Long Balls Lift Indians out of Cubs Reach
May 7, 2021 - International League (IL) - Indianapolis Indians News Release
DES MOINES, IOWA - Chris Sharpe sent his first Triple-A home run over the left field wall and into the Principal Park parking lot to put the Indianapolis Indians up 3-0 early en route to a 5-4 win over the Iowa Cubs on Thursday night.
Indianapolis (2-1) sparked the offense with a controversial, one-out triple off the bat of Cole Tucker. Called fair by the first-base umpire, the play resulted in Cubs manager Marty Pevey's first ejection of the year following an argument surrounding the call. Tucker later came in to score, putting the Indians up 1-0 in the first.
A leadoff walk in the second set up the chance for Sharpe to continue to show off the power he has built throughout three seasons in the minors. His two-run shot put Iowa out of reach as the Cubs took one run back in the bottom of the second, but neither offense was done yet.
The teams traded runs in the third before Iowa (1-2) cut Indy's lead to just one run with a two-out homer off the bat of P.J. Higgins in the fifth. Troy Stokes Jr. then put an exclamation point on the win for the Indians with the team's first pinch-hit home run since July 1, 2019.
Stokes Jr.'s home run proved to be important come the ninth inning. The Indianapolis bullpen shut down the Cubs offense and allowed just one run from the sixth through eighth innings before Iowa threatened again with one run scored in the ninth.
LHP Joe Jacques (W, 1-0) tossed 1.1 hitless innings after starter RHP Cody Ponce exited through 2.2 innings. RHP Jandel Gustave (S, 2) caught Jose Lobaton looking to close out the game and clinch his second save in as many appearances.
After going hitless in his first two games, Tucker not only led off the scoring but led the Indians with a 2-for-4 performance, a triple, two runs scored and a stolen base. Both of Tucker's hits came off RHP Cory Abbott (L, 0-1), who fanned eight batters over 6.0 innings.
The Indians and I-Cubs meet again tomorrow night in another 8:08 PM ET first pitch start at Principal Park. RHP James Marvel returns from the taxi squad to make his first start of the season, while the Cubs have yet to name a starter.
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