IL Indianapolis Indians

Game Information: Indianapolis Indians (5-4) vs. Toledo Mud Hens (3-6)

Published on May 15, 2021 under International League (IL)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


LOCATION: Victory Field

FIRST PITCH: 7:05 PM ET

GAME #10 / Home #5: Indianapolis Indians (5-4) vs. Toledo Mud Hens (3-6)

PROBABLES: RHP Steven Wright (0-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Rony Garcia (0-0, 4.50)

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

TV: MiLB TV / My-INDYTV 23

LAST NIGHT: Trailing 2-1 after six, the Indians mounted their first comeback win of the season with a four-run eighth to take a 6-2 win over Toledo in the fourth game of the series. Andrew Susac hit his second home run of the season into the left field lawn to tie the game in the seventh before a game-winning RBI single by Christian Bethancourt sparked Indy's offensive burst. The Indians were out-hit by the Mud Hens, 11-8, and left eight runners on base after receiving seven walks, but strung together opportunities for the win. Shea Spitzbarth earned his first win of the season as part of a scoreless bullpen performance combined with Braeden Ogle and Jandel Gustave.

TONIGHT: The Indians go for their second consecutive win after beating Toledo in comeback fashion last night. RHP Steven Wright makes his first start since 2019 after beginning the season in Indianapolis' bullpen. RHP Rony Garcia is set to face off against the knuckleballer after making his season debut on 5/7 (2) vs. Nashville (4.0ip, 3h, 2r, 2er, 2hr, 3bb, 5k).

COMEBACK WINS: Following the Indians comeback win over Toledo last night, 245 of the team's 471 regular-season comeback victories dating back to 2005 have come when down just one run. Against Toledo, the Indians have put together three comeback victories of five runs, a high when facing that opponent. Those three games are listed below.

6/25/10 vs. TOL: Trailed 5-0 through the top of the third and scored six runs on five hits in the sixth inning. Jeff Clement went 2-for-5 with five RBI and the Indians won, 9-8.

6/12/08 at TOL: Trailed 6-1 through six innings and scored five runs in the seventh, one in the eighth and one in the ninth for an 8-6 win. Ronny Paulino hit a one-out grand slam in the seventh and Steve Pearce and Brian Bixler had three hits apiece.

7/2/06 at TOL: Trailed 5-0 entering the eighth inning, scored six runs on three walks and four hits in the ninth inning for a 7-6 win. The Indians batted around in the ninth inning and all runs crossed home plate with two outs.

BATTING AT THE BOTTOM: Seven of the Indians eight hits and all five RBI last night came from four of the bottom five batters in the lineup en route to the win over Toledo. Anthony Alford, Christian Bethancourt and Andrew Susac, hitting sixth through eighth, respectively, each had two hits and Susac drove in two runs. Bethancourt, after driving in the winning run with a single, is 3-for-9 with two runs, a double, home run and two RBI in his first two games with the Indians. Alford has recorded back-to-back multi-hit games and four RBI in his past two games.

PITCHING PERFORMS: After holding Toledo to a pair of runs last night, the Indians pitching staff now ranks second in the Triple-A East with a 2.94 ERA (26er/79.2ip). The two runs allowed was the least surrendered by the team since Opening Day at Iowa when Chase De Jong and the bullpen combined for a 3-0 shutout. This series, Indy has held Toledo to less than four runs in three of four games and is 3-0 in those contests. After surrendering seven home runs to Iowa in five games to open the season, the Indians have allowed two dingers this series.

WRIGHT RETURNS: RHP Steven Wright makes his first start since June 16, 2019 tonight vs. Toledo. His last start was at Victory Field as a member of the Pawtucket Red Sox when he tossed 2.0 innings with one run allowed on two hits and two walks. The 36-year-old knuckleballer has battled with injuries for the majority of his past three seasons (2017-19) with the Boston Red Sox. In 2016, he led all qualifying American League pitchers with a 2.68 ERA (34er/114.0ip) at the All-Star break, as well as ranking among league leaders in complete games (T-1st, 3), average against (4th, .225) and wins (T-5th, 10).

SWAGGERTY AT THE TOP: Travis Swaggerty, Pittsburgh's No. 14 prospect by Baseball America, has homered to lead off two games so far for the Indians, on Opening Day at Iowa and Victory Field's home opener. Swaggerty is the first Indians batter to have multiple leadoff bombs in the same season since Kevin Newman and Max Moroff in 2018. In 2019, Swaggerty spent 89 games in the first spot of Bradenton's lineup and compiled a .259 batting average (88-for-340) with six home runs and 26 RBI. Leading off for Bradenton, he hit .266 (46-for-173) with six extra-base hits, 21 RBI and 46 runs scored.

HOME SWEET HOME: The Indians returned to Victory Field Tuesday for the first time in 619 days to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the park opening its gates in 1996. Throughout the past 25 years (beginning on July 11, 1996), the Indians are 927-757 at the corner of West and Maryland Street. The team's best home record during that time came in the first full season at the new ballpark, when it compiled a 49-23 record. The worst record came just a season ago, when the Indians went 32-38 with its first sub-.500 home record since 2003 (35-37).

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