IL1 Indianapolis Indians

Indians Clip Columbus, Extend Division Lead

Published on August 1, 2018 under International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


COLUMBUS, OHIO - Erich Weiss hit a go-ahead single in the sixth, Tyler Eppler pitched into the seventh and the Indians sealed a series victory in Columbus with a 5-4 win on Wednesday night. The series win was Indy's first at Huntington Park since mid-May last season and extended the Tribe's IL West Division lead over both Columbus and Toledo to 3.5 games.

One night after having three separate leads slip away, Indianapolis (60-49) gave the Clippers a taste of their own medicine by rallying from deficits of 2-0 and 3-2. After Jerrick Suiter tied the game at 3-3 with a sacrifice fly in the sixth, Weiss rolled a two-out pitch by Dominic DeMasi (L, 1-2) into center field to bring home Wyatt Mathisen from third.

Eppler posted a 1-2-3 frame in the bottom half and recorded two outs in the seventh before handing over to Casey Sadler (H, 2). With the tying run in scoring position, the 28-year-old Sadler retired Yandy Diaz on a sharp grounder up the middle thanks to a terrific diving stop by Kevin Kramer. His throw to first nailed Diaz by a half-step, but Kramer was forced to exit the game due to injury.

Sadler then pitched a scoreless eighth to set up a nail-biting finish. Pablo Reyes provided the Tribe with a big insurance run in the last frame, ripping his seventh homer to left off Josh Martin, but Columbus (56-52) had one final rally against Jesus Liranzo (S, 3). The Clippers loaded the bases with one away and inched within one run on a Diaz sacrifice fly to center, but Liranzo struck out Brandon Barnes to seal the save chance.

The Clippers settled for two runs in the fourth after loading the bases with no outs against Eppler. Yu Chang hit an RBI single that made it 1-0, but Eppler induced a double-play ball off the bat of Mike Papi to limit the damage.

Indy rallied in the fifth to draw even. Suiter singled and Weiss followed with a double, eventually leading to a two-run double by Max Moroff.

Diaz moved the Clippers back in front in the bottom of the fifth with his first sacrifice fly of the evening.

Eppler (W, 11-5) became the IL's first 11-game winner with 6.2 innings of three-run ball. The win was his first in five career games at Huntington Park.

Kramer, Weiss and Suiter each finished with two knocks. The two-hit game for Suiter was his sixth of the season, every one of them occurring in Columbus.

The Indians continue their seven-game road trip with the opener of a four-game series on Thursday night in Toledo. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. EDT. Right-hander Mitch Keller (0-1, 8.66) will face Mud Hens righty Jacob Turner (1-4, 4.56).

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International League Stories from August 1, 2018


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