Indians Home Runs, Pitching Combine for Series Win
ST. PAUL, MINN. – The Indianapolis Indians held the St. Paul Saints hitless in the final six innings and Hunter Owen launched his first homer of the season to score the game-winning run in a 5-1 Indians victory on Saturday night. With the win, Indy clinched its second consecutive series
ST. PAUL, MINN. – The Indianapolis Indians held the St. Paul Saints hitless in the final six innings and Hunter Owen launched his first homer of the season to score the game-winning run in a 5-1 Indians victory on Saturday night. With the win, Indy clinched its second consecutive series win.
Chase De Jong (W, 2-0) tossed his second quality start of the season to earn his first win since Opening Day. After allowing four hits through three innings, including a home run off the bat of Jimmy Kerrigan to put St. Paul on the board, De Jong shut down the Saints offense in his final three innings of work. He fanned six strikeouts in his 6.0-inning outing.
The Indians (11-5) got on the board first inning when Chris Sharpe extending his hitting streak to eight games with a leadoff single and came around to score on a single off the bat of Kevin Kramer. Kerrigan tied the game in the second inning with his second home run this series.
Owen’s home run put the Indians out of reach of St. Paul (6-11), 2-1, but the offense wasn’t done yet. Joe Hudson, in a two-hit night, hit his first home run of the season to give Indianapolis an insurance run in the seventh.
Steven Wright relieved De Jong in the bottom of the seventh inning and allowed just two baserunners in his 2.0 innings of work. With the go-ahead run at the plate and two outs in the bottom of the eighth, he caught Tomas Telis looking on a knuckleball high-and-outside to end the inning.
Indianapolis added to its lead in the ninth inning with two runs on three singles belonging to Bligh Madris, Troy Stokes Jr. and Kramer. With 10 hits on the night, the Indians have recorded double-digit hits in each of their wins this series.
Juan Minaya (L, 1-2) surrendered the home run to Owen to take his second loss of the season. He relieved starter Jhoan Duran, who allowed one run and struck out six in 3.0 innings. The Saints pitching staff combined for 15 strikeouts.
Two MLB rehabbers made appearances with Indianapolis in the win. Third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes started the game batting second in the Indians lineup and went 1-for-2 with a single in the first inning. Austin Davis closed out the game and struck out one batter.
The Indians and Saints face off one final time this week in a 3:05 PM ET start on Sunday afternoon. RHP Beau Sulser (2-0, 3.55) and RHP Griffin Jax (1-1, 5.40) will face each other for the second time this series.