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9.21.23 Game Information: Rochester Red Wings (64-78, 30-39) vs. Indianapolis Indians (68-76, 35-35)

September 21, 2023 - International League (IL)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


LOCATION: Victory Field

FIRST PITCH: 6:35 PM ET

GAME #145 / HOME #71: Rochester Red Wings (64-78, 30-39) vs. Indianapolis Indians (68-76, 35-35)

PROBABLES: RHP Roddery Muñoz (2-5, 6.23) vs. RHP Jared Jones (4-4, 4.77)

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

TV: Bally Live app / MiLB TV

ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Indianapolis Indians offense continued its dominance over the Rochester Red Wings with another double-digit outpouring behind four multi-hit performances, Canaan Smith-Njigba's second home run in as many days and Joe Perez's four-RBI showing in Wednesday afternoon's 14-11 win at Victory Field. Smith-Njigba quickly got things started for Indianapolis with its second first-inning homer in as many days. Rochester tied the game in the top of the fourth inning against Aaron Shortridge (W, 1-0) who was promoted from Double-A Altoona on Tuesday for his Triple-A debut. The right-hander tossed 5.0 one-hit innings with four walks and three strikeouts and exited the game in line for the win after a three-run homer by Perez gave Indy the lead back in the bottom of the fourth. The Indians continued to pour on runs, following Perez's three-run blast with three additional crooked frames. A pair of errors and three consecutive RBI singles by the bottom half of the batting order quickly gave Indianapolis an 8-1 lead through five. A walk and four consecutive singles by the Red Wings in the top of the sixth against Thomas Hatch brought Rochester closer, but the five-run margin didn't last long, with Indianapolis plating six runs in its next two half innings at the plate. Smith-Njigba bookended the scoring with RBI singles in the sixth and seventh frames, the latter following Nick Gonzales' second triple in as many games that plated a pair. With the Indians leading 14-4 in the top of the ninth inning, the Red Wings rallied for seven runs, all scoring with two outs. The four first runs on four consecutive hits before Richie Martin homered to left field to cap the scoring. With the potential tying run in the on-deck circle, Travis MacGregor (S, 3) entered in relief of John 0'Reilly and recorded the final out of the game.

CSN'S STREAK CONTINUES: Canaan Smith-Njigba extended his hitting streak to eight games with a mammoth, 456-foot home run in the first inning on Wednesday afternoon. The home run is the second-longest by an Indian this season, surpassing Nick Gonzales' 450-foot homer from the night prior. The 24-year-old is hitting .443 (27-for-61) with seven doubles, two home runs, 22 RBI and six stolen bases this month. He leads the International League in average , RBI and hits this month and ranks among league qualifiers in doubles (T-2nd, 7), stolen bases (T-4th, 6), on-base percentage (5th, .485) and OPS (5th, 1.141).

EXTRA-BASES FOR NICK: Nick Gonzales went 3-for-5 with three runs, a triple and two RBI yesterday. Wednesday afternoon's triple was his eighth of the season, which is tied with Jacksonville's Jake Mangum for the most in the International League. The three-hit performance followed up his first career cycle in Tuesday night's rout of the Rochester Red Wings. His cycle was the seventh for Indy since 1996 - six coming at Victory Field - and first by an Indian since Kevin Newman and Jacob Stallings both accomplished the feat on Aug. 7, 2018, vs. Lehigh Valley. The 24-year-old has been stellar at the plate this month, hitting .371 (23-for-62) with five doubles, three triples, five home runs, 13 RBI and a 1.219 OPS in 17 games. For the month of September, Gonzales leads the league in triples, extra-base hits (13), total bases (49) and runs scored (22).

PEREZ DRIVES IN FOUR: Joe Perez belted his first home run with Indianapolis and drove in a season-high four RBI. He is 3-for-9 with two runs, a homer, four RBI and a pair of walks in two games this week. Perez was signed by Pittsburgh as a minor league free agent on Aug. 11, he was outrighted by Houston on Aug. 4, before being assigned to Double-A Altoona. They 24-year-old hit .341 (29-for-85) with 18 runs, three doubles, seven home runs, 18 RBI, 20 walks and a 1.101 OPS in 25 games played with Altoona. Perez was tied for the fifth-most home runs in the Eastern League from Aug. 12-Sept. 10.

OFFENSE IS ROLLING: The Indians offense has scored 33 runs on 35 hits in their first two games this week vs. Rochester. Since Sept. 15, the Indians lead the International League in runs scored (43) and RBI (42). The Indians have scored double-digit runs in back-to-back games for the fourth time this season and first since June 20-July 1, at Louisville. Indianapolis' 21 hits on Tuesday night marked the club's most since logging a Victory Field era record 23 on April 27, 2018, at Columbus. The 21-hit total was also Indy's highest mark at Victory Field since notching 22 on May 31, 2005, vs. Louisville. The Indians' 19 runs also tied the Victory Field mark previously set on May 6, 2004, vs. Charlotte, and the 18-run margin of victory was also the largest ever at Victory Field and second largest since 1996, the biggest being a 21-1 rout at Columbus on July 6, 2017. The Indians have a .422 (35-for-83) average and are hitting .531 (17-for-32) with runners in scoring position.

THREE BAGS: Nick Gonzales clubbed his second triple in as many games for Indianapolis' International League-leading 41st triple of the season yesterday. The Indians have tallied 40-plus triples in back-to-back seasons - hitting a league-leading 44 triples last season. Gonzales' eighth triple of the season is tied for the league-lead Jacksonville's Jake Mangum.

TONIGHT: The Indians and Red Wings continue their six-game set on Thursday night at Victory Field 6:35 PM ET. This week's six-game set will cap the 2023 season, and is the lone meeting between the two teams. The Indians bested the Red Wings in their lone six-game set last season, 4-2. Since 1988, the Indians own the advantage in the Circle City, 56-47. Tonight, RHP Jared Jones (4-4, 4.77) will take the mound for Indianapolis against Rochester's RHP Roddery Muñoz (2-5, 6.23). Muñoz will make his first career appearance against Indianapolis.

MR. JONES: Jared Jones takes the mound tonight for his 16th appearance (15th start) of the season with Indianapolis. Jones has been excellent over his past two outings, not allowing a run in 13.0 combined innings with five hits allowed, two walks and 12 strikeouts. On Sept. 8, he tossed a career-high tying 7.0 shutout innings vs. Toledo. Since joining Indianapolis on June 20, he leads the International League in strikeouts (93). Tonight will be his first career appearance against the Red Wings.

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