IL Indianapolis Indians

8.29.23 Game Information: Indianapolis Indians (59-65, 26-24) at Buffalo Bisons (61-63, 27-22)

August 29, 2023 - International League (IL)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


LOCATION: Sahlen Field

FIRST PITCH: 7:05 PM ET

GAME #125 / ROAD #63: Indianapolis Indians (59-65, 21-21) at Buffalo Bisons (61-63, 27-22)

PROBABLES: LHP Cam Alldred (7-6, 5.30) vs. RHP Mitch White (0-2, 9.20)

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

TV: Bally Live app / MiLB TV

ABOUT SUNDAY: Jared Jones fanned a season-high 10 batters in 6.0 one-run innings, and a trio of relievers followed with a combined 3.0 perfect innings to clinch Sunday's series-finale victory for the Indianapolis Indians over the Iowa Cubs at Victory Field, 2-1. The Indians jumped out to an early lead in the second inning. With the bases loaded and two outs, backstop Grant Koch came up big with a bloop single into center field off Shane Greene to plate the Indians only two runs of the contest, which proved to be enough for the win. Jones' lone blemish came on a solo home run by David Bote in the fifth inning. Kyle Nicolas, Yohan Ramirez and Hunter Stratton combined to stifle the Iowa offense in 3.0 perfect relief innings to cap Indy's eighth series win of the season.

DOUBLE-DIGIT PUNCHIES: Jared Jones dazzled in his second quality start of the season with Indianapolis, fanning a season-high 10 batters to earn his third win of the season with Indianapolis. The double-digit strikeout performance was the third of his career and first since fanning 10 batters on May 28, 2022, with High-A Greensboro at Asheville. He became the second Indians pitcher this season with 10-plus strikeouts in a game, following Quinn Priester's 11 strikeouts on June 24, vs. Columbus. Since his promotion to Indianapolis from Double-A Altoona on June 20, he leads the International League in strikeouts with 78, which is also the third-most in all of minor league baseball.

IRON MAN: Miguel Andújar has now played in 77 of 79 games since rejoining the Indians lineup on May 24, following the Pirates sending him outright to Indy. The slugger has now been in the Indians lineup in 59 consecutive games since June 17, at Iowa. He is hitting .332 (80-for-241) with 14 doubles, eight home runs, 54 RBI, 27 walks compared to 30 strikeouts and a .886 OPS since June 17. Andújar ranks among International League full-season qualifiers in batting average (2nd, .341), RBI (2nd, 86), hits (2nd, 137), total bases (5th, 218), slugging percentage (7th, .542), OPS (8th .950), doubles (T-9th, 29) and extra-base hits (T-9th, 47).

LET HIM KOCH: Catcher Grant Koch notched his third three-hit game of August and drove in Indy's two runs in Sunday's win. Koch has been swinging a hot bat at the dish, hitting safely in his last five games. The 26-year-old is hitting .359 (14-for-39) with seven runs scored, two doubles, a triple and six RBI in a season-high 13 games played this month. Koch's triple last Friday was just the second of his career and his first since Aug. 8, 2018 with Short-Season A West Virginia.

SHOVING IN AUGUST: Hunter Stratton earned his fourth save of the month, continuing his dominant stretch. Stratton extended his scoreless streak to 11.1 innings in 10 relief appearances in August. He has held opponents without a hit in nine of 10 appearances in August, opponents are 1-for-35. Since July 18, he is 2-0 with a 1.06 ERA (2er/17.0ip), seven hits allowed, 22 strikeouts and 0.76 WHIP. His 10 appearances (11.1ip) without allowing an earned run is tied for the longest active streak in the International League and a career best, his seven outings without allowing a hit actively leads the league.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE: Nick Gonzales went 2-for-5 with a pair of doubles on Sunday. The 24-year-old has hit safely in 9 of his last 11 games, including four multi-hit games. Since being optioned by Pittsburgh on Aug. 3, he is hitting .303 (20-for-66) with six doubles, two home runs, six RBI, 11 walks and .425 on-base percentage. Pittsburgh selected his contract on June 23, when he made his major league debut at Miami. Gonzales played 31 games with the Pirates, hitting .216 (22-for-102) with six doubles, a triple, two home runs and 13 RBI. The 24-year-old has played 74 games with Indianapolis, with a .265 (74-for-279) average, 31 extra-base hits and a .835 OPS. Despite not having a triple since June 22, vs. Columbus, Gonzales leads the team with five triples and ranks tied for seventh in the International League.

FLASHING LEATHER: The Indians defense has the best fielding percentage in all of minor league baseball since June 1. In 72 games, Indy owns a .989 fielding percentage, committing just 27 errors in 2526 total chances, 1880 putouts, 619 assists and 65 double plays. Indy has committed just six errors this month and did not commit an error in its six-game series vs. Iowa. Indy committed the second-most errors in the month of April (27), before bouncing back and having the second-fewest errors since May 1.

NICOLAS LOCKS IN: Kyle Nicolas continued his dominance out of the bullpen with another perfect outing, posting his fourth consecutive no-hit performance. Nicolas' transition to the bullpen has suited him well, he is 1-0 with a 2.03 ERA (3er/13.1ip) with five hits allowed, five walks, 17 strikeouts and 0.75 WHIP in eight relief appearances this month. Opponents are hitting .114 (5-for-44) against him during this span.

TONIGHT: The Indians head to Sahlen Field on Tuesday for their first meeting with the Buffalo Bisons since 2019. Indy is coming off a 4-2 series win over the Iowa Cubs at Victory Field, earning their eighth series win of the season. The last meeting between the two teams came from June 18-20, Buffalo won the series, 2-1. Tonight, RHP Mitch White (0-2, 9.20) will take the hill for Buffalo against Indy's LHP Cam Alldred (7-6, 5.30). White has never faced Indianapolis.

ALLDRED GETS THE KNOD: Cam Alldred will make his 16th start of the season tonight in his first career appearance against Buffalo. Alldred tossed 5.0 three-run innings with six punchouts his last time out on Aug. 23, vs. Iowa. In his first season as a starter, he's tossed four quality starts and struck out a career-high eight batters on Aug. 11, vs. Nashville.

THIS DATE IN 2011: In just his second game with the Indians, right-handed pitcher Nelson Figueroa struck out 10 hitters at Toledo on his way to a complete game. He limited the Mud Hens to one run in the third inning and stranded eight runners on the bases in his 9.0 innings of work. The Indians cushioned their 2-1 lead with a five-run eighth inning followed by a two-run ninth. Much of Indy's offense in the 9-1 win came off the bat of Pedro Alvarez, whose only hit of the game was a grand slam.

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