IL Indianapolis Indians

7.23.23 Game Information: Indianapolis Indians (44-50, 11-9) at Iowa Cubs (55-38, 12-8)

July 23, 2023 - International League (IL)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


LOCATION: Principal Park

FIRST PITCH: 2:08 PM ET

GAME #95 / ROAD #51: Indianapolis Indians (44-50, 11-9) at Iowa Cubs (55-38, 12-8)

PROBABLES: RHP Luis Ortiz (2-3, 4.03) vs. LHP Jordan Wicks (1-0, 6.08)

RADIO: FoxSportsIndy.com / Fox Sports 1260 / iHeart app

TV: Bally Live app / MiLB TV

ABOUT LAST NIGHT: Shortly after a two-run, go-ahead homer by Grant Koch in the top of the eighth, Iowa Cubs designated hitter Edwin Rios countered with a three-run walk-off home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to defeat the Indianapolis Indians 5-3 on Saturday night at Principal Park. Down to their last out, trailing by one run with two runners in scoring position, Rios sent the game winner 450 feet over the left-center wall. With one out, third baseman Chase Strumpf singled to spark Iowa's rally. Indians' reliever Cody Bolton struck out Matt Mervis before issuing a walk to Nelson Velazquez and a wild pitch put the winning run in scoring position before Rios homered. Both starting pitchers cruised through three innings before Iowa broke the scoreless tie in the fourth. Jared Jones issued a pair of walks and a single to load the bases before Alexander Canario drove in a pair with a line-drive single. Iowa starter Hayden Wesneski silenced the Indy offense in 5.0 innings of work. It wasn't until Jeremiah Estrada came in relief of Wesneski in the sixth that the Indians got on the board, courtesy of a home run off the bat of center fielder Josh Palacios. Down a run in the top of the eighth, Josh Bissonette singled to put the go-ahead run at the plate. Koch blasted the sixth pitch he saw over the center field wall to put the Indians ahead. Despite taking a late inning lead, Rios slam bested the Indians in the bottom of the ninth.

A MAN POSSESSED: Josh Palacios has picked up where he had left off after being optioned by Pittsburgh on July 17. Palacios launched his second home run of the week at 109.5 MPH off the bat - the hardest hit ball of the contest. His homer was the second hardest hit ball of the series behind Edwin Rios' 110.3 MPH single on Tuesday night. Palacios has both scored and driven in at least one run in each of his last three games. In 17 total games with Indy, he is hitting .400 (28-for-70) with four doubles, a triple, six home runs, 24 RBI, .462 on-base percentage, .743 slugging percentage and a 1.205 OPS.

THAT BALL WAS KOCH'D: Catcher Grant Koch came up big in a key moment of last night's game. With the Indians trailing by a run in the eighth with a runner on, he blasted a 421-foot, two-run shot to put the Indians ahead late. Koch's fourth home run of the season put the Indians in prime position to earn their third consecutive late-inning win, but Edwin Rios had a blast of his own to walk off for Iowa. The 26-year-old is 5-for-12 in his last three games with two runs scored, a double, home run and three RBI.

ALIKA LOCKS IN: Shortstop Alika Williams notched his team-leading 10th extra-base hit of the month on Saturday with a fourth inning double off Hayden Wesneski. It was his sixth double of the month to go along with his four home runs. Since June 21, his seven homers leads the team and is tied for the fourth-most in the International League during that span. The 24-year-old is hitting .298 (37-for-124) with 25 runs scored, eight doubles, seven home runs, 17 RBI, 15 walks and a .912 OPS in 35 total games with Indianapolis. He was acquired by Pittsburgh from Tampa Bay in exchange for right-hander Robert Stephenson on June 2.

LIFT OFF AT PRINCIPAL PARK: Both clubs have homered at least once in each of the five games at Principal Park this week. With 16 combined home runs, Iowa edges out Indy in homers, 9-7. Josh Palacios leads Indy with two homers this week, five other Indians have touched them all.

THREE BAGS: Despite pacing the International League in triples with 29, the Indians have only slugged two this month through 17 games. Indy has led the IL in triples in the months April and June, while tying for the second-most three-baggers in May with Omaha. Their two triples are the second-lowest total this month - tying six other teams. Chris Owings and Liover Peguero are the lone Indians batters to have tripled this month. Nick Gonzales leads the team with five triples this season. Indianapolis ranks tied for 12th in triples in all of professional baseball alongside Pittsburgh affiliate High-A Greensboro.

CAPRA RAKES: Infielder Vinny Capra is on a torrid stretch in eight games in July, hitting .500 (12-for-24) with eight runs scored, four doubles, a home run, seven RBI and a 1.363 OPS. After playing 343 professional baseball games without a four-hit game, infielder Vinny Capra has two in his last 13 games with Indianapolis. On Sunday, he finished a perfect 4-for-4 with two runs, two doubles, three RBI and a walk. The 27-year-old is hitting .349 (30-for-86) with seven doubles, two home runs, 22 RBI and 20 walks to just 15 strikeouts in 29 games with Indianapolis.

TODAY: The Indians and I-Cubs conclude their six-game set at Principal Park on Sunday afternoon at 2:08 PM ET. This week is the team's third matchup of the season and second at Iowa. The teams split their first six-game series at Victory Field from May 16-21. In their most recent matchup, Iowa took five of six from June 13-18 at Iowa. The Indians can earn their fourth series split of the season with a win today. Today, in a rematch of Tuesday's pitching matchup, right-hander Luis Ortiz (2-3, 4.03) will take the mound against Iowa's left-hander Jordan Wicks (1-0, 6.08). Wicks allowed three runs on five hits in 4.0 innings, it was his first career outing against Indy.

ORTIZ ON THE BUMP: Right-hander Luis Ortiz will take the mound for Indianapolis this afternoon in his 10th appearance (8th start) of the season. His last outing came on Tuesday night against Iowa, he surrendered six runs on eight hits, four walks and two strikeouts. Ortiz has taken losses in each of his first two appearances since being optioned by Pittsburgh on July 5.

THIS DATE IN 2001: With 22 hits in a 15-6 win vs. Toledo, the Indians set a new Victory Field era record for the most hits in a single game. Of those 22 team hits, eight were doubles and one was a home run. The effort was highlighted by first baseman Larry Jacobsen, who went 3-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored on three doubles. Indy's No. 8 and 9 hitters - Elvis Pena and Robinson Cancel - tallied four hits apiece.

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