IL Indianapolis Indians

Game Information: Indianapolis Indians (33-33) vs. Toledo Mud Hens (37-29)

July 22, 2021 - International League (IL)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


LOCATION: Victory Field

FIRST PITCH: 7:05 PM ET

GAME #67 / Home #33: Indianapolis Indians (33-33) vs. Toledo Mud Hens (37-29)

PROBABLES: RHP Cody Ponce (0-3, 5.61) vs. RHP Drew Hutchison (6-3, 3.84)

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

TV: MiLB TV / MyINDYTV 23

YESTERDAY: Toledo scored in each of the first five innings, capped off by a six-run fifth, to beat the Indians yesterday, 11-5. They plated one run in each of the first three innings and two in the fourth before erupting in the fifth. Back-to-back two-out home runs - a three-run shot by Renato Nunez and a solo dinger by Kody Clemens - capped off the fifth inning with an 11-0 lead. The Indians were held to just one hit through the first six innings before the offense started rolling in the seventh. Hunter Owen broke up the shutout bid with his eighth home run of the season to the deepest part of the ballpark. Two additional runs scored on a fielder's choice and throwing error by shortstop Yariel Gonzalez. A sacrifice fly to deep center field off the bat of Bligh Madris continued the Indians rally in the eighth inning, and a wild pitch scored Christian Bethancourt as the final Indians run.

STREAK SNAPPED: Anthony Alford's on-base streak of 25 consecutive games ended last night when he went 0-for-5 vs. Toledo. From June 1-July 21, Anthony Alford reached base safely in each of his games played and compiled a .415 average (34-for-82) with a .538 OPS and 1.258 OPS. Despite missing considerable time nursing a wrist injury suffered on June 24 at Louisville, Alford picked up right where he left off when returning to the Indians lineup on July 13 and hit safely in six games prior to last night. His on-base streak included a nine-game hitting streak from June 10-22, a team-high for 2021, and his sixth career four-hit game on Tuesday night to open the series vs. Toledo. In that performance he went 4-for-5 with two doubles, a home run, two runs scored and four RBI for just his third career game 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.

LEFT-CENTER POWER: With last night's long home run, two of Hunter Owen's four home runs at Victory Field this season have been launched out over the 418 mark in left-center field, the deepest part of the ballpark. His solo home run in the top of the seventh inning ended Toledo's shutout bid and began a three-run frame for the Indians. It was just his second home run in the month of July after hitting five in June, but he has traded in the long balls for average in his past 17 games. Since July 1, Owen is hitting .305 (18-for-59) with six extra-base hits and eight RBI.

THE HIT COLLECTOR: With a 2-for-3 performance vs. Toledo last night, Fabricio Macias has multiple hits in four of the five games where he has hit safely so far with Indianapolis. In 10 games, he owns a .314 average (11-for-35), two extra-base hits and five RBI. His third-inning single last night was the lone Indians hit in the first six innings, and he was the only player on the team with multiple base knocks in the loss. The outfielder played in 44 games with the Grasshoppers and hit .316 (54-for-171) with 17 extra-base hits and 38 RBI to begin the season. He was signed by Pittsburgh as a minor league free agent on Feb. 21, 2018 after spending 2016-17 in the Mexican League. In 73 games with Saraperos De Saltillo in 2017, he hit .318 (55-for-173).

TONIGHT: The Indians will look to retake a series lead tonight in game three of the six-game series against Toledo. RHP Cody Ponce will take the mound coming off back-to-back relief appearances. In his last outing, he allowed one run over 4.0 two-hit innings in relief of rehabber Steven Brault. For the Mud Hens, former Indians hurler Drew Hutchison will make his second start of the season against his former team. On May 12, Hutchison took the loss as he gave up four runs on four hits (two home runs) in 4.2 innings at Victory Field.

BIG FELLA: Cody Ponce will be making his first start with the Indians since June 23 at Louisville tonight vs. Toledo. His past two appearances with Indy have come out of the bullpen, and combined he has allowed four runs in 7.0 innings. In splitting time between Indianapolis and Pittsburgh this season, Ponce has made nine starts in 13 appearances. In his career, Ponce has made 79 starts and 58 relief appearances. Those career splits are listed below.

Starter: 19-31, 4.32 ERA, 374.2 IP, 395 H, 220 R, 180 ER, 41 HR, 100 BB, 311 K, 1.32 WHIP, .270 AVG

Reliever: 5-5, 3.39 ERA, 114.0 IP, 95 H, 52 R, 43 ER, 9 HR, 35 BB, 124 K, 1.14 WHIP, .224 AVG

BACK AGAIN: Drew Hutchison returns to Victory Field for the second time this season after calling the Circle City home in 2016-17. He joined the Indians in Aug. 2016 and spent the 2017 campaign here, going 10-10 with a 3.73 ERA (81er/195.1ip) and 152 strikeouts in an Indians uniform. His first outing against the Indians this season was his first trip to Victory Field since May 16, 2019, when he earned the win with one unearned run allowed in 6.0 inning with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

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 9-14. 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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