Indians Offense Explodes in Series Opener Against Mud Hens

INDIANAPOLIS – Endy Rodríguez notched his first four-hit performance in Triple-A and the Indianapolis Indians exploded for 15 hits in a 12-6 defeat over the Toledo Mud Hens at Victory Field on Monday night.

Trailing 3-0 in the bottom half of the third, the Indians (24-27) brought nine batters to the plate and scored five to capture the lead. Chavez Young smacked a one-out single and Nick Gonzales doubled him in for the team’s first run. Following a run scored via a throwing error by Mud Hens starter Brenan Hanifee (L, 0-5), Cal Mitchell roped a two-run double into right field. The five-run inning was capped by a throwing error by third baseman Justyn-Henry Malloy that plated Mitchell.

The Mud Hens (23-28) scored a run in each of their first three plate appearances to build an early lead. An RBI double by Donny Sands in the first put Toledo in front, Malloy had an RBI single in the second and Parker Meadows hit a solo homer in the third inning.

Indy padded its lead with a pair of three-run frames in the fourth and sixth innings, respectively. Canaan Smith-Njigba went to the left-center gap for an RBI triple and scored on an RBI single by Rodríguez. Rodríguez advanced to third on a single by Miguel Andújar and later scored on a wild pitch. In the sixth, Jared Triolo and Mark Mathias each notched RBI singles. Shackelford then grounded out to plate Triolo.

Toledo showed signs of life in the eighth when Michael Papierski hit a three-run homer off Indians’ reliever John O’Reilly. The Indians got one back in the bottom half of the frame, with Gonzales’ second RBI double of the night to cap the scoring.

Kent Emanuel (W, 3-1) earned his third win of the season with 5.0 one-run innings in relief and five strikeouts.

Eight of the Indians nine hitters hit safely and five had multi-hit nights. Rodríguez went 4-for-5 with three runs and an RBI for his first game with four-plus hits since tallying a career-high five on Aug. 3, 2022, with High-A Greensboro at Bowling Green.

Tonight marked the Indians’ 22nd game on Memorial Day in the Victory Field era, with the win moving the club back to .500 at 11-11. The victory was also Indy’s first on the holiday at home since a 7-4 triumph over Durham on May 28, 2012.

Following a day off tomorrow, the Indians and Mud Hens will continue their six-game set on Wednesday at 6:35 PM ET at Victory Field. Southpaw Caleb Smith (2-4, 6.70) will take the mound for the Indians. The Mud Hens have yet to name a starter.