IL1 Indianapolis Indians

Game Information: Indianapolis Indians (50-49) at Syracuse Mets (50-50)

July 23, 2019 - International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


The Indians begin a six-game road trip this evening against Syracuse.

LOCATION: NBT Bank Stadium

FIRST PITCH: 6:35 p.m. ET

GAME #100 / ROAD #49: Indianapolis Indians (50-49) at Syracuse Mets (50-50)

PROBABLES: RHP Eduardo Vera (5-8, 6.64) vs. LHP Anthony Kay (1-3, 6.66)

RADIO: FoxSportsIndy.com / AM 1260 / iHeart app

TV: MiLB TV

SUNDAY: Will Craig and JB Shuck launched 401-foot solo homers in the fifth and seventh inning to rally the Indians to a 3-1 win over Durham on Sunday. Pablo Reyes singled, stole second and scored on a Jason Martin single in the eighth for an insurance run. Durham scored its only run of the game in the first inning. Lucius Fox hit a leadoff single, swiped second base and moved to third on the first of two wild pitches thrown by Mitch Keller. Kevin Padlo then brought him home on a groundout to shortstop. Dovydas Neverauskas (W, 2-1) had a bounce back performance on the bump, throwing two scoreless innings in relief of Keller (6.0ip, 4h, 1r, 1er, 0bb, 5k) to earn the win. Montana DuRapau (S, 8) allowed one hit and struck out the side in the ninth for the save.

RUNNING OF THE BULLS: The Tribe took the final two games in their weekend series against Durham (8-3 and 3-1), giving them a series win over the Bulls for the first time since winning a pair of three-game sets in 2016. Indy was 0-5-1 in its previous six series against Durham. The three-game series win was also Indy's first three-game series triumph since taking 2 of 3 at Pawtucket (June 21-23).

CALL IT A COMEBACK: The Indians overcame an early 1-0 deficit on Sunday for their 23rd comeback win of the season, three off last year's total of 26 comeback victories. The come-from-behind win was Indy's first in a week (7-4 win on July 14 at Columbus) and fourth of the month (also: 7-6 win on July 1 at Louisville; 4-3 win in Game 1 of a doubleheader on July 5 vs. Toledo).

TWO-PLUS BOMBS: The Indians ripped two home runs on Sunday, marking the eighth time this season where they've hit two or more homers in a game at Victory Field (4-4 in those games). Indy is 16-10 when hitting two-plus homers, 21-16 when hitting exactly one and 13-23 when going homerless.

KELLER CONSISTENT: RHP Mitch Keller delivered another quality start on Sunday, his eighth in 17 starts for the Tribe this year, tied with RHP Alex McRae for most on the team. The Tribe improved to 10-7 when the 23-year-old gets the nod, as well. Keller ranks among IL leaders in ERA (1st, 3.10), strikeouts (1st, 106), WHIP (3rd, 1.24), average against (4th, .238), starts (T-6th, 17) and innings pitched (8th, 93.0).

THE LONG BALL: The Indians have belted 103 home runs this season (13th in IL, Toledo at 97 HR), just one shy of matching their 2017 and 2018 season totals. Indy is on pace for 146 home runs as a team, which would be the highest single-season total since 2005 when the Tribe hit 157 bombs. Additionally, 47 of Indy's 103 home runs this year have come at Victory Field, the highest amount in a season since 2012 (47). The Tribe are on pace for 65 homers at Victory Field, which would also be the highest amount since 2005 when Indy hit 81 dingers at The Vic. Will Craig is Indy's leader with 19 long balls, one shy of his career-high 20 set in 2018 with Double-A Altoona. His 19 homers hit is the second-highest, single-season total for a Tribe player since 2006, trailing only Brandon Moss (22 in 2010).

BY THE NUMBERS - 13 of 41: Going off records entering play today, Indy only has 13 of its remaining 41 games against IL teams at or over .500. They play three at Syracuse (50-50), three at Durham (59-42) and seven at home vs. Columbus (59-40). Fifteen of Indy's 28 games against sub-.500 teams will be on the road.

KELA ENDS REHAB: RHP Keone Kela ended his MLB rehab assignment with the Tribe and was reinstated from the 60-day injured list by Pittsburgh prior to its game last night vs. St. Louis. In four games (one start) with Indy, Kela posted a 13.50 ERA (5er/3.1ip) with seven strikeouts. Since being acquired by the Pirates from Texas at the July 31, 2018 deadline, Kela owns a 3.67 ERA (11er/27.0ip) in 30 appearances for the Buccos.

TEAM CANADA: OF Eric Wood was reinstated from Indy's 7-day injured list and placed on the temporary inactive list. The Toronto, Ontario native will be playing for Team Canada in the Pan-Am Games that begin on Monday, July 29 in Lima, Peru. Team Canada will open up Group B pool play vs. Argentina. Wood hasn't seen live game action since July 7 with Indy and is hitting .226 (36-for-159) with eight homers, eight doubles and 24 RBI in 57 games this year.

PAPA LYONS: LHP Tyler Lyons was placed on the paternity list yesterday as he and his wife Jennifer are expecting to welcome a second child to the family. The two have one daughter, Savannah (born Nov. 30, 2017). Lyons is the first Tribe player to be placed on the paternity list this season.

IL NORTH ROAD TRIP: The Indians open a six-game road trip (3 at SYR, 3 at ROC) tonight against the Mets, the last of three IL North road trips in 2019. Indy went to Scranton/WB and Lehigh Valley from May 7-12, losing 2 of 3 to the RailRiders before winning a rain-shortened series over Lehigh Valley, 2 games to 0. From June 18-23, Indy traveled to Buffalo and Pawtucket and lost 2 of 3 to the Bisons before taking 2 of 3 from the PawSox. Overall, Indy is 10-14 against IL North teams, going 4-9 at Victory Field and 6-5 on the road.

NO PARKA NECESSARY: Indy's last trip to NBT Bank Stadium came in April 2018 when weather conditions were arctic. The Tribe played just two of their four games in Buffalo as the last two games of the trip were postponed due to icy, cold conditions, and the poor weather continued onto Syracuse where the series opener was postponed due to inclement weather. Indy won the first game of a scheduled doubleheader on April 16, 4-2, but the second game was postponed due to snow. On the last day of the trip, Indy was blanked 5-0 and 7-0, and the Tribe were no-hit in the first game of that twin bill.

BIG JAKE: UTIL Jake Elmore is batting .359 (83-for-231) with four homers, 22 doubles and 23 RBI in 70 games for Indy. The 32-year-old journeyman has also enjoyed the friendly confines of Victory Field, hitting .398 (43-for-108) with a .996 OPS in 36 home games. Elmore hit .390 in April, .382 in May and .297 in June. This month, his average rests at .375 (21-for-56) through 17 games.

RED-HOT HAYES: 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes has hit safely in eight of nine games out of the All-Star break and 12 of his last 14 games overall, batting .310 (18-for-58) with three homers, two doubles, six RBI and 11 runs scored during the 14-game stretch. The two-time Gold Glove winner leads all third basemen (MiLB and MLB) in fielding percentage (.988, 2 errors in 167 total chances). Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado has the second-best fielding percentage at .982.

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