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Indianapolis Indians

Tribe on a Record Pace with Home Wins

May 31, 2013 - International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


With their 3-2 walk-off win over the Pawtucket Red Sox in extra innings Thursday night, the Indianapolis Indians improved to 22-7 at Victory Field this season, giving the Tribe the most home victories of any team in all of minor league baseball.

What's the secret, you ask?

"The cliché would be ‘home cooking'," says third-year Indians manager Dean Treanor. "I think there are enough guys on this team that have spent time here, that are very comfortable here ... it's probably the best start I've seen anywhere I've been."

Treanor is definitely right about that. The Tribe's 22-7 home record so far is easily one of the greatest starts to a home schedule in over 100 years of baseball in Indianapolis.

"It's a place where we come home and we're happy to be here," said Indians center fielder Alex Presley. "The city, the ballpark and everything, it puts you in better spirits. We enjoy being at home for a lot of reasons and I think our play reflects that."

To say the Indians' play at home has been impressive would be an understatement, and much of that has to do with how the team adapts its playing style to Victory Field's dimensions and character.

"We pitch better here," Treanor pointed out. "The stadium comes into play."

Indeed. To hit a ball out of Victory Field to left-center, for example, a batter would have to crush a pitch 418 feet. The park's dimensions make it easier for an already talented Tribe pitching staff to pitch to contact, with each hurler knowing he has both a great defense and a big park behind him.

"You've definitely got that big gap in left, and especially with the defense we have, it's easier to try and go deep into games," explained Indians starter Kris Johnson after he worked a career-high tying 7.0 innings on Thursday. "You don't have to expand the [strike] zone too early and nothing's got to be a swing-and-miss pitch."

As for Tribe hitters, the spacious outfield may look like an obstacle, but it can actually be used to the home team's advantage.

"The park kind of fits our style of baseball," first baseman Matt Hague said. "It's a big park, and we don't really rely on home runs that much. We've got a fast rolling infield, so hard ground balls here are good, whereas in other places some infields are shorter and it's tough to get a base hit through."

With an unprecedented .759 winning percentage at home through the season's first two months, the Indians have set the tone for a summer full of exciting baseball at Victory Field in 2013. And although the team hit the road just this morning for a short four-game series away from Indianapolis, it's still a safe bet that they can't wait to get back to the corner of West and Maryland Street.

Or, as Alex Presley puts it:

"We're always pumped when we've got a home series."

After already witnessing 22 home wins this season, so too, are the Victory Field faithful.

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