IL Indianapolis Indians

Game Information: Indianapolis Indians (25-20) at Louisville Bats (16-29)

Published on June 26, 2021 under International League (IL)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


LOCATION: Louisville Slugger Field

FIRST PITCH: 7:00 PM ET

GAME #46 / Road #28: Indianapolis Indians (25-20) at Louisville Bats (16-29)

PROBABLES: RHP Steven Wright (3-2, 5.04) vs. RHP Sonny Gray (MLB Rehab)

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

TV: MiLB TV

LAST NIGHT: The Indians never trailed on their way to a series-levelling victory last night at Louisville. Chris Sharpe opened the scoring in the top of the first with his 15th double of the season to move him into a share for the league lead in two-baggers, and was driven in on a single by Kevin Kramer and fielding error by Bats center fielder Mallex Smith. Louisville tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the first inning off a fielder's choice that led to an interference play and allowed a run to score. With two outs and two runners on in the third inning, Will Craig launched his first home run of the evening into left-center field to give the Indians a 4-1 lead. Louisville trimmed Indy's lead to one run in the bottom half of the third and tied the game off James Marvel in the fourth with a home run by Michael De Leon. Jared Oliva put the Indians back on top in the fifth with a two-run triple, his second extra-base hit of the game and the season, and Craig extended the lead past the Bats' reach with a solo homer, 7-4. Louisville attempted another comeback with two runs in the eighth but fell short for Indy's win.

DOUBLE DOSE OF DINGERS: Will Craig launched a three-run home run in the third inning and a solo bomb in the seventh last night at Louisville for his third career two-homer game and second this season. Craig, batting in his usual cleanup spot, gave the Indians a 4-1 lead with his first home run and scored the eventual winning Indians run for the 7-6 win. He went 3-for-5 with four RBI and three runs scored in the victory. Craig's first two-home run game of the season came on May 11 vs. Toledo, when he went 2-for-3 with a pair of solo home runs in Victory Field's home opener. Prior to last night, all four of Craig's Triple-A home runs this season had come at Victory Field.

OLIVE THE EXTRA BASES: Jared Oliva went 2-for-5 with a double and two-run triple - his first extra-base hits and RBI of the season - last night to help boost the Indians offense to a series-tying 7-6 win over Louisville. After doubling in the third inning, Oliva roped a triple on the first pitch thrown by reliever Braden Shipley to break a 4-4 tie in the fifth and give the Indians their final lead of the evening. He began the season on the injured list with an oblique injury and was activated off the 7-day IL on June 12. In 11 games with Indianapolis so far this season, Oliva is hitting .235 (8-for-34) with three multi-hit games, two of which have come this week at Louisville.

DIFFERENCE MAKER: With a 2-for-4 performance last night at Louisville, Wilmer Difo has hit safely in five consecutive games and six of seven since his first game with the Indians on June 17. In that time span, he is hitting .296 (8-for-27) with four walks to four strikeouts and five runs scored. The Indians are 5-2 in games that Difo starts, with both walk-off wins at Victory Field vs. Memphis last series coming either off his bat or his quick thinking on the basepaths.

MARVELOUS RELIEF: James Marvel piggybacked off Mitch Keller's first Triple-A start of 2021 with five relief innings last night to earn his third win of the season. Marvel entered in the fourth inning and allowed three runs with five strikeouts. It was Marvel's second career relief appearance compared to 99 starts and his first since April 18, 2018 vs. High-A Palm Beach when he surrendered five runs in as many innings to take a loss. This season, Marvel is 3-1 with a 4.40 ERA (22er/45.0ip) and 25 strikeouts.

TONIGHT: The Indians will look to take the series lead with their third straight win after dropping the first two games tonight in a 7:00 PM first pitch at Louisville Slugger Field. RHP Steven Wright will get the start coming off a no-decision vs. Memphis in which he gave up five runs in 3.2 innings. For the Bats, RHP Sonny Gray will make a rehab start after being scratched from Thursday's contest.

NO SPIN HERE: Knuckleballer Steven Wright will make his seventh start in nine appearances with the Indians tonight vs. Louisville. Wright is 3-2 on the season with a 5.04 ERA (17er/30.1ip) and 28 strikeouts. His last win came on June 15 vs. Memphis when he held the Redbirds to one run on two hits with a season-high six strikeouts in five innings. The 36-year-old veteran right hander has given up less than three runs in four of his six starts so far this season to go along with two relief appearances without an earned run.

SCOUTING SONNY: Two-time All-Star and Cy Young contender (3rd, AL 2015; 7th, NL 2019) Sonny Gray will be making a rehab start with Louisville tonight vs. the Indians. Gray was placed on the 10-day injured list for the second time this season on June 9 with a right groin strain. After coming off the IL for the first time on April 17, he made 10 starts with Cincinnati and went 1-4 with a 3.42 ERA (19er/50.0ip) and 65 strikeouts.

WALK-OFF GRAND SLAMS: After Tuesday's 10th inning blast by Michael De Leon, the last two walk-off grand slams surrendered by the Indians have come at Louisville. Tuesday was the first walk-off slam allowed by Indianapolis since Sept. 2, 2013, when Denis Phipps hit a two-out grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning vs. position player Matt Hague. The Indians entered the inning with a 5-2 lead and surrendered five runs in the inning for the loss.

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International League Stories from June 26, 2021


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