IL Indianapolis Indians

Game Information: Indianapolis Indians (11-10) at Omaha Storm Chasers (14-7)

Published on May 29, 2021 under International League (IL)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


LOCATION: Werner Park

FIRST PITCH: 8:05 PM ET

GAME #22 / Road #16: Indianapolis Indians (11-10) at Omaha Storm Chasers (14-7)

PROBABLES: RHP Beau Sulser (2-1, 3.78) vs. RHP Eddie Butler (1-0, 0.00)

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

TV: MiLB TV

LAST NIGHT: The Indians were held to two hits last night by Omaha to lose their fifth straight game on the road trip. Storm Chasers starter Jackson Kowar took a no-hitter into the fifth inning until back-to-back singles by Andrew Susac and Anthony Alford broke up the bid with the only two Indians hits on the day. Omaha scored two runs in the third inning and tacked on another with a home run by Ryan McBroom, the only extra-base hit for either team, for the win.

SHARPE ON BASE: Chris Sharpe was hit by a pitch in the sixth inning to extend his on-base streak to 14 consecutive games dating back to May 12. During that time frame, he has hit .245 (12-for-49) with 13 runs scored, seven doubles, a home run and 10 walks and had a team-leading eight-game hitting streak from May 14-22. With a leadoff double in the seventh inning on Friday, Sharpe retook sole possession of the league lead with eight doubles. The 24-year-old split the 2019 season between High-A Bradenton and Double-A Altoona and hit a combined .254 (116-for-457) with 31 doubles, three triples, 16 home runs and 17 stolen bases. His 31 doubles between the two levels was tied for second among Pirates farmhands.

FLASHING THE GOLD GLOVE: As the Indians third baseman, MLB rehabber Ke'Bryan Hayes showed off his Gold Glove-caliber fielding last night at Omaha. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Hayes ranged back behind third base in foul territory and made a sliding, basket catch for the second out of the inning. Hayes, who won three consecutive MiLB Rawlings Gold Glove awards at third base from 2017-19, the final coming with Indianapolis, has started at third base in three of his five rehab games with Indy so far.

SUSAC'S STREAK: Andrew Susac has hit safely in his last four games with the Indians dating back to May 14 with a .357 batting average (5-for-14) and 1.080 OPS in that time span. After hitting safely in his final two games vs. Toledo on May 14 and 16, he was selected to Pittsburgh's taxi squad and did not appear with the Indians until Friday at Omaha. He has one hit in each of his last two games with a double, run scored and two walks. Susac has played in eight games with Indianapolis so far this season and is hitting .286 (8-for-28) with two doubles, two home runs, three RBI and five runs scored.

DAVIS REHABBING: Austin Davis made his fourth rehab outing with Indianapolis last night at Omaha. In 4.1 innings since having his rehab transferred from Single-A Bradenton to Indy on May 18, he hasn't allowed a single baserunner and has fanned nine total batters. Davis has pitched in six total games between the Marauders and Indianapolis with just one earned run allowed in 7.1 innings (1.23 ERA) and 15 strikeouts. He was traded to Pittsburgh from Philadelphia on Aug. 26, 2020 and went 0-0 with a 2.45 ERA (1er/3.2ip) with the Pirates.

TONIGHT: The Indians will look to break a five-game losing streak dating back to May 23 tonight at Omaha. Indianapolis' longest losing streak in 2019 was five games from June 26-30 vs. Columbus and Gwinnett, with the longest losing streak on the road ending at four games. RHP Beau Sulser takes the mound for the Indians looking for his third win of the season vs. a combined bullpen effort by Omaha beginning with RHP Eddie Butler. The Storm Chasers original starter for the tonight, Carlos Hernandez, was recalled by Kansas City yesterday.

SULSER STARTS: Beau Sulser will make his fifth start with the Indians tonight at St. Paul looking to rebound from his first loss last time out. In the series finale at St. Paul, he surrendered five runs (two earned) on six hits in 4.0 innings. On the season, he is 2-1 with a 3.78 ERA (7er/16.2ip) and 17 strikeouts. Of Sulser's 91 outings in the minor leagues, he has only made 16 starts and has never made more than six starts in a season. In six starts with Altoona in 2019, he went 1-2 with a 3.86 ERA (12er/28.0ip) and 19 strikeouts.

OMAHA WIN STREAKS: Dating back to 1988, Omaha has won four or more consecutive games against Indianapolis four times, with the longest winning streak coming in seven games from May 17 (2)-July 21, 1991. Omaha outscored Indy, 39-21, during that streak. In the first game of the May 17 doubleheader, the Indians were trailing, 5-3, entering the ninth inning and scored seven runs in the top half to come back and win, 10-5. That season, the Indians went 3-9 vs. the then-Royals with a 1-5 record on the road.

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION RIVALRY, RENEWED: The Indians and then-Omaha Royals played each other as part of the American Association from 1969-97. According to Omaha's records from that time frame, Indianapolis leads the all-time series, 280-269 (.510). Since 1988 (Indianapolis' records), the Indians are leading Omaha 87-73 (.544) overall, but the Storm Chasers hold the advantage in Nebraska, 32-50 (.390). The two teams met in the American Association Championship series four times, with the Indians taking the 1982, '88 and '89 series. Per Omaha's records, the Indians lead, 11-9, in the postseason.

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