Indians Swept in Doubleheader at Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Indianapolis Indians were swept by the Louisville Bats in Saturday’s seven-inning doubleheader, losing game one by a score of 5-1 and dropping game two, 7-2.

In the first contest, Nick Solak reached base safely three times for the Indians (4-7), going 2-for-3 with a walk. Abrahan Gutierrez tallied a pair of hits for his second multi-hit effort of the season.

In game two, Malcom Nuñez connected on his second home run of the season in the sixth inning off major league rehabber Alexis Díaz. He finished the game 2-for-3 with a double, home run and two RBI. It marked Indy’s sixth home run of the series against the Bats (8-6). Darick Hall extended his hitting streak to four games, collecting three hits throughout the doubleheader and posting his first multi-hit contest of the season in game two.

Louisville’s Will Benson went 4-for-4 in the second game, landing a triple shy of the cycle with a double, home run, four RBI and two runs scored. He put the Bats up early, 1-0, with an RBI single in the first inning.
In game one, the Indians got on the board out of the gate, 1-0, with a first-inning sacrifice fly by Matt Gorski. The Bats knotted the game, 1-1, in the bottom of the first when Austin Hays hit his first home run of the season off Mike Burrows (L, 0-1). Levi Jordan gave Louisville a 2-1 lead when he grounded into a run-scoring double play in the bottom of the second inning.

Ivan Johnson extended the lead for the Bats, 3-1, with his second homer of the season in the third inning. He tacked on two more RBI with a two-run single in the sixth inning, finishing the game 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI.

Bats starter Drew Parrish tossed 4.0 innings of one-run ball and Lyon Richardson (W, 2-0) earned his second win of the season with 2.0 scoreless innings in relief.

The Bats completed the sweep with a 7-2 win in game two that was fueled by a five-run second inning. Peter Strzelecki (L, 0-2) made the first start of his professional career, allowing six earned runs across 1.2 innings.
All with two outs in the second inning, Louisville put five runs on the board with five consecutive two-out hits. Strzelecki was charged with six earned runs in just 1.2 innings. Aaron Wilkerson (W, 2-1) tossed five shutout innings to extend his scoreless innings streak to 11.0.

The six-game series at Louisville Slugger Field concludes tomorrow at 1:05 PM. Pirates top prospect Bubba Chandler is set to make his third start of the season. The right-hander is yet to allow a run in 6.2 innings with 12 strikeouts. Opposite Chandler is RHP Chase Petty for the Bats. Petty is set to make his third start of the season. He did not factor into the decision in game one of the series on Tuesday, limiting the Indians to one run across 4.0 innings.