Inspired Indians clinch another division title

At one point this season, Triple-A Indianapolis owned the International League's worst record.
Not anymore.
The Indians clinched another Western Division title on Tuesday, overcoming an 8-16 record on May 3 by posting a .596 winning percentage over the final four months of the season.

International League standings
Despite a 7-4 loss to Louisville, Indianapolis locked up its fourth crown in six years when second-place Columbus was beaten by Toledo. Manager Andy Barkett said a team meeting after the May 3 loss that left the Indians at their low point proved to be a turning point.
"We hashed some things out and created some expectations of our players, challenging them more than we had in the first three weeks when we were observing a bit more, feeling our way," Barkett said. "That did seem to be a turning point. A lot of young players started to show more confidence after that day, we got on a tear, started leading the division, and we led it most of the season once we took a hold of it."
Barkett also pointed to clubhouse camaraderie that helped steady the ship as Indianapolis finished 21-8 in May.
"Guys believing in each other, playing together, has been like a family most of the year," he said. "I would say the No. 1 thing has been the culture of our clubhouse and that family type of atmosphere that we created here and sustained throughout the last five months."
In Tuesday's loss, one of Indianapolis' offensive MVPs, Chris Bostick, went 3-for-4 with a double and a walk. The Indians took a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning on a throwing error that plated two runs and a sacrifice fly by Pirates No. 6 prospect Kevin Newman. They added a run in the fifth on Gift Ngoepe's RBI single, before Louisville stormed back with three runs in the bottom of the inning and four more in the sixth.
Indianapolis boasts a pitching staff that ranks fourth in the league with a 3.45 ERA. Pirates No. 7 prospect Steven Brault (10-5) leads the circuit with a 1.94 ERA, while Clay Holmes is 10-5 with a 3.36 mark. Tyler Glasnow, the Pirates' preseason top prospect, has 131 strikeouts and a 2.06 ERA over 87 1/3 innings while seeing some time with the big league club.
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Bostick is tied for sixth in the IL with a .292 batting average, while and outfielder Danny Ortiz and third baseman Eric Wood have each contributed 15 homers apiece. Bucs top prospect Austin Meadows has been limited by injuries to 72 games and is hitting .250 with four homers, 36 RBIs and 11 stolen bases.  
"Everyone played a part in this," Barkett said. "I'm just really proud of all of them. We won the division, which is a huge accomplishment in Triple-A, and I'm very proud of the team and staff. And the icing on the cake, the cherry on top, would be to be able to win a championship."
Other clinchings:
Appalachian League
Bluefield 5, Johnson City 0
Three pitchers combined on a one-hitter as the Blue Jays won the Eastern Division crown. Starter Turner Larkins tossed two hitless frames before Jordan Barrett took the reins for five innings of one-hit ball, striking out seven and walking one. Jonathan Cheshire closed the door with two perfect innings, striking out two.
Brandon Grudzielanek, the nephew of former big league second baseman Mark Grudzielanek, tripled in a pair to fuel a three-run fourth. Box score