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IL1 Indianapolis Indians

Tribe Rallies Past Mud Hens Behind Three Home Runs

April 7, 2017 - International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


INDIANAPOLIS - Gift Ngoepe, Jason Rogers and Max Moroff each homered as the Indianapolis Indians rallied for a 7-4 win over the Toledo Mud Hens on Opening Night at Victory Field. A five-run output in the seventh by the Tribe sealed their division rivals' fate.

The Indians hadn't recorded a home run in a season opener at Victory Field since April 9, 2009, when Andy Phillips homered against Toledo. With winds gusting left to right well above 30 miles per hour at first pitch, a home-run barrage ensued at The Vic.

Indianapolis' five-run seventh was jumpstarted by solo shots from Rogers and Moroff. Facing Mud Hens reliever Angel Nesbitt (0-1), Rogers dinged his homer off the right-field pole to knot the game at three. Christopher Bostick followed with a triple to left-center and scored moments later on a Nesbitt wild pitch. Moroff added to Toledo's woes with a towering drive to the outfield concourse in deep right. Later in the inning, Elias Diaz added two insurance runs on a two-bagger to center.

Edgar Santana nailed down his first save of 2017 in dominant fashion, striking out Alex Presley, Omar Infante and Juan Perez on 11 total pitches.

The visitors claimed a 2-0 lead against Tribe left-hander Steven Brault in the first, thanks to a two-out, two-run shot by Steven Moya.

Ngoepe leveled the score in the third when he blasted a two-run shot to right-center off Warwick Saupold. Two innings later, the Mud Hens reclaimed the lead on a two-out RBI single by Matt Murton which plated Moya from second base.

Following Indy's seventh-inning eruption, Toledo's John Hicks capped the scoring in the eighth with a run-scoring triple to the base of the wall in straightaway center.

A.J. Schugel (1-0) was credited with the win in relief after retiring the side in a scoreless seventh. Brault took a no-decision for Indy after allowing two runs on five hits over 4.0 innings.

The Indians and Mud Hens continue their four-game set with game two Friday night at Victory Field. Right-hander Drew Hutchison gets the nod for Indy, opposite Toledo right-hander Buck Farmer. First pitch is set for 7:15 p.m.our subscriptions.

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