The Indianapolis Indians found their mojo and in a big way in the third game of their series against the Rochester Red Wings.

For the first time in four games, the Indians held the opposing team to no runs in the first inning. They then went on to score four runs in the bottom of the second. The first time they had scored first since their walk off victory on August 2 to start the home stand.

It was a lead that they built on throughout the game on their way to their first victory of the series (and in five games).

There is no easy way to describe this offense surge. Tribe batters came up to the plate a total of 40 times and they batted through the lineup in an single inning not once, not twice, but three times. The Indians kept their scoring to three innings – the second, fifth and seventh.

Indiana native, Alex Meyer was on the mound for the Red Wings. The stands at Victory Field were filled with many Rochester fans who weren’t excited as the Tribe found their offensive groove. Meyer made it out of the second inning, but did not return to the game because his pitch count was elevated for two innings. In total, he threw 64 pitches and 48 of them were in the second inning. It was during that 48 pitch second that the Indians went off – it went like this:

Chris McGuiness doubles.

Nevin Ashley singles. McGuiness scores. (IND 1, ROC 0)

Dean Anna singles. Ashley to second.

Robert Andino walked. Ashley to third. Anna to second.

Jose Tabata singles. Ashley scores. Anna scores. Andino to third. (IND 3, ROC 0)

Mel Rojas doubles. Andino scores. Tabata to third. (IND 4, ROC 0)

Andrew Lambo strikes out.

Brent Morel strikes out.

Matt Hague walks.

McGuiness strikes out.

The fifth inning:

Hague walks.

McGuiness walks. Hague to second.

Ashley hit a sacrifice bunt. Hague to third. McGuiness to second.

Anna walks.

Andino singles. Hague scores. McGuiness to third. Anna to second. (IND 5, ROC 2)

Tabata hit a sacrifice fly. McGuiness scores. Anna to third. (IND 6, ROC 2)

Rojas singles. Anna scores. Andino to second. (IND 7, ROC 2)

Lambo triples. Andino scores. Rojas scores. (IND 9, ROC 2)

Morel singles. Lambo scores. (IND 10, ROC 2)

Hague flies out.

The seventh inning:

Tabata grounds out.

Rojas homers. (IND 11, ROC 4)

Lambo singles.

Morel singles. Lambo to second.

Hague homers. Lambo scores. Morel scores. (IND 14, ROC 4)

McGuiness grounds out.

Ashley walks.

Anna singles. Ashley to second.

Andino strikes out.

Rafael Perez was on the mound and gave up four runs on 10 hits with five strikeouts. He’s been impressive in his starts and until the the fourth inning on Saturday hadn’t given up a run in 29.2 innings (and 89 outs). He earned his first win of the season and has an ERA of just over one.

After the Indians finally found their offense, they couldn’t stop. Rojas finished just a triple shy of the cycle. Let’s just hope that means there will be runs left for Sunday’s game with Gerrit Cole making another start as part of his rehab trip for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Sunday’s matinee is set to start at 1:35 p.m.

Indians’ Players of the Game:

Mel Rojas

Rojas was just a triple shy of the cycle on Saturday night. There’s just something about hitting the triple that makes getting the cycle no easy feat. In his six at-bats, he had three hits. He scored two runs and batted in three, one of which came on his solo shot in the seventh inning.

Andrew Lambo

Lambo has been hitting the ball really well since he returned from the disabled list after the All-Star break. There were a multiple number of stars at the plate, but Lambo was 4-for-6 with a triple. He scored two runs and batted in another two.

Final Box Score:

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Red Wings	0	0	0	2	0	2	0	1	0		5	12	0
Indians	0	4	0	0	6	0	4	0	X		14	18	1

Winning Pitcher: Perez (1-0, 1.35 ERA)
Losing Pitcher: Meyer (6-5, 3.32 ERA)

 

Author’s Note:
This content was originally published on the Indiana Sports Report website.