
Game Information: Indianapolis Indians (54-62) vs. St. Paul Saints (61-56)
September 17, 2021 - International League (IL)
Indianapolis Indians News Release
LOCATION: Victory Field
FIRST PITCH: 7:05 PM ET
GAME #117 / Home #58: Indianapolis Indians (54-62) vs. St. Paul Saints (61-56)
PROBABLES: RHP Miguel Yajure (1-3, 3.58) vs. RHP Jason Garcia (0-0, 14.40)
RADIO: FoxSportsIndy.com / Fox Sports 1260 / iHeart app
TV: MiLB TV
LAST NIGHT: The Indians were shut out for the ninth time this season last night, 8-0. With a 4-0 lead after a two-run fifth inning, St. Paul broke the game open with four runs in the sixth inning. Jose Miranda highlighted the frame with a rocket two-run homer down into the left-field corner to cap the frame. Keury Mella, Matt Eckelman and Hunter Stratton combined for three scoreless innings for the Indians after James Marvel was charged with all eight runs (five earned) in six innings. John Nogowski and Phillip Evans each singled as the only two Indians hits in the game.
THE BIG NOGOWSKI: John Nogowski singled as one of the Indians two hits last night and has now reached base safely in 15 of 16 games dating back to Aug. 29. He has hit safely in eight of his last nine games with an official at-bat, good for a .370 average (10-for-27) since Sept. 5. Since Aug. 29, Nogowski is hitting .267 (12-for-45) with 10 RBI, all of which have come in his last nine games, a .424 on-base percentage and 12 walks to seven strikeouts. The first baseman was traded from St. Louis to Pittsburgh in exchange for cash on July 3 and compiled a .261 batting average (29-for-111) in 33 games with the Pirates before being designated for assignment and outrighted to Indy on Aug. 19.
STREAK SNAPPED: Bligh Madris had his team-high 15-game hitting streak snapped last night with an 0-for-3 showing, but extended his on-base streak to 17 consecutive games with a walk in the fifth inning. Since Aug. 27, the beginning of his on-base streak, Madris is hitting .355 (22-for-62) with a .414 on-base percentage and .946 OPS. It is the second longest on-base streak by an Indians player this season, trailing Anthony Alford's 25 games from June 1-July 20. During that stretch, Alford hit .415 (34-for-82) with a .538 on-base percentage and 1.258 OPS.
TUCU ON BASE: Tucupita Marcano, who celebrated his 22nd birthday yesterday, extended his on-base streak to 15 games with a single on Wednesday. His streak is tied for the third longest by an Indians player this season, trailing Anthony Alford's 25-gamer and Bligh Madris' current 17-game on-base streak. In that time frame, he is hitting .300 (18-for-60) with a .382 on-base percentage, nine runs scored, five stolen bases and eight walks to 10 strikeouts.
SCORELESS VS. THE SAINTS: Keury Mella and Hunter Stratton each tossed scoreless frames for the Indians last night, extending their respective scoreless streaks vs. the Saints this season. They have each appeared in five games against St. Paul since joining the Indians, with Mella allowing two hits over 5.0 innings, and Stratton allowing five hits over 8.1 innings with 10 strikeouts.
TONIGHT: The Indians will look for their first win of the six-game series vs. St. Paul tonight at 7:05 PM ET. This series marks Indy's final six-gamer of the regularly scheduled 2021 campaign, as it will end the season with two five-game series from Sept. 22-Oct. 3. In the Indians first season since 1960 with the St. Paul Saints as an opponent, they are 9-12 with a 2-7 record vs. the Saints in the Circle City. In 1960, St. Paul left Indianapolis with a record of 8-3. RHP Miguel Yajure will take the mound for his second start vs. the Saints this season (also: 5/20, W; 6.0ip, 3h, 1r, 1er, 5k). RHP Jason Garcia will be making his third start with St. Paul this season.
ICE HORSE RETURNS: Yesterday, Michael Chavis appeared in the Indians lineup as the designated hitter to begin his rehab assignment. He was placed on the 10-day injured list on Aug. 31 (retroactive to Aug. 29) with a right elbow strain. He appeared in six games with Pittsburgh after being recalled from Indy on Aug. 23 and hit .364 (8-for-22) with a .591 slugging percentage and .954 OPS. Chavis was traded from Boston to Pittsburgh on July 30 in exchange for LHP Austin Davis, and he made his Pirates organization debut with Indianapolis on Aug. 4 (2) at Iowa. In 17 games for the Indians, he hit .246 (17-for-69) with five home runs, one of which was a two-run walk-off home run against the Saints on Aug. 10.
YOU'RE NEW HERE: Today, Pittsburgh transferred 21-year-old catcher Luis Hernandez from the Florida Complex League (rookie-level) to Indianapolis and is active for tonight's game vs. St. Paul. Hernandez was signed by Pittsburgh as a non-drafted free agent on Oct. 2, 2018 and has played in 58 total minor league games in his career with the DSL Pirates in 2018 and FCL Pirates Black in 2021. This season, Hernandez is hitting .184 (14-for-76) and has caught 32.1 percent of runners attempting to steal in 113.1 innings behind the dish.
COUNTDOWN TO 200: Brian Esposito currently has a record of 193-203 in three years as manager of the Indians, which ranks 15th all time in franchise history. To reach the milestone of 200 wins, he will have to lead the team to at least a 7-6 record (.500) over the last 13 games against three teams with winning records (St. Paul, three games; Omaha, five games; Nashville, five games). Indianapolis is Esposito's fourth club of his managerial career (also: Short-Season A Jamestown, 2014; Single-A West Virginia, 2015-16; Short-Season A West Virginia, 2017), and in total he has a career record of 426-398.
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