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IL Indianapolis Indians

Trio of Long Balls Propel Indians to Victory in Season Finale, 9-4

September 22, 2024 - International League (IL)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


ST. PAUL, Minn. - A six-run fifth inning, highlighted by three home runs, was the deciding factor in the Indianapolis Indians' 7-3 win over the St. Paul Saints at CHS Field in the 2024 season finale on Sunday afternoon.

The Indians (44-30, 77-70) opened scoring right away against starter Caleb Boushley (L, 9-6) in large part due to a pair of errors within the first several pitches of the game; after leadoff man Tsung-Che Cheng singled, Cheng stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by St. Paul catcher Patrick Winkel. He then came in to score when Saints third baseman Rylan Bannon threw a ball away on a batted ball from two-hitter Andrés Alvarez. However, St. Paul tied the game early on an RBI single from Michael Helman, and took the lead on an inside-the-park home run from Rylan Bannon.

The big blow against the Saints (32-43, 70-79) came in the fifth inning, when the Indians hit around and plated six runs. The inning started with back-to-back home runs from Matt Gorski and Seth Beer, and half of the run production came from Ji Hwan Bae when he swatted a three-run home run just beyond the high wall in straight-away right field. Indianapolis tacked on two more runs in the top of the eighth on an RBI single from Dylan Shockley and an RBI fielder's choice off the bat of Ji Hwan Bae, giving him four runs driven in on the afternoon.

Indians starter Mike Burrows (W, 1-1) settled in after a tumultuous first, striking out 10 Saints hitters in 5.0 innings. Burrows' 21 swings and misses were the second-most in the International League on Sunday, trailing only Gwinnett's AJ Smith-Shawver and his 24.

The Indians finished their regular season with a record of 77-70 after winning 19 of their last 26 games. The 77 wins marks their highest win total in a season since 2017, when the Indians finished 79-63 under Andy Barkett. Indianapolis will open their 2025 regular season on March 28, when they take on these same St. Paul Saints on the road at CHS Field.

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