
Game Information: Indianapolis Indians (43-49) at Toledo Mud Hens (52-40)
August 20, 2021 - International League (IL)
Indianapolis Indians News Release
LOCATION: Fifth Third Field
FIRST PITCH: 7:05 PM ET
GAME #93 / Road #51: Indianapolis Indians (43-49) at Toledo Mud Hens (52-40)
PROBABLES: RHP Max Kranick (1-3, 5.91) vs. RHP Pedro Payano (2-4, 5.61)
RADIO: FoxSportsIndy.com / Fox Sports 1260 / iHeart app
TV: MiLB TV
LAST NIGHT: Two Toledo home runs handed the Indians their fourth consecutive loss last night, 5-2. Kody Clemens began the scoring with his 12th home run of the season, his fourth against Indianapolis, to give the Mud Hens a 1-0 lead in the second inning. After trailing their opponents for 31.0 consecutive innings dating back to Aug. 15, the Indians tied the game in the top of the fifth inning with an RBI triple off the bat of Erik Gonzalez to score Jared Oliva. Toledo wasted no time and jumped back into the lead in the bottom half of the fifth with a two-run home run by Aderlin Rodriguez and tacked on two more in the eighth. Indy threatened in the top of the ninth with the bases loaded and one out, scoring one on a long sacrifice fly off the bat of Bligh Madris. With runners in scoring position, Wladimir Pinto shut down the rally with a strikeout of Christian Bethancourt. .
FEELIN' GOOD: Shelby Miller tossed a pair of perfect innings with three strikeouts last night in his third appearance since being activated from the 7-day injured list on Aug. 12. In those three appearances, he has thrown 5.0 near-perfect innings with just one baserunner allowed via walk and eight strikeouts. Since surrendering three earned runs in 1.2 innings against his former team, Iowa, on July 4, Miller has compiled a 3.00 ERA (3er/9.0ip) with a 0.78 WHIP, .156 average against (5-for-32) and 15 strikeouts. In 10 total Triple-A games (four starts) between Indianapolis and Iowa, he has gone 1-1 with a 3.43 ERA (8er/21.0ip), 1.00 WHIP, .158 average against (12-for-76) and 13.29 strikeouts per nine innings (31 K).
YOU KNOW YA-HOO: Miguel Yajure made his return to the Indians starting rotation last night after spending over two months on the injured list with right forearm soreness. He allowed one run via a solo home run and three total baserunners in the 4.0-inning outing with six strikeouts. Yajure began a rehab assignment with Single-A Bradenton on Aug. 6 and went 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA (3er/4.0ip) and five strikeouts in two starts. The 23-year-old is rated No. 24 among Pittsburgh's top 30 prospects according to MLB Pipeline and has been reliable for both Pittsburgh and Indianapolis this season. In four starts with Indianapolis, he owns a 3.43 ERA (8er/21.0ip) and 23 strikeouts, with five of those earned runs coming in one outing.
LOSING TO TOLEDO: The Indians have now lost five consecutive games against the Mud Hens, their longest such streak since losing as many against Toledo from June 22-Aug. 11, 2007. Indianapolis hasn't lost more than five straight games against Toledo in the Victory Field era.
TONIGHT: The Indians will seek their first win in the six-game series at Toledo tonight at 7:05 PM ET. After the Indians took five of six games from their former International League West opponent to open the season and entered this week with 7-5 record on the season against Toledo, the Mud Hens have now inched ahead to an 8-7 lead. Indy has finished with a .500 record or above at Fifth Third Field in eight of 10 seasons going back to 2010 and will have to take each of the next three games to continue the streak. RHP Beau Sulser will take the mound for his third career start vs. Toledo. For the Mud Hens, RHP Pedro Payano will look to continue his success against the Indians after allowing just one run in 8.0 innings in two outings at Victory Field this season.
MAD MAX, FURY ON THE ROAD: Of eight Triple-A starts this season for Max Kranick, only one has come on the road. He traveled to Nashville and earned his first Triple-A win on June 12, tossing 5.0 one-hit innings with a season-high nine strikeouts at Horizon Park.
HENDRICKSON'S '04 CGSHO: On this date in 2004, Indians starter Ben Hendrickson tossed his second complete game of the season and the team's first 9.0-inning complete game since 2002 in a 1-0 shutout win vs. Toledo. It was his 10th of a team-leading 11 wins on the season and he allowed just two hits, one walk and struck out six. The Indians team MVP that season was named the International League Most Valuable Pitcher after he also led the league with a 2.02 ERA (28er/125.0ip) in 21 starts.
REHABBERS ON THE MOUND: Sam Howard made his first rehab appearance with the Indians on Tuesday and allowed one hit, one walk and struck out one batter in 0.2 innings pitched. The southpaw was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right oblique strain on July 13. He appeared in 38 games with the Pirates this season prior to his injury and went 2-2 with a 5.76 ERA (19er/29.2ip) and 41 strikeouts. Howard is the fifth Pirates pitcher to rehab with Indianapolis this season and combined they have gone 0-3 with a 3.06 ERA (11er/32.1ip), 20 hits, 11 walks and 31 strikeouts. The first four pitchers' individual lines are listed below.
LHP Steven Brault - 0-1, 1.64 ERA (2er/11.0ip), 6h, 1bb, 9k
LHP Austin Davis - 0-0, 0.00 ERA (0er/5.1ip), 0h, 0bb, 1k
RHP Chad Kuhl - 0-0, 1.42 ERA (1er/6.1ip), 2h, 3bb, 9k
RHP Luis Oviedo - 0-2, 8.00 ERA (8er/9.0ip), 11h, 6bb, 11k
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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
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