Indians Drop Both Games of Twin Bill Against Iowa

INDIANAPOLIS – Despite a duo of pitching duels, the first of which featured a major league matchup of Kyle Hendricks and Vince Velasquez, the Indianapolis Indians were swept by the Iowa Cubs in Saturday night’s doubleheader at Victory Field, 2-1 and 1-0.

Neither Hendricks (W, 2-1) or Velasquez disappointed as headliners of the twin bill. The Indians (20-23) struck first in the fourth inning against the 2016 World Series champion, but Hendricks limited additional damage with six strikeouts across 6.0 innings. Velasquez, making the first start of his rehab assignment, tossed 4.2 scoreless frames.

After Velasquez exited the game, the I-Cubs (25-16) scored in consecutive innings to hand Cody Bolton (L, 1-1) the loss in the seventh. The Indians had two runners on with no outs in the bottom of the seventh, but Manuel Rodríguez (S, 7) set down the next three batters – two via strikeout – to end the threat.

The incredible pitching on both sides continued in the nightcap. Wesneski (W, 1-0), making his first Triple-A start of the season, held the Indians without a hit through his 5.0-inning outing en route to a combined one-hitter with Chris Clarke (S, 1). Canaan Smith-Njigba broke up the no-hit bid with a double in the sixth inning.

Caleb Smith (L, 2-4) tossed 6.0 one-run innings in relief after J.C. Flowers opened the game. The lone I-Cubs run came via an RBI single by Sergio Alcantara in the sixth.

Indianapolis and Iowa conclude their six-game set on Sunday afternoon in a 1:35 PM ET first pitch as the Indians will try and clinch a series split. In a rematch of the series opener, RHP Ben Brown (1-1, 4.91) will take the mound for Iowa against RHP Quinn Priester (4-3, 4.66).