Game Information: Indianapolis Indians (33-32) vs. Toledo Mud Hens (36-29)
July 21, 2021 - International League (IL)
Indianapolis Indians News Release
LOCATION: Victory Field
FIRST PITCH: 1:35 PM ET
GAME #66 / Home #32: Indianapolis Indians (33-32) vs. Toledo Mud Hens (36-29)
PROBABLES: RHP Shelby Miller (1-0, 4.20) vs. RHP Angel De Jesus (3-0, 4.87)
RADIO: FoxSportsIndy.com / Fox Sports 1260 / iHeart app
TV: MiLB TV / MyINDYTV 23
LAST NIGHT: In a high-scoring battle that featured 23 total runs, 29 hits - 15 for extra bases - and 10 innings, the Indians narrowly edged the Toledo Mud Hens, 12-11. Extra-base hits set the tone early in the first inning, with Toledo scoring three runs off two doubles and a home run, and Indy tallying five runs off four doubles. After sending all nine batters to the plate in the first, the Indians held their momentum through the next two innings. Anthony Alford, Bligh Madris and Dee-Strange Gordon each homered to extend the lead to 9-3 through three. The Mud Hens put together a rally of their own, scoring eight runs in the next three innings to take a 11-9 lead in the sixth. Following back-to-back two-out walks in the bottom of the eighth inning, Alford notched his third extra-base hit of the night to score Hudson and Strange-Gordon. In the bottom of the 10th still tied at 11-11, Joe Hudson singled with the bases loaded to drive in the winning run.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANTHONY: Anthony Alford went 4-for-5 with two doubles, a home run, two runs scored and four RBI in the Indians win over Toledo last night. It was his sixth-career four-hit game to tie a career high, and just his third with three extra-base hits (also: May 21, 2016 at High-A Bradenton; June 22, 2018 at Triple-A Lehigh Valley). His four-RBI game also tied a career high and was his first such game since he drove in four runs with Buffalo at Victory Field on June 12, 2019.
THE FLASH: Dee-Strange Gordon not only showed off his power and ability to draw walks last night, but his speed was on display in key situations. With two outs in the eighth inning, Anthony Alford doubled to score Joe Hudson. Strange-Gordon blew past the stop sign held up by coach Gustavo Omana at third base to score the game-tying run on the Alford double. Defensively, with two outs in the top of the 10th inning and a runner on second base, a slow ground ball rolled underneath the barehand of third baseman Hunter Owen. The error was recovered by Strange-Gordon, who chased JaCoby Jones down the third-base line and applied the tag for the final out of the inning. That heads-up play came after the Indians shortstop dropped a pop-up with two on and one away in shallow center field, but threw the recovered ball to third base to record a fielder's choice for the second out of the inning.
BLIGH GUY: With a second-inning solo home run last night, Bligh Madris has now homered in consecutive games for the second time in his career. Three years to the day yesterday, he finished off a stretch of home runs in back-to-back games with a two-home run showing at Low-A State College.
POUR ON THE OFFENSE: With their offensive showing last night, the Indians either matched or broke most of their previously-standing offensive records for the season, both individually and as a team. On the team side, their 12 runs on 15 hits each tied season highs, with the 12 RBI breaking a previous high of 11 (last met on Sunday vs. Omaha). Their nine extra-base hits and six doubles also established new highs. Hits in a single inning and home runs in a single inning were both tied, with six hits coming in the first inning and two home runs (Anthony Alford and Bligh Madris) in the second.
ONE RUN FUN: Six of the Indians last seven games and over half of their 31 home games this season (16) have been decided by one run. Indy's five consecutive one-run games vs. Omaha from July 13-17 (2) is the longest streak of consecutive one-run games since six straight from Aug. 8-14, 2013 against Toledo and Columbus. Five of the Indians 16 one-run games at home have come against Toledo, four of which happened in the first homestand of the season. Indianapolis is 4-1 in one-run games vs. Toledo and 6-1 overall on the season against its former International League West Division rival. With 16 one-run home games at this point in the season, the Indians are just a single one-run game shy of their 2019 total at Victory Field.
TODAY: The Indians and Mud Hens turn around from an offensive pouring last night to play a 1:35 PM afternoon game at Victory Field today. RHP Shelby Miller will be making his fourth Triple-A start of the season and first with Indy against RHP Angel De Jesus who will be making his second start of the season and first ever in Triple-A. His other start this year came with Double-A Erie on May 29 (2) at Altoona (3.0ip, 0h, 0r, 0bb, 6k).
MILLER TIME: Shelby Miller will be making his fourth start of the season and first with Indianapolis today vs. Toledo. He made three starts with Iowa, his first coming on May 9 vs. Indy when he tossed 3.0 hitless innings to begin the I-Cubs no-hitter in the first series of the season. In three starts, he earned three no-decisions with a 1.74 ERA (2er/10.1ip) and 15 strikeouts. Since joining the Indianapolis roster, Miller has exclusively come out of the bullpen. Since being selected by St. Louis as the 19th overall pick of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, the right-hander has compiled a career 3.93 ERA (542er/1,242.2ip) in 235 starts and a 7.26 ERA (25er/31.0ip) in 24 relief appearances.
INDY VS. 500: The series vs. Toledo marks the second of three consecutive for the Indians vs. opponents currently with a .500-plus record. Against teams with a winning record this season, the Indians are 9-13. Their last two matchups against winning teams have come at Nashville (June 8-13) and vs. Omaha (last week); in those 12 games, Indianapolis is 6-6.
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