Indians Earn First Win of 2025 Behind Malcom Nuñez Walk-Off

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Indians Earn First Win of 2025 Behind Malcom Nuñez Walk-Off

April 3, 2025 - International League (IL)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


INDIANAPOLIS - Malcom Nuñez smoked a ground ball fielders' choice in the bottom of the eighth inning to defeat the Iowa Cubs, 7-6, in Thursday's split doubleheader opener and give the Indianapolis Indians their first win of the 2025 season.

With the Indians (1-2) leading 6-0 through five, Iowa (2-2) stormed back to knot the game with a five-run sixth and game-tying seventh. In the bottom of the eighth, a wild pitch by Brandon Hughes (L, 0-2) moved Henry Davis, acting as the automatic runner at second base to begin the inning, 90 feet away. With one out, Nuñez roped a hard-hit ground ball to third base, and catcher Carlos Pérez bobbled the assist from Ben Cowles to score Davis safely.

The Indians early 6-0 lead came courtesy of three home runs from Nick Solak, DJ Stewart and Matt Gorski, with the latter two coming consecutively. After recording just one extra-base hit in each of their first two games, the Indians logged five of their six hits in the contest for extra bases. Nick Yorke collected two doubles alongside the team's three long balls.

Starting pitcher Bubba Chandler made his season debut, tossing 2.2 shutout innings with three walks and four strikeouts before exiting at 52 pitches. Drake Fellows inherited a bases-loaded jam following Chandler's departure, inducing an inning-ending pop up by Moises Ballesteros to preserve the scoreless outing. Reliever Ryder Ryan (W, 1-0) earned the win after blanking the Cubs in the top of the eighth by stranding the automatic runner that began the frame at second base.

Cubs starter Caleb Kilian allowed six hits and six earned runs over 2.1 innings, marking the second time in three career appearances opposite Indianapolis that he has allowed six earned runs.

The six-game series continues tonight with Game 2 of the split doubleheader scheduled to begin at 6:35 PM ET. RHP Braxton Ashcraft (0-1, 8.10) takes the mound for his second start of the season with RHP Cade Horton (0-0, -.--) making his season debut for the I-Cubs.

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