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8.25.23 Game Information: Iowa Cubs (69-51, 26-21) vs. Indianapolis Indians (57-64, 24-23)

August 25, 2023 - International League (IL)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


LOCATION: Victory Field

FIRST PITCH: 7:05 PM ET

GAME #122 / HOME #60: Iowa Cubs (69-51, 26-21) vs. Indianapolis Indians (57-64, 24-23)

PROBABLES: RHP Caleb Kilian (7-1, 3.87) vs. RHP Max Kranick (ML Rehab)

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

TV: Bally Live app / MiLB TV

ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Indianapolis Indians batted around in the third, Canaan Smith-Njigba launched two home runs and Nick Gonzales was beaned with the bases loaded in the ninth inning to walk off the Iowa Cubs on Thursday night at Victory Field, 10-9. A single and fielder's choice error by second baseman Jake Slaughter put the first two Indianapolis runners on to begin the ninth inning. After a well-paced sacrifice bunt by Dom Nuñez, Smith-Njigba was walked intentionally, and Gonzales was hit by Cam Sanders first offering to him to win the game. Down 4-1 in the third after a pair of home runs by the red-hot Alexander Canario - marking his third consecutive game with a dinger - Indianapolis sent 11 batters to the plate and scored seven runs on six hits, all with two outs. Smith-Njigba began the rout with a solo home run, his first of two coming in consecutive innings. A trio of two-run knocks - singles by Jared Triolo and Mason Martin and a double off the bat of Chris Owings - quickly piled onto Indy's score. After a bases-loaded walk gave Iowa one run back in the top of the fourth, Smith-Njigba countered with his second long ball to extend the lead back to three. The two teams then traded runs again in the sixth. The I-Cubs scored at least one run in seven of nine innings and each of their last four, with the game-tying run coming on a long, two-out home run by Matt Mervis in the top of the ninth.

CSN LAUNCHES TWICE: Canaan Smith-Njigba launched home runs in back-to-back plate appearances, in consecutive innings, leading Indy's offensive charge. The multi-homer game was the second of his career and first since June 13, 2019, with Single-A Charleston vs. Greenville. His third-inning blast marked his 12th home run of the season, surpassing his previous career-high 11 home runs in 2019 with Single-A Charleston. Smith-Njigba is 6-for-18 with four runs scored, a pair of blasts, four RBI and three walks during his current four-game hitting streak.

RUB SOME DIRT ON IT: With the game knotted at nine-runs apiece and the bases loaded with an out in the bottom of the ninth, Nick Gonzales was beaned by Cam Sanders to win the game. It was the first walk-off hit-by-pitch in Victory Field history. It was the third walk-off winner for the Indians - second last at-bat win in consecutive days - this season and sixth last at-bat winner.

STRAT KEEPS DOMINATING: Hunter Stratton made his team-leading 44th appearance of the season on Thursday night, coming in with one out and a runner on third. Stratton extended his scoreless streak to 10.1 innings in nine relief appearances in August. He has held opponents without a hit in eight of nine appearances in August, opponents are 1-for-32. Since July 18, he is 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA (2er/16.0ip), seven hits allowed, 22 strikeouts and 0.81 WHIP. His nine appearances (10.1ip) without allowed an earned run is tied for the longest active streak in the International League, his six outing without allowing a hit actively leads the league.

OBP MACHINE: Jared Triolo has reached base safely in nine of his last 14 plate appearances in three games. During this span, he Since being optioned by Pittsburgh on Aug. 18, he is 6-for-19 with six runs scored, a double, home run, three RBI, three walks and .409 on-base percentage. On Tuesday night, he lined a ball 101.9 MPH off the bat narrowly over the left-field wall in part of three-hit performance. Triolo was recalled by Pittsburgh on June 28 and made his major league debut that day vs. San Diego. The third baseman played in 36 games with the big league club, hitting .273 (33-for-121) with two doubles, a home run and 16 RBI.

FINDING HIS GROOVE: Since Aug 3, Mason Martin has hits in nine of 10 games. Martin is 12-for-34 at the plate with four doubles, a triple, seven RBI and three walks in this span. Martin was assigned to Indianapolis on July 28 after spending the majority of the season with Double-A Altoona. The lefty slugger was a mainstay in Indy's lineup last season, pacing the offense in home runs (19), RBI (74), doubles (29), extra-base hits (53) and total bases (197).

TONIGHT: The Indians and I-Cubs continue their series at Victory Field on Friday at 7:05 PM ET in their fourth and final series of the season. Indy's walk-off winner on Thursday night gave them a 2-1 lead at the halfway point of the six-game series. Iowa has gotten the best of the season series so far, winners in 13 of 21 games against Indianapolis. The last time the two teams met at Victory Field was from June 16-21, a series split. Tonight, RHP Max Kranick (0-0, -.--) will begin his rehab assignment with Indianapolis against Iowa's RHP Caleb Kilian (7-1, 3.87). Kilian makes his seventh career start against Indianapolis, he is 0-2 with a 8.22 ERA (21er/23.0ip) against Indy over the past two seasons.

KRANICK REHABS: The Pittsburgh Pirates today announced that right-handed pitcher Max Kranick will begin a rehab assignment tonight with the Indianapolis Indians as they continue their six-game series tonight vs. the Iowa Cubs at Victory Field. Kranick, 26, began the season on the 60-day injured list after undergoing Tommy John surgery on June 3, 2022. He made six appearances (three starts) between Single-A Bradenton, Indianapolis and Pittsburgh last season, including two scoreless big-league relief appearances to end his 2022 campaign. In 15 career games (14 starts) with Indianapolis from 2021-22, Kranick went 4-5 with a 3.98 ERA (27er/61.0ip) and 49 strikeouts. After just four Triple-A starts in 2021, he made his major league debut on June 27 at St. Louis and became the first starting pitcher since 1893 to throw at least five perfect innings in an MLB debut and the only in history to have his start end without allowing a baserunner.

PRIESTER DAY: Quinn Priester will follow rehabber Max Kranick tonight in his 20th outing of the season with Indianapolis. Priester will make his second appearance since being optioned by Pittsburgh on Aug. 15. The right-hander has served as the staff's ace for much of the 2023 season before getting the call to the big leagues on July 17. At the time of his callup, he was tied for the most wins in the International League (7) and ranked among qualifiers in strikeouts (T-4th, 84) and innings pitched (4th, 87.2). The 22-year-old made six starts with Pittsburgh, going 2-2 with a 9.10 ERA (29er/28.2ip). Priester leads the Indians with seven quality starts this season. Tonight will be his fifth appearance against the I-Cubs, he is 3-0 with a 3.00 ERA (8er/24.0ip) and 19 strikeouts in four starts.

THIS DATE IN 2007: Jose Hernandez, serving as Indy's designated hitter, drove in a career-high six RBI in a 7-2 Indians win over Toledo at Victory Field. Hernandez went 2-for-3 with two home runs, a two-run shot in the fourth and a grand slam in the sixth. It was Hernandez' second grand slam in a week span, the first coming in a 7-2 win on Aug. 18 at Charlotte. Hernandez is one of five Indians in the Victory Field era to club two grand slams in a single season, joining Aaron Boone (1997), Roberto Petagine (1998), Brandon Moss (2010) and Josh Bell (2016).

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