Indians Overcome Seven-Run Deficit, Secure Biggest Comeback Win at Victory Field Since 2005

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Indians Overcome Seven-Run Deficit, Secure Biggest Comeback Win at Victory Field Since 2005

September 1, 2024 - International League (IL)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


INDIANAPOLIS - Chasing seven runs midway through the fifth inning, the Indianapolis Indians muscled up with four home runs - the last a tiebreaking two-run blast by Dylan Shockley in the seventh - to score nine unanswered runs in a stunning 10-9 comeback win over the Louisville Bats on Sunday afternoon at Victory Field. The come-from-behind win was Indy's largest at Victory Field since 2005.

After Fineas Del Bonta-Smith surrendered a pair of two-out, two-run homers in the top of the fifth inning that put Indy in an 8-1 hole and gave it a game-low win probability of 2.1%, the offense came alive. Indianapolis (32-24, 65-64) took chunks out of the deficit before it was gone, with Nick Yorke and Edward Olivares clubbing two-run shots in the fifth and sixth to pull the Indians within three. In the home half of the seventh, Billy Cook followed a Yorke leadoff single and Jake Lamb getting beaned with a 420-foot missile over the wall in center to tie the game. Later in the frame with the go-ahead run at third and two outs, Shockley greeted reliever Casey Legumina out of the bullpen with a bomb to left.

Trailing for the first time all day, Louisville (20-37, 58-73) responded in the eighth with a solo blast by Edwin Rios. Ryder Ryan (W, 1-1) prevented further damage, and Connor Sadzeck (S, 6) pitched around a single and hit-by-pitch in the ninth to nail down Indy's largest comeback win at the Vic since July 20, 2005, when the Indians trailed 9-0 midway through the second inning against Syracuse and stormed back for a 14-11 triumph.

Prior to the Indians' game-turning, four-homer barrage, the Bats built their 8-1 cushion with three runs in the first, one in the third and four in the fifth. In the opening frame, each of Louisville's first four batters reached base safely. Seth Beer hit a run-scoring single in the second for Indy to make it 3-1, but Francisco Urbaez doubled home Levi Jordan in the next half inning. Two innings later, Erik González and Blake Dunn hit towering two-run blasts onto the left field berm.

Reiver Sanmartin (L, 0-1) was charged with four earned runs for Louisville.

Yorke finished with a team-high three hits, and his home run was his first in 29 games with Indianapolis since being acquired by Pittsburgh near the end of July. He is batting .352 (38-for-108) with an .899 OPS in those contests.

Indy is 5-0 in games when hitting at least four home runs this season. The Indians' only other occurrence with four home runs at Victory Field this season came on May 18 vs. Toledo in a 16-10 win.

Indianapolis begins a six-game series on Labor Day at Fifth Third Field against Toledo at 4:05 PM. The Mud Hens will send LHP Andrew Vasquez (7-2, 4.40) to the bump while the Indians have yet to name a starter.

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