IL Indianapolis Indians

Game Information: Indianapolis Indians (21-18) vs. Memphis Redbirds (16-24)

Published on June 19, 2021 under International League (IL)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


LOCATION: Victory Field

FIRST PITCH: 7:05 PM ET

GAME #40 / Home #17: Indianapolis Indians (21-18) vs. Memphis Redbirds (16-24)

PROBABLES: RHP James Marvel (2-1, 3.86) vs. LHP Bernardo Flores Jr. (2-2, 5.81)

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

TV: MiLB TV/ MyINDYTV 23

LAST NIGHT: The Indians pitching staff surrendered 10 runs on a season-high tying 13 hits to lose their first game in regular-season history to the Redbirds, 10-1. Memphis put up two runs in the first inning off an early Lars Nootbaar two-out home run to right field. With two outs and the bases loaded in the second, Kramer Robertson doubled into center field to put Memphis up, 5-0. The Indians took one run back in the bottom of the fifth inning with Jason Delay's second home run of the series, a solo shot to left field, but the Redbirds extended the lead back to five runs in the next half inning. A pair of two-run home runs tacked on insurance runs for Memphis in the seventh.

DELAY'S DINGERS: With a solo home run off the Yuengling Landing roof on Wednesday and another long ball to left field last night, Jason Delay has now homered in back-to-back games three times in his career. He first launched back-to-back homers from May 15-16, 2018 vs. High-A Daytona Beach and followed with another such stretch during the 2019 campaign on May 15 at Double-A Binghamton and May 17 vs. Harrisburg. Delay has appeared in 12 games so far this season with the Indians and is hitting .242 (8-for-33) with both of his home runs coming in his past two games.

ALFORD LEADING OFF: Anthony Alford went 2-for-4 last night to extend his hitting streak to seven games dating back to June 10 and his on-base streak to 13 games since the beginning of the month. In the month of June, Alford is hitting .425 (17-for-40) with a .549 on-base percentage and 1.349 OPS. Since moving to the leadoff spot of the Indians lineup on June 13 at Nashville, five games ago, he is hitting .412 (7-for-17) and has reached base safely in over half of his plate appearances.

SPITZBARTH'S SCORELESS STREAK: Shea Spitzbarth tossed 1.2 perfect innings last night to extend his scoreless streak to 11.0 innings dating back to May 23. In that time frame, he owns a 0.82 WHIP, .111 average against (4-for-36) and has fanned nine batters. In 14 outings this season, Spitzbarth has never allowed more than one run and has compiled a 2-1 record, 1.10 ERA (2er/16.1ip) and 13 strikeouts. The right-hander is in his first season with the Indians after being selected in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 draft from Los Angeles (NL) prior to the 2020 season.

VICTORIES AT THE VIC: With the loss to Memphis last night, the Indians are now 12-4 (.750) at Victory Field for their best start to a home campaign since the 2013 season. In 2013, Indy began the season with a 17-3 (.850) record at home through May 12 and had a 27-11 (.711) overall record in that span. The Indians ended that season 41-31 (.569) in the Circle City. The best Victory Field record in a single season came in 1997, the Indians first full year at the corner of West and Maryland Street, when they went 49-23 (.681). So far in 2021, the Indians haven't lost back-to-back games at Victory Field. The last time they lost consecutive games at home was from Aug. 29-31, 2019.

TONIGHT: The Indians will play for the series victory vs. Memphis tonight in a 7:05 PM ET start at Victory Field. With a fourth win in the series, the Indians will have taken series victories in all three of their homestands so far this year, the first two coming against former International League West Division rivals Toledo (five games to one) and Columbus (four games to two). The last time Memphis faced a three-game deficit in a series was last week vs. Gwinnett, and the Redbirds came back to split the series with the Stripers.

CAPTAIN MARVEL-OUS: Tonight, RHP James Marvel will don an Indians' Captain Marvel-themed jersey tonight and go for his third win in consecutive starts. After taking his first career Triple-A loss on June 3 vs. Columbus, Marvel tossed 5.2 one-run innings with five strikeouts on June 8 at Nashville for his first win of the season. He then clinched a split in the Music City with another winning performance on June 13 as the Indians offense backed him with seven runs.

SOUTHPAW SUCCESS RATES: Last night began a stretch of three consecutive games in which the Indians will face left-handed starting pitchers, and they enter tonight's game at 4-5 vs. lefty starters in 2021. Against southpaws this season, Indianapolis as a team is hitting .222 (83-for-374) with 24 doubles, eight home runs, 41 RBI and 113 strikeouts. Four batters on the Indians active roster are currently hitting above .300 vs. left-handed pitchers this season, their numbers are listed below:

RHB Anthony Alford: .385 (10-for-26), 2 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 6 BB, 13 K, 4 SB

RHB Jason Delay: .375 (3-for-8), 2 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K

LHB Bligh Madris: .333 (7-for-21), 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 8 K

RHB Joe Hudson: .316 (6-for-19), 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 6 K

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International League Stories from June 19, 2021


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