold streak. They scored just two runs on eight hits off fill-in starter Danny Duffy, who got his third win of the season after entering the day 2-4 with a 5.17 ERA.

The Indians, who were unable to land the big bat they were searching for at the trading deadline, had hits in eight of the nine innings but scored in just two of them.

“We were able to get some hits, but we didn’t execute when we had to,” Acta said. “I guess getting the hits is a step in the right direction. Now, we need to get them with guys on base.”

The Indians went scoreless over the first four innings, with Jason Kipnis’ first career home run and an RBI double from Carlos Santana bringing them to within a run in the fifth.

They scored their last run in the eighth inning to pull within a run again, but the Royals added some insurance in the ninth, scoring once off reliever Tony Sipp.

There was no-late game magic at home for the Indians, who are nearing the .500 level (29-24) at Progressive Field, after dominating teams at home over the first two months of the season.

It wasn’t all bad news for Cleveland, which got a positive, if not dominant outing for one-time ace Fausto Carmona.

The right-hander, who has struggled for much of the season allowed four runs on six hits over 7 1/3 innings. He allowed solo homers to Jeff Francouer and Alex Gordon, with one of his runs scoring in the fourth on a throwing error from right fielder Kosuke Fukudome.

“I think it was good,” Carmona said of his outing. “I had quick innings and was making good pitches to get ground balls.”

Though Carmona still doesn’t resemble the ace he was supposed to be at the start of the season, he has been effective over a three-start span — 1-1, 2.79 ERA — since leaving the disabled list.

“He’s throwing the ball well,” Acta said. “He worked very hard after those struggles. Hopefully he continues to go out there and give us a chance to win.”

Carmona (5-11, 5.31 ERA) said slowing down his delivery has helped him as of late.

“I think for me the difference is throwing strikes,” Carmona said. “I just need to take my time every pitch and throw a strike. I feel more confident now.”

Indians hitters could use some of that confidence as the team travels to Boston for a four-game series that begins tonight, and then to Texas for three games. The Red Sox and Rangers both lead their respective divisions, Boston owning the best record in the American League.

“We just have to go on the road and battle,” Acta said.

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com. Fan him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.


Indians notes: Tribe traded Cabrera to clear room for Kipnis

Sunday, July 31st, 2011

CLEVELAND — The rookie won out over the veteran.

The Indians traded infielder Orlando Cabrera to the Giants on Saturday, not because they were disappointed in his play, but because they wanted to clear more time for prized prospect Jason Kipnis.

Cabrera, 36, was signed in the offseason to provide leadership in a young Indians clubhouse and a top-shelf glove alongside All-Star shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera in his first year at second base.

The two-time Gold Glove award winner didn’t last a year.

“I thought he handled it very well. He was very professional about it,” Indians manager Manny Acta said of Cabrera’s reaction to the trade. “He had a lot to do with the success we had here in the first couple of months of the season. He really helped Asdrubal and helped a lot of the young kids. But the main thing was for us to get Kipnis the playing time that we think he deserves.”
With Cabrera gone, Kipnis, batting .136 (3-for-22) with a home run and two RBIs in seven games since being promoted from Triple-A Columbus, is expected to play fulltime at second.
Outfielder Thomas Neal, whom the Indians acquired for Cabrera, will report to Columbus and assume Cabrera’s 40-man roster spot.
Third baseman Jason Donald was promoted Sunday from Columbus to take Cabrera’s spot on Cleveland’s 25-man roster. He went 0-for-2 as the starting third baseman in the series finale with Kansas City after batting .310 with four homers and 15 RBIs in 47 games for the Clippers.
Donald was expected to open the season as the Indians’ starting third baseman but began the year on the disabled list with a fracture in his left hand that he sustained in spring training.
Cabrera struggled to adjust to his new position and hit just .241 with four homers and 38 RBIs in 91 games. He was not pleased when the Indians began promoting young players to take his playing time and did not sound disappointed to leave Cleveland.
“The (Indians) told me they had good news and bad news — maybe for me it was good news and good news,” Cabrera told reporters in Cincinnati, where the Giants played Saturday. “They were feeling bad that I wasn’t playing much. They were going to go with Kipnis every day. It’s something that will work out for both (teams).
“I’m on the 25-man roster of the world champions. That’s enough for me.”

Big league Choo

Outfielder Shin-Soo Choo (broken left thumb) accompanied the Indians to Boston, where he will likely take batting practice with the team.

The next step for Choo would be a minor league rehab assignment, with a potential return to Cleveland in mid-August.

Next up

The Indians hit the road for a four-game series in Boston that begins tonight at 7:10.

Josh Tomlin (11-5, 4.01 ERA) opens the set for Cleveland, opposing RHP John Lackey (9-8, 6.20), while David Huff (1-1, 0.71) starts Tuesday (7:10) against RHP Josh Beckett (9-4, 2.17).

Carlos Carrasco (8-9, 4.67) starts for the Indians on Wednesday (7:10) against RHP Tim Wakefield (6-4, 5.06), while Justin Masterson (8-7, 2.57) goes in the series finale Thursday (7:10), while the Red Sox counter with LHP Jon Lester (10-4, 3.23).

Minor details

Left fielder Jerad Head hit his team-leading 16th homer in a 2-for-4, three-RBI effort Saturday in Columbus’ 5-4 victory over Norfolk. Head, a non-drafted free-agent signing in 2005, entered Sunday batting .282 with 52 RBIs in 90 games. … Adam Miller’s comeback trail has hit a snag at Double-A Akron, where he has posted a 1-3 record and 7.01 ERA in 18 games since being promoted from High-A Kinston. The former prized prospect who has been derailed by multiple surgeries on his right middle finger, allowed five runs on eight hits in just two innings of the Aeros’ 14-5 loss to Erie on Saturday. … Right fielder Jordan Casas had three of Kinston’s five hits in a 4-1 loss to Wilmington on Saturday. Casas, a 40th-round draft pick last year, was promoted from Class A Lake County, where he batted .281 with no homers and 12 RBIs in 35 games.

Roundin’ third

Asdrubal Cabrera reached base in all five trips to the plate, with a double, two singles and two walks. It was his 12th three-hit game of the season and club-leading 32nd multihit game. … Right fielder Kosuke Fukudome recorded his first American League hit with a double in the sixth inning. … Tonight, 7:10, STO/WTAM 1100-AM/WEOL 930-AM.

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com. Fan him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.