INDIANPOLIS BEAT THE IRONPIGS SUNDAY

Three years ago, Neil Walker was one of the cornerstones of that year's rebuilding plan for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Since then Walker, the organization's second-rated prospect in 2007, has pretty much slipped out of the picture, which is somewhat difficult for a former first-round pick to do in an organization that hasn't had a winning season since the last year of George the First's administration.

But Walker is hoping his play so far this spring has gotten somebody's attention in western Pennsylvania, and Sunday he continued his resurgance by knocking in three runs with a triple and home run in Indianapolis' 5-4 win over the IronPigs before 10,000 at Coca-Cola Park.

The loss continues a frustrating stretch during which Lehigh Valley (10-13) has spun its wheels by alternating wins and losses for the past 12 games.

Bidding to win back-to-back games for only the second time this year, the IronPigs fought back from a 5-0 deficit and brought up Andy Tracy in the eighth with the tying run at second and the go-ahead run at first. But lefty Will Ledezma came out of the Indians bullpen to strike out Tracy on four pitches, the last two of them 94 mile-an-hour fastballs.

Ledezma then set down the IronPigs in order in the ninth for his third save.

Walker and leadoff hitter Jose Tabata combined for five of the Indians' seven hits and to score all of their runs off starter Nate Bump (3-1) in his five innings. Tabata had infield singles in the first and third innings, stole second each time, and scored on drives by Walker -- the first a triple that one-hopped the fence in straight away center, the other his fourth homer, a towering shot onto the drink rails in right center.

Tabata added a third hit, a bouncing single up the middle in the fifth, moved to second when Walker was walked and eventually scored on a groundout after stealing third.

Bump, bidding to become the first IronPigs starter to ever win his first four decisions in a season, struck out seven and walked two.

FROM THE MORNING CALL