IL1 Indianapolis Indians

Bats Bomb Scoring Column to Earn First Win of Series

Published on May 23, 2018 under International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


INDIANAPOLIS - Louisville hung crooked numbers in the second, fourth and ninth innings to win its first game in the series, 10-2. Five of the Bats' runs came with two outs, and they went 6-for-11 with runners in scoring position.

Louisville hung crooked numbers in the second, fourth and ninth innings to win its first game in the series, 10-2. Five of the Bats' runs came with two outs, and they went 6-for-11 with runners in scoring position.

Indians starter Austin Coley (1-3, 9.64) breezed through the opening frame, retiring Louisville's top three hitters in order on 11 pitches. Then Max Moroff hit the third leadoff homer of his career to vault his club to an early 1-0 lead.

But D.J. Peterson responded immediately with a dinger of his own to begin the second inning. Josh VanMeter doubled the following at-bat and scored after a throwing error by Jacob Stallings to give Louisville the lead.

Louisville expanded its lead to 6-1 in the fourth. With two away, Coley walked one and surrendered four straight hits. Bats starter Robert Stephenson sparked the big inning with an RBI bloop single to right. Phil Ervin's double also dropped just short of Tribe right fielder Eric Wood, and Blake Trahan plated two more with a single into shallow left the next at-bat.

Stephenson's RBI marked the fifth by a pitcher in the current series, following Louisville's Brandon Finnegan, who clubbed a two-run homer Monday night, and Casey Sadler, who knocked in the deciding two runs on Tuesday.

Along with his contribution at the plate, the hurler powered through six innings of two-hit ball on the mound. Stephenson (4-4, 3.59) racked up nine whiffs, giving him a team-high mark of 56 that ranks second in the International League.

In the seventh, reliever Damien Magnifico sat down his seventh and eighth consecutive batters, but gave up a run on VanMeter's single up the middle three at-bats later.

Indy scored its final run in the eighth on a Jordan Luplow double, his ninth of the year.

After being officially transferred to Indy on Tuesday, Jesus Liranzo toed a Triple-A rubber for the first time in his career. The 23-year-old relieved Magnifico the eighth, walking one and surrendering a ninth inning homer at the hands of VanMeter.

VanMeter's four RBI and three hits led all batters.

The two clubs meet for the series' final contest at 11:05 Thursday morning. Righty Tyler Eppler (3-2, 3.60) will get the start for the Tribe while the Bats have not yet named a starter.

To purchase tickets for any Indians home game, contact the Victory Field Box Office at 317-269-2282 or Tickets@IndyIndians.com. For more on the Tribe, visit IndyIndians.com.

Check out the Indianapolis Indians Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



International League Stories from May 23, 2018


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central