IL Indianapolis Indians

Doubleheader Information: Iowa Cubs (23-16) vs. Indianapolis Indians (20-21)

Published on May 20, 2023 under International League (IL)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


LOCATION: Victory Field

FIRST PITCH: 6:15 PM ET / 30 mins after G1

GAMES #42 & 43 / HOME #18 & 19: Iowa Cubs (23-16) vs. Indianapolis Indians (20-21)

GAME 1 PROBABLES: RHP Kyle Hendricks (1-1, 7.53) vs. RHP Vince Velasquez (ML Rehab)

GAME 2 PROBABLES: RHP Hayden Wesneski (0-0, -.--) vs. RHP J.C. Flowers (1-0, 3.72)

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

TV: Bally Live app / MiLB TV

ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Indianapolis Indians and Iowa Cubs' Friday night matchup was postponed due to inclement weather. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader tonight with Game 1 scheduled for 6:15 PM ET. Game 2 will begin 30 minutes following the conclusion of the opener, with both games set as seven-inning affairs. This is Indy's third doubleheader of the season; they swept their first twinbill of the season on April 6 at Louisville and split their second at Toledo.

NUNEY HITS, WE SCORE: Malcom Nuñez led the Indians offensive charge on Wednesday afternoon with his first three-hit performance at the Triple-A level. He went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI, all three of his hits drove in runs. The 22-year-old has hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games, hitting .341 (14-for-41) with six runs, four doubles, a home run, 10 RBI and .438 on-base percentage during that span. His 21 RBI this season ranks second on the club behind outfielder Cal Mitchell (22). Pittsburgh acquired him alongside right-hander Johan Oviedo from St. Louis in exchange for southpaw Jose Quintana and right-hander Chris Stratton. Nuñez is rated Pittsburgh's No. 21 prospect by Baseball America.

ENDY HAS WHEELS: Endy Rodríguez clubbed a double and triple in Wednesday afternoon's win. His first-inning triple led to him scoring the first run of the ballgame. He roped his triple to opposite field and out of the reach of diving left fielder Yonathan Perlaza. Rodríguez showcased his speed as he sped from home to third in 12.09 seconds.

SHACK GETS ON: First basemen Aaron Shackelford has been an on-base machine for the Indians this season. He has a team-leading .418 on-base percentage, courtesy of his 23 walks this season. Along with his patience at the plate, he has showcased his power, he blasted his fourth dinger of the season on Wednesday, which ties him for the most home runs on the team with three others. During the month of May, he is hitting .316 (12-for-38) with two doubles, a triple, three home runs, seven RBI, 11 walks and .480 on-base percentage. His 23 walks in 122 plate appearances this season leads the club, he is on track to surpass his career-high 40 walks in 443 plate appearances with Double-A Altoona in 2022.

ANGEL PUTS UP ZEROS: Angel Perdomo tossed another scoreless frame on Tuesday night with two strikeouts and extended his scoreless streak to seven games, which is tied for the longest active streak in the International League. After allowing three runs without recording an out on April 14 vs. St. Paul, he has strung together some strong outings. In his last 10 relief appearances, he is 1-0 with a 0.71 ERA (1er/12.2ip) with six hits allowed, seven walks, 17 strikeouts, 1.03 WHIP and .143 batting average against. The 29-year-old leads the team with 16 appearances this season - tied for fourth-most in the International League - and is 1-1 with a 2.60 ERA (5er/17.1ip) with 27 strikeouts and a 1.21 WHIP. Perdomo was signed by Pittsburgh as a minor league free agent on Feb. 9, 2023.

TONIGHT'S TWINBILL: Tonight, the Indians and I-Cubs will square off for a doubleheader tonight at Victory Field, with Game 1 slated for 6:15 PM and Game 2 to follow. Indy has jumped out to a 2-1 lead in the series with Wednesday's win. With a doubleheader sweep, the Indians would be over .500 for the first time since April 9. This week is their first matchup against the I-Cubs this season after the Indians won last season's series matchup, 11-8. Game 1 will feature a major league matchup, between two major league rehabbers, RHP Vince Velasquez (0-0, -.--) will take the mound for the Indians against RHP Kyle Hendricks (1-1, 7.53) for Iowa. In Game 2, right-hander J.C. Flowers (1-0, 3.72) will open for southpaw Caleb Smith (2-3, 8.24) against Iowa's right-hander Hayden Wesneski (0-0, -.--). Wesneski made on start against Indy last season on Aug. 19, he tossed 5.0 scoreless frames, allowing only one hit and fanning five batters.

MAJOR LEAGUE RUBBER MATCH: Tonight's first contest will feature a major league matchup between Chicago's (NL) Kyle Hendricks and Pittsburgh's Vince Velasquez. Hendricks was a 16-game winner for the 2016 World Series champion Cubs and has twice finished in the top 10 of National League Cy Young Award voting over nine MLB seasons. Velasquez is in his ninth major league season and is off to a strong start in his first campaign with the Pirates, going 4-3 with a 3.06 ERA through his first seven outings. Tonight will be Velasquez's first rehab start and first outing since May 4.

SMITH TAKES THE HILL: Southpaw Caleb Smith is slated to make his eighth appearance of the season tonight, following opener J.C. Flowers in Game 2 of tonight's doubleheader. In his last outing on May 14 at St. Paul, he earned his second win of the season with a season-high nine strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work. On May 8, he was named the International League Pitcher of the Week after tossing a 7.0-inning complete-game shutout in Game 2 of a doubleheader at Toledo on May 4. Smith pitched the first complete-game shutout in all of minor league baseball this season. This season, he is 2-3 with a 8.24 ERA (29er/31.2ip) with 28 strikeouts.

THIS DATE IN 1998: The first home run cycle ever recorded in a single inning by a professional baseball team occurred in the top of the fifth, when the Indians put up 10 runs at Pawtucket. Pete Rose Jr. hit a solo home run, Jason Williams tacked on a three-run homer, Glenn Murray cleared the bases with a grand slam and Guillermo Garcia finished it off with a two-run shot. Garcia finished the day with two home runs after hitting a solo shot in the ninth inning to give the Indians an 11-4 win.

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