Indians and RailRiders Split Wednesday Doubleheader

MOOSIC, PA. - The Indianapolis Indians earned the 7-3 victory in game one of Wednesday's doubleheader, but the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders held off the Tribe in the nightcap, 3-1. Mitch Keller rolled to his second straight victory and fanned seven in game one for the Tribe before Nestor Cortes Jr. hurled a complete game in SWB's game two triumph.

Game One:
A big rally in the second inning proved to be the difference in game one. Eric Wood put the Tribe in front when he doubled home Wyatt Mathisen who led off the inning with a walk. The free pass to Mathisen was one of four walks issued in the inning. José Osuna would later drive a ball to center field to plate both Wood and Jerrick Suiter. The inning was capped on a single by Ryan Lavarnway.
Keller (2-2) allowed a pair of singles in the first inning, but he settled into a grove after getting out of the inning unscathed. He then retired 14 of the next 15 batters he faced while the Tribe offense went to work for him. The RailRiders did scratch across a pair of runs in the sixth, but they were the only blemishes on the final line of the top prospect. Keller ended his night with seven strikeouts over six innings and picked up the victory.
Lavarnway collected four hits, and he salted the lead in the sixth. Osuna drew a walk and later scored on Lavarnway's double to expand the Tribe's lead. Indy added another run in the seventh to roll to the 7-3 victory.
Game Two:
After a short break, both teams returned to the field to complete the series. Neither side collected a hit in the first two innings, but Scranton/Wilkes-Barre plated a pair in the third inning. Former Tribe catcher Wilkin Castillo led off the frame with a single, and then moved to third on Ricky Surum's double. Nick Burdi then threw a wild pitch to score Castillo, and Surum advanced home on a passed ball.
Mathisen cut the lead in half when he launched his eighth homer of the season into the Tribe bullpen. After game two's defeat, the Indians are 6-2 in games Mathisen leaves the yard.
Tyler Wade answered Mathisen's blast with a solo home run of his own to stretch the RailRiders' lead back to two. The Indians would inch no closer as SWB earned the doubleheader split.
Burdi (0-1) took the loss, it was his first outing since his Major League rehab assignment was transferred to Indy. Cortes (6-5) went the distance in the seven-inning contest to earn the win for the RailRiders.
The road trip now shifts to Allentown, Pa. as Indy faces Lehigh Valley beginning Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. The Indians are on the road until Tuesday, August 21. To purchase tickets for any Indians home game, contact the Victory Field Box Office at 317-269-2282 or [email protected]. For more on the Tribe, visit IndyIndians.com.