IL1 Indianapolis Indians

Game Information: Indianapolis Indians (62-66) at Toledo Mud Hens (59-69)

Published on August 22, 2019 under International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


LOCATION: Fifth Third Field

FIRST PITCH: 6:35 p.m. ET

GAME #129 / ROAD #67: Indianapolis Indians (62-66) at Toledo Mud Hens (59-69)

PROBABLES: RHP Yefry Ramirez (2-5, 4.26) vs. RHP Victor Alcantara (0-0, 7.20)

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

TV: MiLB TV

LAST NIGHT: The Indians lost a heartbreaker in Game 1 of last night's doubleheader by a 9-8 final but bounced back for a 3-1 win in Game 2 to earn a split. Indy's Game 2 triumph was sparked by Mitchell Tolman's first two home runs at the Triple-A level, a solo shot from Jake Elmore and five innings of two-hit ball thrown by Cody Ponce (W, 1-1). Toledo scored its only run of the game on a Daz Cameron solo homer in the sixth off Yacksel Rios (S, 8). The Tribe mounted a 7-0 led just a half inning into the first contest, matching their largest inning of the season. The burst featured a two-run single by Eric Wood and three-run double off the bat of Jason Martin. The Mud Hens scored twice in the sixth to make it 8-4 and stunned the Tribe with a five-run seventh. Jeimer Candelario drove in the game-winning run with a two-out double into the right field corner, handing Geoff Hartlieb (L, 4-1) a tough-luck loss.

MULTI-HOMER MITCH: INF Mitchell Tolman cranked a pair of solo home runs in Game 2 on Wednesday night, the third two-homer game of his career and first since Aug. 23, 2017 with High-A Bradenton at Daytona. He also became the fourth Indian with a two-homer game this season -- all on the road -- joining Jacob Stallings (April 27 at CHA), Cole Tucker (June 20 at BUF) and Pablo Reyes (July 13 at COL). The 25-year-old Tolman has hit safely in three straight (.556, 5-for-9) with two dingers, one triple, one double, three RBI and five runs scored and has scored at least one run in four consecutive games, the fourth time he's accomplished that feat this season and first with Indy.

PARTY IN THE PONCE: RHP Cody Ponce made his second career Triple-A start in Game 2 last night and mastered the Mud Hens with five innings of scoreless ball. He yielded two hits and racked up a season-high eight strikeouts, two apiece in the first, second, fourth and fifth innings. Ponce's eight-strikeout performance marked his sixth career outing with eight or more strikeouts and was his first since May 29, 2017 with High-A Carolina vs. Myrtle Beach.

MCRAE'S DAY: RHP Alex McRae got the nod in Game 2 last night and delivered five innings of two-run ball, scattering six hits and one walk with eight strikeouts. He matched a season high in punchouts, with his other eight-K performances coming on May 22 at Louisville and June 27 vs. Columbus. McRae was in line for his team-high eighth win until Indy's bullpen surrendered seven runs over the final two innings.

KRAMER RETURNS: INF Kevin Kramer was reinstated from the 7-day IL today; he was placed on the IL with a right knee contusion on August 15. Kramer -- Indy's 2018 Rookie of the Year with a .311 average, 15 homers and 35 doubles -- is batting .255 with 10 dingers and 27 doubles this season. He has slipped in the second half with a .219 average but has matched his first half homer output with five blasts, despite playing in only 29 games (played in 75 in the first half).

CEDERLIND ARRIVES: RHP Blake Cederlind was transferred from Double-A Altoona to Indianapolis today. When he makes his Triple-A debut, he will become the 36th different player to pitch for Indy this season, setting a new franchise record. Cederlind, 23, began the season with High-A Bradenton and allowed just one earned run with two saves in 7.2 innings (1.17 ERA) before being transferred to the Curve, where he went 5-1 with two saves, a 1.77 ERA (9er/45.2ip), .191 average against and 1.03 WHIP in 31 appearances.

THAT'S AMORE: Today the Pittsburgh Pirates requested unconditional release waivers for C Francisco Cervelli. The 33-year-old was on a rehab assignment (concussion) with Indy for five games and hit .438 (7-for-16) with one homer, one double and three RBI. He also rehabbed with the Tribe in 2016 and hit .400 (4-for-10) in three games. Cervelli was acquired by Pittsburgh from the Yankees in November 2014 in exchange for LHP Justin Wilson. With the Buccos, he batted .251 with 19 homers, 126 RBI and a .720 OPS in 320 games and posted a .993 fielding percentage behind the plate while throwing out 25.7% (56-for-218) of basestealers.

J-MART: OF Jason Martin has hit safely in 18 of his last 23 games, posting a .321 average (27-for-84) with one triple, nine doubles, 16 RBI and nine runs scored. He is batting .299 (46-for-154) with three homers, one triple, 12 doubles and 27 RBI in 42 games since the beginning of July. Martin has also been one of Indy's more clutch hitters, batting .309 (25-for-81) with RISP.

ELMO: UTIL Jake Elmore has hit safely in 15 of his last 17 and 18 of his last 21 games overall, is hitting a league-best .344 (111-for-323), ranks third in OBP (.411) and is tied for fourth in doubles (30). Indy's last batting champion was Junior Noboa (.340) in 1989 and they have had just four batting titles since 1969 (also: Bernie Carbo in 1969, Gene Locklear in 1972, Dallas Williams in 1987). Elmore's .344 average for the season would be the highest single-season qualifying average by an Indy player since Williams hit .357 in 1987.

DOVY DOMINANCE: RHP Dovydas Neverauskas yielded one walk and struck out four over three hitless innings in relief Monday night. The outing was just the second of his career where he threw three-plus innings without allowing a hit (also: May 21, 2015 with Single-A WV Power vs. Delmarva, 5.0ip).

T-ROB: In 18 games since July 25, OF Trayvon Robinson is hitting .311 (19-for-61) with three homers, two doubles, 11 RBI and four runs scored. The 31-year-old's average rests at .307 and has been above .300 for all but a six-day stretch (April 5-10).

FIGHT FOR SECOND: The Indians have finished first, second or tied for second in seven of nine seasons this decade, with their lone third-place finishes coming in 2010 and 2016. Toledo has only placed ahead of Indy once in the IL West over the last nine seasons, doing so last year when the Mud Hens won the division and Indy tied for second with Columbus. The Indians lead the Mud Hens by three games in the IL West with 12 games remaining.

GRAB THE LEAD: Indy is 43-17 (.717) when scoring first and has scored first in 23 of 40 games since the break, compiling a 15-8 record. Only Columbus (51-19, .729) owns a better winning percentage in the IL when scoring first.

THE BALL FLIES: Indy is on pace to surrender a franchise record 156 home runs, which would break the current record of 145 HR allowed in 2005. The Tribe have given up 143 home runs through 128 games thus far (1.11 HR/game).

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International League Stories from August 22, 2019


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