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IL Indianapolis Indians

Game Information: Omaha Storm Chasers (1-0) vs. Indianapolis Indians (0-1)

April 1, 2023 - International League (IL)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


LOCATION: Victory Field

FIRST PITCH: 1:35 PM ET

GAME #2 / Home #2: Omaha Storm Chasers (1-0) vs. Indianapolis Indians (0-1)

PROBABLES: LHP Austin Cox (0-0, -.--) vs. LHP Caleb Smith (0-0, -.--)

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

TV: MiLB TV / Bally Sports app

ABOUT LAST NIGHT: Endy RodrÌguez cranked the first pitch thrown to him over the right-field wall to spark a five-run first inning, but the Omaha Storm Chasers countered with four runs in the top of the ninth to defeat the Indianapolis Indians on Opening Night at Victory Field, 8-6. Following a leadoff double by Travis Swaggerty to kick off the 2023 campaign, RodrÌguez put the Indians up two runs early. With two outs, Cal Mitchell, Mark Mathias and Malcom Nuñez strung together consecutive singles to extend the lead. Tucupita Marcano then roped a two-run double to cap off the opening frame's offensive outpouring. The Storm Chasers tightened the game slowly, scoring one in the fifth inning, two in the seventh and one in the eighth. Indianapolis' countered with Nuñez's second RBI single of the night to score Chavez Young in the bottom of the penultimate inning. After three singles loaded the bases to begin the ninth inning against Yerry De Los Santos, an error and bases-loaded walk tied the game at 6-6. A two-run single by leadoff batter Samad Taylor clinched the Omaha victory with still only one out recorded.

ENDY LIFTS OFF IN INDY: Endy RodrÌguez picked up where he left off last season in Indianapolis with his first-inning blast onto the right field berm on opening night. Through his first seven career Triple-A games, he is hitting .407 (11-for-27) with two doubles, a triple, two home runs and 10 RBI. He enters the 2023 season rated as Pittsburgh's No. 1 prospect and No. 22 overall by Baseball America. The switch-hitting catcher is coming off one of the most impressive seasons in all of Minor League Baseball. He finished the 2022 campaign ranked among minor league leaders in OPS (5th, .997), doubles (T-6th, 39), slugging-percentage (8th, .590), extra-base hits (T-8th, 68) and total bases (T-9th, 270). He spent the season among three clubs: High-A Greensboro (88 games), Double-A Altoona (31 games) and Indianapolis (six games). With Greensboro, he hit .302 (96-for-318) with 23 doubles, three triples, 16 home runs, 55 RBI, .544 slugging-percentage and a .936 OPS ñ he would later be named the South Atlantic League MVP. The 22-year-old hit .356 (42-for-118) with 14 doubles, eight home runs and 32 RBI with Altoona before his promotion to Indy on Sept. 20. After his breakout season, he was named Baseball America Pittsburgh Minor League Player of the Year and the Pirate's Young Bucs Honus Wagner Player of the Year.

PROSPECTUS: The Indians Opening Day roster features 10 of Pittsburgh's top 30 prospects (Baseball America). Among those names are Endy Rodriguez (PIT No. 1) and Luis Ortiz (PIT No. 4) who are rated as the No. 22 and No. 74 prospects in Minor League Baseball. Other names include INFs Nick Gonzales (No. 8), Jared Triolo (No. 15), Malcom Nunez (No. 21), RHPs Quinn Priester (No. 5), Mike Burrows (No. 9), Carmen Mlodzinski (No. 22), Cody Bolton (No. 23) and Colin Selby (No. 26).

FLAME THROWER: Hard-throwing right-hander Luis Ortiz got the nod on opening night and tossed 3.2 scoreless innings. Ortiz has ascended from Pittsburgh's No. 22 prospect in 2022 to their No. 4 going into the 2023 season - Pittsburgh's highest rated pitching prospect - according to Baseball America. Ortiz was promoted to Indianapolis on Sept. 1 and made two starts, allowing eight runs (four earned) in 10.0 innings with 12 strikeouts. Pittsburgh selected his contract on Sept. 13 and debuted with 5.2 scoreless frames at Cincinnati later that day.

TODAY: The Indians will look to capture their first win of the season and bounce back from last night's Opening Night loss to the Storm Chasers today at 1:35 PM ET. Southpaw Caleb Smith will take the mound for the Indians and the Storm Chasers will counter with a southpaw of their own, Austin Cox. Today will be Smith's first career appearance versus the Storm Chasers. This will be Cox's fifth start against Indianapolis, in his first four, he is 0-1 with a 5.50 (11er/18.0ip) and .274 (20-for-73) average against. His last start against Indy came on Sept. 8, 2022, when he tossed 6.0 one-run innings on five hits, a walk and eight strikeouts.

SMITH TAKES THE HILL: Southpaw Caleb Smith is slated to take the mound today, in his first appearance with the Pirates organization. The 31-year-old spent the majority of last season with Arizona ñ appearing in 44 games (one start) with a 4.11 ERA (32er/70.0ip) and a .218 average against. He made only two starts in 2022, in season debut on April 10 vs. San Diego and again on a rehab assignment with GCL Diamondbacks on Aug. 23. Smith was at his best against lefties last season, he did not surrender a home run and opponents hit .170 (16-for-94). He made an additional four relief appearances with Triple-A Reno, allowing only one run in 9.2 innings with eight punchouts.

EXTRA BASES: Five of Indy's 11 hits last night went for extra-bases ñ including four doubles and a home run. Nick Gonzales, Mark Mathias, Tucupita Marcano and Travis Swaggerty each notched a double on opening night, and Endy RodrÌguez belted the teams' first home run of the season.

FRESH FACE: Pittsburgh's No. 8 prospect, Nick Gonzales, made his Triple-A debut on Friday night and went 2-for-5 with a double. Gonzales is a former seventh overall selection by Pittsburgh in the 2020 First-Year Player Draft out of New Mexico State (Las Cruces). The 23-year-old second baseman was limited during the 2022 season due to a foot injury; he played in 71 games with Double-A Altoona and hit .263 (68-for-259) with 20 doubles, seven home runs and 33 RBI. In his freshman campaign with High-A Greensboro in 2021, he hit .302 (98-for-324) with 23 doubles, four triples, 18 home runs and a .950 OPS.

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