IL Indianapolis Indians

Game Information: Indianapolis Indians (51-56) vs. Louisville Bats (46-61)

September 7, 2021 - International League (IL)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


LOCATION: Louisville Slugger Field

FIRST PITCH: 6:30 PM ET

GAME #108 / Road #54: Indianapolis Indians (51-56) vs. Louisville Bats (46-61)

PROBABLES: RHP Max Kranick (2-4, 5.10) vs. RHP Hunter Greene (5-6, 3.61)

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

TV: MiLB TV

SUNDAY'S DOUBLEHEADER: The Indians won via their ninth walk-off of 2021 to open Sunday afternoon's doubleheader against the I-Cubs, 4-3, before being shutout in Game 2, 9-0. Diego Castillo doubled in the first game for the Indians only extra-base hit of 10 team hits on the day. Trailing 3-1 through the first six-and-a-half innings of the doubleheader opener, Indianapolis loaded the bases with one out before a walk to Bligh Madris and a Christian Bethancourt two-run single gave Indy the victory. The momentum didn't carry into the nightcap, and the Indians were held without a hit until the fifth inning of Joe Biagini's 6.2-inning effort.

MR. WALK-OFF: Christian Bethancourt called game in walk-off fashion for the fifth time this season in Game 1 of Sunday's doubleheader. Facing a 3-1 deficit with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, Bethancourt roped a two-run single over the head of I-Cubs center fielder Ian Miller to score Ka'ai Tom and Diego Castillo as the game-tying and winning runs. His last three walk-off hits have come against Iowa, on June 30 when he singled home T.J. Rivera in the bottom of the 11th inning and July 1 with a two-run single for a comeback win in the bottom of the 12th. All five of Bethancourt's walk-offs are listed below.

B9, 5/16 vs. TOL: 1B to CF to score Travis Swaggerty.

B11, 6/17 vs. MEM: 1B to CF to score Anthony Alford and Wilmer Difo (Difo dashed home for the winning run when time had not been called).

B11, 6/30 vs. IOW: 1B to RF to score T.J. Rivera.

B12, 7/1 vs. IOW: 1B to LCF to score Cole Tucker and Will Craig.

B7, 9/5 (1) vs. IOW: 1B to CF to score Ka'ai Tom and Diego Castillo.

SEVENTH HEAVEN: With three hits in Sunday's doubleheader, Tucupita Marcano extended his hitting streak to seven games dating back to Aug. 28 vs. Louisville. In that time frame, he is hitting .321 (9-for-28) with a .406 on-base percentage and four walks to two strikeouts. Marcano's discipline at the plate and speed on the basepaths has paid off for the Indians; he has gone 5-for-6 in stolen base attempts in 32 games with the Indians compared to 4-for-8 in 44 games with Triple-A El Paso.

EIGHT IS GREAT: Also since Aug. 28, Bligh Madris is riding an eight-game hitting streak. In that span, he is hitting .407 (11-for-27) with a .630 slugging percentage and 1.114 OPS. He was named the Indians August Player of the Month on Friday and has continued that success through the first five games in September. Since Aug. 1, Madris owns a .298 batting average (25-for-84) with 13 extra-base hits, 21 RBI and a 1.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio (15 walks, 15 strikeouts).

DIEGO ON A POWER TRIP: After tying a career high with four hits (eighth time in his career) on Thursday, Diego Castillo belted a solo home run in the ninth inning on Friday to complete the scoring. Castillo, 23, has 17 home runs (11 with Double-A Somerset, five with Double-A Altoona, one with Indy) in 392 plate appearances combined, an average of one home run per 23.1 plate appearances. From 2015-19, Castillo launched eight home runs in 1,926 plate appearances combined (1 HR every 240.8 PA). Castillo's previous career high for home runs in a single season was four (2019 with High-A Tampa).

TONIGHT: The Indians begin their final series with the Bats this season tonight at Louisville Slugger Field in a 6:30 PM ET start. After losing five straight contests vs. Louisville from June 26-Aug. 26, the Indians are on a three-game winning streak vs. the Bats to split their last series at Victory Field. Louisville currently leads the season series, seven games to five, after going 4-2 over the first six games at Louisville Slugger Field from June 22-27. The Indians haven't finished below .500 against the Bats in the season series since 2016 and will have to win four of the remaining six games between the two teams to continue that streak. RHP Max Kranick will face off against RHP Hunter Greene to kick off the series. In two starts against Indy this season, Greene is 2-0 with nine strikeouts in 10.0 scoreless innings.

MAD MAX, FURY ROAD: Max Kranick will look to continue his scoreless streak in road games tonight at Louisville. The right-hander has yet to allow a run in 11.0 innings on the road this season at Nashville (5.0ip, June 12) and Toledo (6.0ip, Aug. 20). In his last road start with Indy, he tossed his first career Triple-A quality start (6.0ip, 4h, 0r, 3k). He is 2-0 and has only surrendered five hits and three walks with 12 strikeouts in two away contests.

FINAL STRETCH: The Indians final 16 games beginning on Sept. 14 vs. St. Paul are against teams currently with a winning record on the season. They will face off against St. Paul (Sept. 14-19), Omaha (Sept. 22-26) and Nashville (Sept. 30-Oct. 3) to close out the season. Against those three teams combined this season, Indy is 15-21.

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