IL Indianapolis Indians

8.6.23 Game Information: Indianapolis Indians (50-56, 17-15) at Gwinnett Stripers (48-58, 15-16)

Published on August 6, 2023 under International League (IL)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


LOCATION: Coolray Field

FIRST PITCH: 1:05 PM ET

GAME #107 / ROAD #57: Indianapolis Indians (50-56, 17-15) at Gwinnett Stripers (48-58, 15-16)

PROBABLES: RHP Beau Sulser (First Triple-A start of '23) vs. RHP AJ Smith-Shawver (1-2, 4.44)

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

TV: Bally Live app / MiLB TV

ABOUT LAST NIGHT: Ji Hwan Bae belted a game-tying solo home run in the sixth inning, but Jesús Aguilar grounded a go-ahead single in the bottom half to back a career-high tying 10-strikeout performance by Allan Winans as the Gwinnett Stripers topped the Indianapolis Indians 5-1 on Saturday night. Scoreless at the midway point, Gwinnett grabbed its first lead in the fifth on a 435-foot solo home run by Daniel Robertson, his first of the season. Indianapolis leveled the score in its next at bat on a first-pitch, 426-foot home run by Bae, but Aguilar followed a pair of singles in the Stripers' sixth with one of his own to put the home team in front for good. The Stripers added three insurance runs with two outs in the eighth off Yohan Ramirez. Braden Shewmake laced a two-run single after a bases-loaded wild pitch to put away the Indians.

QUALITY CAM: Despite suffering the loss to fall to 7-4 on the season, Cam Alldred held the Stripers to two earned runs on five hits and two walks with three strikeouts in 6.0 innings pitched last night for his fourth career quality start, all coming this season with Indy, and third on the road. His four quality starts are second on the team behind Quinn Priester (7), and no other Indy starter has more than two.

BAE BASH: Playing in the third game of his rehab assignment with Indianapolis, Ji Hwan Bae cranked a solo home run to open the sixth inning on Saturday night and finished the contest going 1-for-3 with a walk. The long ball was his second hit of the rehab and third home run this season, the others coming with Pittsburgh on April 4 at Boston and April 11 vs. Houston. Bae's blast snapped a 69-game home run drought spanning 212 plate appearances. Bae hit eight home runs for Indy during his Team MVP campaign in 2022.

FIRST XBH FOR FRANCISCO: After going 1-for-4 with a single in his Triple-A debut with Indy on Wednesday, Francisco Acuña nearly put Indy in front in the fifth inning on Saturday with a two-out double into the left-field corner, but Grant Koch was cut down at the plate on a relay throw by shortstop Vaughn Grissom. Acuña collected eight doubles and a home run in 31 games between Single-A Bradenton (14 games, 0 XBH) and High-A Greensboro (17 games, 9 XBH) before being assigned to Indy.

MIGGY'S WORLD: Miguel Andújar recorded an infield single in the first inning on Saturday to push his hitting streak to nine consecutive games. Since his streak began on July 27, Andújar is hitting .500 (20-for-40) with eight runs, two doubles, four home runs, 13 RBI and a 1.385 OPS. His most recent streak includes a four-hit, five-RBI performance that made him the first Indians batter since Roberto Petagine in 1998 to have three five-RBI games in a single season. Since being outrighted by Pittsburgh on May 22, he has hit safely in 52 of 59 games and ranks among International League leaders this season in hits (1st, 122), batting average (2nd, .362), RBI (2nd, 78), total bases (T-4th, 196), OPS (4th, 1.002), slugging percentage (6th, .582), on-base percentage (8th, .420) and doubles (T-9th, 25).

DOMINGO DOMINATES: Domingo Leyba stretched his on-base streak to eight games on Friday night. In that stretch, he has hit safely in seven contests with a .423 batting average (11-for-26), seven runs, four extra-base hits and more walks (8) than strikeouts (5). The seasoned veteran dominated in Double-A with a .343 batting average (35-for-102) in 30 games.

ERROR-FREE: Since July 25 the Indians are the only team in professional baseball to log a perfect fielding percentage after the Toronto Blue Jays ended their streak on Thursday night. During the 11-game streak, Indians fielders have been perfect in 384 total chances with 93 assists and seven double plays turned. The team is 6-5 in that stretch. The errorless streak is Indy's longest since going 12 games without an error from Aug. 12-25, 2022. This season, the Indians are tied with Jacksonville (69) for the fifth-fewest errors in the 20-team International League.

TODAY: The Indians and Stripers conclude their six-game set at Coolray Field at 1:05 PM ET with the Indians looking for a win and series split. Right-hander Beau Sulser will make his 30th career appearance (28th start) with Indy and first outing in an Indians uniform since April 17, 2022, at St. Paul. Sulser has made one career relief appearance against Gwinnett (July 2, 2022 at Harbor Park: 2.0ip, 4h, 0r, 0bb, 0k). The Stripers will send righty AJ Smith-Shawver (1-2, 4.44), Atlanta's No. 1 prospect and No. 60 overall by MLB.com, to the mound for his sixth career Triple-A start. His last appearance came in the big leagues with Atlanta on July 30 vs. Milwaukee, and he took a no-decision (5.0ip, 4h, 3r, 3er, 2hr, 4bb, 3k).

BEAU'S BACK: Beau Sulser, who was originally selected by the Pirates in the 10th round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of Dartmouth College, spent the entire 2021 season with Indy and went 7-9 with a 5.65 ERA (77er/122.2ip) in 26 games (24 starts). He led the Indians with 102 strikeouts and his seven wins tied with James Marvel for most on the team. He opened the 2022 campaign with Indy and went 1-2 with a 2.13 ERA (3er/12.2ip) in three starts before having his contract selected by Pittsburgh and making his major league debut on April 26 vs. Milwaukee. He was designated for assignment on May 12 after four appearances with the Buccos and claimed by Baltimore two days later. He made six relief appearances with Baltimore and 17 appearances (three starts) for Triple-A Norfolk before being DFA'd on October 14 and claimed by Pittsburgh on October 18. He was outrighted off the Pirates' 40-man roster on November 10 and was released two weeks later to continue his career with the KT Wiz in the Korean Baseball Organization. In nine starts for the Wiz this year, he went 1-7 with a 5.62 ERA (31er/49.2ip). He was then signed to a minor league contract by the Pirates on June 29 and reported to Double-A Altoona where he made four starts, going 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA (6er/14.0ip).

THIS DATE IN 1988: Randy Johnson had 15 Triple-A starts under his belt when he took the mound for the Indians at Nashville during a playoff push. Johnson and Pat Pacillo tossed the last no-hitter in the Bush Stadium era when they threw a combined 8.0 hitless innings. Johnson was tagged for the loss as he gave up the game's only earned run in the first inning, despite not giving up a hit. The future Hall of Famer tossed 7.0 innings, issued two walks and struck out eight.

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International League Stories from August 6, 2023


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