The Indianapolis Indians had a rough road trip – winning only two of the eight games, but won their first game in an eight-game home stand on Saturday night against the Toledo Mud Hens.
The International League West Division has all four teams separated by three games and making most of the games in the month of August significant if a team wants to make it to the playoffs. With the exception of a four-game series against the Rochester Red Wings, the Indians will be playing within their division.
Not only did the Indians have a pitcher’s duel in the opening game of this home series, but the crowd of 14,007 even got free baseball (the game went into the 10th inning). The Tribe pulled out the victory in walk-off fashion, winning 4-3.
Both the Indians pitcher Rafael Perez and the Mud Hens’ starter Kyle Ryan lasted 7.1 innings. Perez had one run (no earned) with four hits and three strikeouts. Ryan had two runs, both earned, on four hits with two strikeouts. The Indians relievers – Wirfin Obispo and Andy Oliver – combined for 2.2 innings pitched with three hits, two runs and two strikeouts.
The Indians scored their first run in the sixth inning. Chase d’Arnaud reached base on a single, but advanced to second on a when Blake Davis was batting. Davis then advanced d’Arnaud to third before he was driven in off the bat of Robert Andino.
They added two runs in the eighth, with d’Arnaud and Davis each earning an RBI. Davis, then kept the Tribe in the game in the bottom of the ninth when he threw out Brandon Douglas at home to keep the teams tied 3-3. The game finished when Mel Rojas hit an RBI double in the bottom of the 10th.
All the fans in attendance also saw the first game of Starling Marte’s rehab assignment. He played left field, but went 0-for-4 at the plate with two strikeouts.
The next game will be Sunday at 1:35 p.m. with Adam Wilk listed as the expected starter for the Tribe.
Indians’ Player of the Game:
Mel Rojas Jr.
Mel Rojas scored a run and was 2-for-4. He also had the game winning RBI in the bottom of the 10th inning when he hit a double into left field.
Final Box Score:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | R | H | E | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mud Hens | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | |
| Indians | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 3 |
Winning Pitcher: Oliver (2-2, 2.17 ERA)
Losing Pitcher: Justin Miller (2-1, 1.49 ERA)