Four Multi-Run Homers Launch Indians Over I-Cubs in Series Opener, 18-6

DES MOINES, Iowa – A pair of two-run shots off the bats of Henry Davis and Malcom Nuñez and a duo of multirun long balls from Matt Gorski helped lead the Indianapolis Indians to a dominant 18-6 victory over the Iowa Cubs on Tuesday night at Principal Park.

The Indians (21-22) got off to a hot start, plating runs in each of the first five frames to mount a 12-3 lead. In the first, Canaan Smith-Njigba hit a leadoff single and scored on a Davis double and fielding error by left fielder Alexander Canario. Liover Peguero later tallied an RBI single.

In the next frame, Davis and Nuñez each homered off Thomas Pannone (L, 3-4) to extend the Indians’ advantage. Iowa (20-26) then committed its fourth and fifth errors of the night on one play in the third, allowing Matt Fraizer to score.

The I-Cubs got on the board in the bottom of the third inning with a solo shot by Pete Crow-Armstrong and sacrifice fly by Matt Mervis, but Indy quickly countered in the next half-inning. A sac fly by Peguero and Gorski’s first home run of the night, a three-run shot to right field, pushed the Indians’ run total to double digits.

In the fifth, Davis walked and promptly stole second base, his first swipe of the season. Another walk issued to Nuñez and a single by Peguero loaded the bases, and Fraizer then worked a bases-loaded walk.

Iowa got one back in the sixth with a David Bote home run, but Indianapolis countered once more with Gorski’s second long ball of the night, a two-run shot to right-center field.

The Indians ended the night with a bang, posting a four-run ninth inning highlighted by a Gilberto Celestino run-scoring single.

Indians starter Quinn Priester tossed 4.0 innings, yielding three runs on eight hits while punching out six. Wily Peralta (W, 2-1) worked 2.0 innings in relief, allowing one run on two hits while striking out two.

Each Indians batter collected at least one hit in the victory, with six registering multi-hit games. Indianapolis notched season highs in runs and walks (12) and tied its single-game high in home runs with four, a feat previously set on May 18 vs. Toledo. Gorski tallied his fifth career two-homer game and first since July 4, 2023, with Double-A Altoona vs. Erie. He also recorded his second career five-RBI performance, the first of which happened on Saturday vs. Toledo. Davis scored four times, marking a new career high.

Indianapolis and Iowa will meet for game two of the six-game set on Wednesday at 1:08 PM ET. Southpaw Cam Alldred (1-3, 6.82) gets the nod for the Indians against I-Cubs RHP Cade Horton (1-1, 8.25).