IL Indianapolis Indians

Game Information: Indianapolis Indians (14-13) vs. Columbus Clippers (9-18)

Published on June 5, 2021 under International League (IL)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


LOCATION: Victory Field

FIRST PITCH: 7:05 PM ET

GAME #28 / Home #11: Indianapolis Indians (14-13) vs. Columbus Clippers (9-18)

PROBABLES: RHP Cody Ponce (0-1, 5.94) vs. LHP Scott Moss (0-2, 5.79)

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

TV: MiLB TV / My-INDYTV 23

GAME 1: The Indians tied a season-high with 13 hits in the first game of last night's doubleheader to lead them to a 10-3 win. The night began for Indianapolis with three consecutive doubles to take an early 2-0 lead. Anthony Alford extended the lead, 3-1, in the bottom of the third, and a three-run fourth put the Indians over the edge thanks to a two-run homer by Joe Hudson. With a 6-2 lead after five, Indy put up four runs in the sixth inning after taking four consecutive walks to begin the inning. Steven Wright allowed two runs through 5.2 innings to earn his second win of the season.

GAME 2: Facing a 1-0 deficit entering the third inning, the Indians mounted a comeback 5-2 win to sweep the doubleheader vs. Columbus. T.J. Rivera homered to tie the game in the third inning and then the offense boomed for a four-run fourth to extend the lead for the win. Christian Bethancourt hit a long home run to score two and put Indy out of Columbus' reach, and Rivera and Delay each singled home runs of their own. Reliever Blake Weiman earned his first win of the season in relief of Beau Sulser.

SULSER'S STRIKEOUTS: Beau Sulser made his sixth start with the Indians last night and struck out a career-high tying seven batters in 4.1 innings. The 27-year-old first set the career high on July 31, 2018 at Single-A Columbia. He surrendered two runs on six hits last night and exited the game with an Indians lead, but didn't qualify for his third win of the season.

CAPTAIN REDBEARD'S RBI: Colin Moran went 2-for-4 with four RBI in Game 1 last night vs. Columbus. With Chris Sharpe and Troy Stokes Jr. on base and no outs in the first inning, Moran doubled to record his first two RBI on the night. He then followed up with a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the sixth inning to drive in two more runs. In three rehab games with Indianapolis this week, Moran is hitting .333 (3-for-9) with a double, home run and six RBI. On Thursday, he hit a two-run home run to drive in Pirates rehabber Phillip Evans for the only two Indians runs in the game. He was placed on the 10-day injured list on May 9.

ALFORD ON A ROLL: Anthony Alford went 4-for-5 with three runs scored, a home run and RBI in both doubleheader games combined last night. He began the night 3-for-3 in the first game with his third home run of the season and two runs scored, and followed up with a single in the second game. Alford's three hits to begin the night tied a season-high, the first coming on May 18 at St. Paul when he went 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored.

RIVERA HOMERS: T.J. Rivera went 3-for-3 last night with his first home run in affiliated baseball since July 14, 2017 with New York (NL) vs. Colorado. Down 1-0 in the third inning, Rivera led off the bottom half to tie the game and begin the Indians comeback win over Columbus. He also singled home a run during a four-run fourth inning for his first multi-RBI game this season. His three hits set a new season-high and was his second multi-hit game of the season (also: May 23 at St. Paul).

BETHANCOURT'S LONG BALL: Christian Bethancourt hit a towering 432-foot home run onto the concourse beyond the left field lawn in the fourth inning of Game 2 last night to give the Indians a 3-1 lead over Columbus, the lead they needed for the win. He has hit safely in three of four games this month to raise his average to .310 (22-for-71) in 20 games with Indy so far this season.

PLAYER OF THE MONTH: Reliever Tyler Bashlor was named the Indians May Player of the Month today after he went the entire month (8 games, 9.0 innings) without allowing an earned run. He held opposing batters to a .069 (2-for-29) batting average and paired that dominance with a 0.78 WHIP and five walks compared to 12 strikeouts. The 28-year-old fanned a season-high four batters in two innings in his final outing of the month on May 29 at Omaha.

TONIGHT: The Indians will go for the series victory vs. Columbus today in a 7:05 pm ET start after sweeping the doubleheader last night. In 2019, Columbus took the season series, 15-9, after taking three of the first four games between the two teams. RHP Cody Ponce will take the mound for the Indians after allowing four runs in five innings in each of his last two starts (May 25 vs. Chicago [NL]; May 30 at Omaha). He will face off against a piggyback start between LHP Scott Moss and LHP Tanner Tully.

ROSTER MOVES: Wil Crowe was optioned to Indianapolis on Thursday as the corresponding move to add Ke'Bryan Hayes back to Pittsburgh's active roster, and will likely proved a boost to the Indians starting pitching staff going forward. The right-hander made eight appearances (seven starts) with Pittsburgh to begin the season and went 0-4 with a 7.26 ERA (25er/31.0ip) and 28 strikeouts.

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