TOLEDO, OHIO -Jordan Luplow cranked a two-run homer off the top of the Fifth Third Field video board in the first inning to set the tone for a 7-1 Indians victory over the Mud Hens on Tuesday afternoon. The Tribe added a five-run third to back 6.1 shutout innings from
TOLEDO, OHIO -Jordan Luplow cranked a two-run homer off the top of the Fifth Third Field video board in the first inning to set the tone for a 7-1 Indians victory over the Mud Hens on Tuesday afternoon. The Tribe added a five-run third to back 6.1 shutout innings from Tyler Eppler, who moved into a tie for the league lead with his eighth win.
Luplow's seventh blast of the season put the Indians (42-33) in front 2-0. All seven of his long balls have come away from Victory Field.
Two innings later, the Indians hung a five-spot on the scoreboard, with every run being charged to Hens starter A.J. Ladwig (L, 5-4). Max Moroff doubled and Luplow worked a two-out walk to set up a two-run double off the bat of Kevin Kramer. The two-bagger was his 18th extra-base hit in the month of June, most in Minor League Baseball. Wyatt Mathisen then made it 5-0 with a single to center before Weiss' fourth dinger sailed out to deep right-center.
Eppler (W, 8-3) didn't allow a runner to reach second base until a Christin Stewart two-out double in the sixth. He retired Ronny Rodríguez on a groundout to third to escape the minor threat. Indy's right-hander exited after surrendering a pair of singles in the seventh, but Bo Schultz started a 1-2-3 double play to end that frame.
Toledo (44-32) scored its lone run of the game in the ninth, avoiding its first shutout loss of 2018, thanks to a Chad Huffman homer off Josh Smoker.
Indy and Toledo conclude their three-game set on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. Righty Alex McRae (2-7, 5.30) will face Hens right-hander Jacob Turner (1-0, 0.68). 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.
