Sports stats

IL Indianapolis Indians

Game Information: Indianapolis Indians (0-3) at Louisville Bats (1-2)

April 4, 2023 - International League (IL)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


LOCATION: Louisville Slugger Field

FIRST PITCH: 6:35 PM ET

GAME #4 / ROAD #1: Indianapolis Indians (0-3) at Louisville Bats (1-2)

PROBABLES: RHP Quinn Priester (0-0, -.--) vs. RHP Ben Lively (0-0, -.--)

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

TV: MiLB TV

ABOUT SUNDAY: Nick Gonzales hit his first career Triple-A home run to spark an early three-run lead, but a three-run homer in the top of the eighth lifted the Omaha Storm Chasers to a win over the Indianapolis Indians in Sunday's series finale at Victory Field, 8-3. Down 3-1 in the top of the eighth, the Storm Chasers rallied to take the lead with seven total runs scored in the inning. Samad Taylor led off the frame with a solo home run to make it 3-2. After a pair of singles, Nick Loftin smacked the go-ahead three-run home run off Daniel Zamora, giving Omaha a 5-3 advantage. The Storm Chasers tacked on an additional three runs in the frame to extend their lead to 8-3. The Indians jumped out to an early lead thanks to a three-run outburst in the second inning. Gonzales led off the frame with a solo homer over the left-field wall. Following a pair of walks drawn by Cal Mitchell and Aaron Shackelford, Chavez Young ripped a two-run triple into the left-field gap for a 3-0 lead.

HIT COLLECTOR: Mark Mathias had his third multi-hit game in as many days on Sunday afternoon, capping an excellent opening series vs. Omaha. The 28-year-old finished the three-game homestand 7-for-12 with a double. Through three games, he ranks among International League leaders in hits (T-1st, 7), average (2nd, .583) and on-base percentage (6th, .583). Mathias is one of the most experienced players on a predominantly young Indianapolis roster. In 2022, he spent the majority of the season in Triple-A with Nashville and Round Rock, hitting .322 (64-for-199) with 20 extra-base hits and 34 RBI in 58 total games. He was traded to Pittsburgh from Texas in exchange for cash on March 8, 2023.

GONE FOR GONZO: Nick Gonzales lifted a ball well over the left-field wall on Sunday afternoon for his first career Triple-A homer. This past weekend, he hit .273 (3-for-11) with a home run and a double. He also flashed his stellar defense with a glove flip to first basemen Miguel Andújar on a slow-rolling grounder to put out the runner at first on Saturday and his first professional appearance at third base on Sunday. The 23-year-old has two extra-base hits through his first three games, after having 30 (21 2B, 2 3B, 7 HR) in 74 games last season, which is a decline from his 2021 season when he had 45 (23 2B, 4 3B, 18 HR) in 80 games.

SLOW START: The Indians dropped all three games of their opening series with the Omaha Storm Chasers this past weekend. It was the first time the Indians have been swept to start the season since 2011, when they were swept in a four-game series vs. Columbus from April 7-10. The last time the Indians began a season 0-3 was in 2019 on April 4-6 at Columbus before winning the series finale of a four-game opening set.

STARTING EARLY: All three games of Indy's opening three-game series vs. Omaha this past weekend were the earliest regular-season contests in franchise history. Previously, the earliest Opening Day for Indianapolis came on April 3, 2014 at Columbus. The Indians narrowly bested the Clippers 2-1 in that contest with a lineup that featured Gregory Polanco hitting third, 2013 Team MVP Matt Hague as the designated hitter and Casey Salder on the bump. The early start to the 2023 season comes just two years after the Indians logged their latest regular-season games in franchise history, playing into October in 2021.

TODAY: The Indians will look to get into the win column as they hit the road for the first time this season to begin a six-game series in Louisville today at 6:35 PM ET. The Indians took the season series against Louisville in 2022, going 11-7 with a 5-1 record at Louisville Slugger Field. Right-hander Quinn Priester (0-0, -.--) will take the mound for the Indians and the Storm Chasers will counter with right-hander Ben Lively (0-0, -.-). Today will be Priester's season debut and his first career appearance against the Bats. Lively made three starts against Indianapolis in 2022 and surrendered five runs in 5.2 innings of work.

VOTTO FACES INDY: Longtime first basemen for the Cincinnati Reds, six-time MLB All-Star and 2010 NL MVP, Joey Votto will face the Indians for the first time in over a decade this week during a rehab assignment with Louisville. Votto appeared against the Indians in 14 total games between the 2007 and '12 seasons, hitting .346 (18-for-52) with four doubles, two home runs and 12 RBI. He recorded at least one hit in 10 of his 14 games played vs. Indy but went hitless in both his first appearance (May 5, 2017 at Victory Field) and last appearance (Sept. 3, 2012 in Louisville).

PRIESTER DAY: Right-hander Quinn Priester will make his season debut today against Louisville. As the former 18th overall selection by Pittsburgh in 2019, he is currently rates as Pittsburgh's No. 5 prospect (Baseball America) and the second-best pitcher behind Luis Ortiz (No. 4). The 22-year-old spent most of last season with Double-A Altoona after beginning the campaign on the injured list, going 4-4 with a 2.87 ERA (24er/75.1ip), 1.19 WHIP and 75 strikeouts compared to only 22 walks in 15 starts. He was promoted to Indianapolis on Sept. 21 and tossed 5.0 shutout innings on two hits, two walks and six strikeouts in his Triple-A debut vs. St. Paul the same day. Priester finished the season with a 3.29 ERA (33er/90.1ip) overall en route to being honored as the Young Bucs Bob Friend Pitcher of the Year, given to the top-performing minor league pitcher in Pittsburgh's organization.

THIS DATE IN 2002: On Opening Day against Columbus at Victory Field, Indians first baseman Izzy Alcantara belted a two-out, three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to push Indy to a 4-1 triumph. Ryan Glynn yielded just one earned run on three hits with four strikeouts in 7.0 innings pitched for Indianapolis.

Check out the Indianapolis Indians Statistics



International League Stories from April 4, 2023


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.

Other Recent Indianapolis Indians Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central