Emanuel Dazzles, Indians Shutout Mud Hens 7-0

Indians pitching staff earned their second shutout of the week

Kent Emanuel tossed 6.0 shutout frames in Sunday afternoon's win. (Photo by Grace Cooper)

By Brody Tisdale

June 4, 2023

INDIANAPOLIS – Indianapolis’ offense cruised, and Kent Emanuel tossed 6.0 shutout innings to defeat Toledo on Sunday afternoon at Victory Field, 7-0. The Indians took five of six games this week while outscoring the Mud Hens 54-18.

The Indians (28-28) offense continued their torrid stretch this afternoon with a four-run frame in the bottom of the first. Toledo (24-32) starter Bryan Sammons (L, 0-1) issued a pair of walks to Nick Gonzales and Jared Triolo to set the table for Miguel Andújar’s two-run double. Ryan Vilade roped a triple over Grant Witherspoon’s head in right field to plate Andújar, and later scored on an RBI single by Aaron Shackelford.

Left fielder Canaan Smith-Njigba drove in a run both the third and fifth inning. Following Triolo’s first triple of the season, Smith-Njigba sent him home with a sacrifice fly to center field. In the fifth, Smith-Njigba hit an RBI single up the middle for his second RBI. Shackelford then connected for his second RBI single of the contest and cap the Indians scoring at seven.

Kent Emanuel (W, 4-1) tossed 6.0 shutout frames, allowing only three baserunners with five strikeouts. All three baserunners reached via singles. Emanuel improved to 4-0 with a 1.57 ERA (4er/23.0ip) at Victory Field this season. Relievers Carmen Mlodzinski, Eli Villalobos and Ryan Borucki combined to blank the Mud Hens through the final three innings to earn the Indians fifth shutout of the season and second this week. The Indians pitching staff did not allow an extra-base hit.

Andújar’s two-run double in the first inning extended his hitting streak to 10 games. He finished his series against Toledo 12-for-22 with six runs scored, three doubles, a home run and eight RBI in five games.

With today’s win, the Indians are .500 for the first time since April 11.

Follow tomorrow’s off-day, the Indians will continue their 12-game homestand on Tuesday night at 6:35 PM ET, beginning a six-game set vs. the Omaha Storm Chasers. Both teams have yet to name a starter.