IL Indianapolis Indians

7.4.23 Game Information: Memphis Redbirds (40-41) vs. Indianapolis Indians (37-43)

July 4, 2023 - International League (IL)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


LOCATION: Victory Field

FIRST PITCH: 6:35 PM ET

GAME #81 / HOME #39: Memphis Redbirds (40-41, 1-5) vs. Indianapolis Indians (37-43, 4-2)

PROBABLES: RHP Brandon Komar (Triple-A Debut) vs. RHP Jose Hernandez (ML Rehab)

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

TV: Bally Live app / MiLB TV

ABOUT LAST NIGHT: A three-run home run belted by Cal Mitchell led the Indianapolis Indians to a series victory over the Louisville Bats on Monday night at Louisville Slugger Field, 5-3. With the game scoreless going into the third inning, Ji Man Choi drew a walk and Miguel Andújar sent a single to left field. Mitchell then launched his ninth home run of the year off Evan Kravetz to tally the first runs of the contest for the Indians. In the next inning, a two-out walk issued to Josh Bissonette set up a Chris Owings RBI double to extend the lead to 4-0. In the bottom of the fourth, Jose Barrero got the Bats on the board with an RBI single. Louisville tacked on another run in the fifth after Alejo Lopez roped a triple and TJ Hopkins sent him home with a sac fly. Southpaw Kent Emanuel threw 5.0 innings, surrendering two runs on seven hits with two strikeouts. Indians relievers Colin Selby, Juan Minaya, Yohan Ramirez and Hunter Stratton combined for 4.0 one-run innings, giving up just two hits.

SCORING IN BUNCHES: Since June 21, the Indians are 8-4 thanks to an offense that the International League with 94 runs scored. During this span, the Indians offense also paces the IL in hits (128), total bases (214), doubles (33), RBI (92), walks (75) and extra-base hits (52).

EXTRA BASES: The Indians lead the International League in doubles (82) and triples (12) since May 26, while ranking 17th out of 20 teams in home runs (33). During this span, Miguel Andújar paces the Indians offense with 13 doubles, followed by Cal Mitchell (9) and Endy Rodríguez (8). Jared Triolo's three triples lead the team with Nick Gonzales and Ryan Vilade notching two apiece, respectively.

OBP MACHINE: Ryan Vilade extended his on-base streak to 23 games with a walk on Monday. Saturday night, he drew a career-high four walks while reaching base five out of six plate appearances. His four walks were the most drawn by an Indian in a game this season. His on-base streak is the longest active by an Indians hitter and third-longest active streak in the International League. He has drawn at least one walk in 12 of his last 14 games and has the most walks drawn in the IL since June 1. The 24-year-old is hitting .308 (24-for-78) with four doubles, two triples, one home run, 14 RBI, .460 OBP, .449 slugging percentage and .909 OPS during his on-base streak.

BASE ON BALLS: Indianapolis' offense has drawn at least one walk in each of its 80 contests this season. Indy's 80-game streak is the longest streak in the International League and tied for the longest in all of professional baseball - both teams have drew walks in every game this season. The Indians third in the IL in walks with 400. Ryan Vilade leads the team with 42, followed by Aaron Shackelford (37) and Nick Gonzales (35).

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY: Tonight, the Indians will play their 26th consecutive Fourth of July game at Victory Field, a tradition only disturbed by a 2009 postponement and the cancellation of the 2020 minor league season since the ballpark opened. The Indians will look to earn a win on the Fourth of July in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2012-13. The Indians gutted out a victory in dramatic fashion last season when Kevin Newman notched a walk-off RBI single in the 10th inning to defeat the Iowa Cubs, 5-4. Indianapolis is 12-23 in their 25 previous matchups on the Fourth at Victory Field and can climb back to an even .500 with a victory tonight.

HE-MAN CHOI: First baseman Ji Man Choi is 6-for-15 with a triple, two home runs and seven RBI in four games during his rehab assignment with Indy. He notched his first triple since Sept. 9, 2019 (1) with Tampa vs. Baltimore on June 30. Choi, 32, was placed on the 10- day injured list with a strain of the left achilles tendon on April 14 and was later transferred to the 60-day IL.

HERNANDEZ REHABS: Jose Hernandez will make his first rehab appearance since being placed on the 15-day IL on June 18. Hernandez has made 26 relief appearances with Pittsburgh. He is 0-1 with a 2.63 ERA (8er/27.1ip), 28 strikeouts and 1.02 WHIP. Prior to his IL stint, he had allowed only two earned runs in his last 11 appearances (11.0ip). The 25-year-old was claimed off waivers by Pittsburgh from Los Angeles (NL) on Dec. 7, 2022. Tonight will be his first career appearance at the Triple-A level.

TONIGHT: The Indians head home to begin a six-game series vs. the Memphis Redbirds at Victory Field on Tuesday night at 6:35 PM ET. The Indians come home after sealing their fifth series win on Monday night at Louisville. This week will be the second of two matchups this season between the Indians and Redbirds, their first meeting came at AutoZone Park in Memphis from April 18-23. Memphis won the series while taking five of the six games. Tonight, major league rehabber Jose Hernandez will take the hill for the Indians in his first rehab appearance since being placed on the 15-day IL with a right calf strain. Selma, Ind. native Zack Thompson will take the hill for Memphis in his 10th start of the season. Thompson's first ever appearance at Victory Field came in the 2014 state title game with Wapahani when he led his school to a state championship with a complete-game shutout vs. Evansville Mater Dei.

CAM IS THE MAN: Southpaw Cam Alldred will make his 18th appearance of the season tonight following major league rehabber Jose Fernandez. Alldred recorded a career-high eight strikeouts last night in his third consecutive quality start. Since he began making starts, he has become a steady force in Indianapolis' pitching rotation. Since May 5, he is 3-1 with a 2.77 ERA (12er/39.0ip), 36 strikeouts, 1.05 WHIP and .207 average against in 11 games (seven starts). Alldred is 2-1 and owns 3.08 ERA (13er/38.0ip) with 36 strikeouts and 1.08 WHIP in eight starts this season.

THIS DATE IN 2004: The Indians hosted their largest holiday crowd in Victory Field history when 16,062 fans packed the stadium to witness a come-from-behind, walk-off victory over the Louisville Bats on the Fourth of July. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Peter Bergeron singled home the game-winning run to send the city into a Fourth of July fireworks show for the ages. It was the team's second Fourth of July walk-off in Victory Field history.

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