Indy Storms Back in the Ninth to Earn Eighth Walk-Off Win

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis Indians could not manage a run before the eighth inning but scratched across a pair of runs in the ninth inning to earn their eighth walk-off victory of the season in a 3-2 contest on Wednesday afternoon at Victory Field.

With a 2-1 deficit in the ninth inning, Matt Fraizer reached on a single with one out to represent the game-tying run for Indy (10-4, 52-36). He subsequently stole second and advanced to third on Gwinnett’s (7-7, 36-53) second error of the game. Tsung-Che Cheng followed with a two-out single to drive in Fraizer and Ronny Simon finished off the comeback with a walk-off double.

The Stripers struck first in the second inning, when Matthew Batten hit a two out, solo home run to left-center field. The homer proved as the lone blemish on starter Sean Sullivan’s line, as he held Gwinnett scoreless and hitless otherwise.

Gwinnett added a valuable insurance run to its lead in the fifth inning. Eddys Leonard led off the frame with a single, stole second and advanced to third on an error before scoring on a Sandy León single. The Indians loaded the bases in their half of the fifth but could not crack the scoreboard until the eighth. Simon led off the frame with a walk before stealing a base and scoring on a single from Ji Hwan Bae to pull the Indians within one.

Ryder Ryan, Colin Holderman, Michael Darrell-Hicks and Yohan Ramírez (W, 2-1) allowed only one run while combining for eight strikeouts across the final 6.0 innings of the contest. José Ruiz (L, 0-1) took the loss for Gwinnett after allowing the game-deciding runs in the ninth.

The Indians and Stripers pick up their six-game set on Thursday evening at 7:05 PM from Victory Field. RHP Bubba Chandler (3-2, 3.07), MiLB’s No. 5 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, will take the mound for the Indians across from fellow RHP Rolddy Muñoz (0-1, 4.73).