Simon's Historic Smash and Six-Run First Inning Seal Indians Victory

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Simon's Historic Smash and Six-Run First Inning Seal Indians Victory

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


LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Indianapolis Indians scored six runs in the top of the first inning to rout the Louisville Bats, 11-3, on Thursday night at Louisville Slugger Field. Ronny Simon hit his fourth leadoff homer of the season, setting a single-season Victory Field era record. He became the second player in the era to hit leadoff homers in back-to-back games, joining Brian Bixler on July 6-7, 2009.

The Indians (6-3, 48-35), burst out of gate when Simon launched Jose Franco's (L, 1-1) first pitch into right center field for a 1-0 lead. He is now tied for second with Max Moroff in Indy leadoff homers in the Victory Field era, trailing Ji Hwan Bae's franchise record of five.

The Indians scored five more runs in the frame. After Nick Solak singled and Jack Suwinski walked, Nick Yorke drove home Solak on an RBI fielder's choice. Yorke stole second and Malcom Nuñez walked, setting up Liover Peguero to bring home Suwinski on another fielder's choice RBI. Franco then exited the game, having recorded just one out in his second career Triple-A start.

Hunter Park entered the game and surrendered a run on a wild pitch, scoring Yorke. Shawn Ross walked and Alika Williams doubled home Nuñez and Peguero for a 6-0 advantage. Franco was tagged with six runs, but just one was earned as the Bats (4-5, 36-48) also made two errors in the inning.

In the second inning, after Suwinski singled and Yorke walked, Nuñez doubled home two more runs for an 8-0 lead. The Bats tacked on two runs in the bottom half of the frame on opener Sean Sullivan, who allowed just the two runs in 3.0 innings of work.

Indy tacked on two insurance runs in the sixth inning on a two-run single by Ross, and an 11th run in the seventh on an RBI single by Nuñez. Louisville concluded the night with one run in the bottom of the ninth.

Randy Labaut (W, 3-1) earned the win with 3.0 scoreless innings in relief following Sullivan. Solak and Simon each extended their on-base streaks to 19 games, trailing only Ji Hwan Bae's 20-game stretch from April 13-May 21 for the longest by an Indian this season.

This week's six-game split series between Indianapolis and Louisville shifts to Victory Field on Friday, July 4, at 6:35 PM. RHP Bubba Chandler (2-2, 3.38), Minor League Baseball's No. 5 overall prospect (MLB Pipeline) takes on RHP Brian Van Belle (6-2, 2.31) in the Independence Day matchup.

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