Indians Take First Game in Series over Sounds, 6-3

NASHVILLE, TENN. – The Indians’ bats came alive early en route to victory in the series opener against the Nashville Sounds on Tuesday night, 6-3. With the win, the Indians are above .500 on the season.

Coming off a first inning in which Rodolfo Castro connected on the first pitch of his at-bat to plate a two-out RBI single, the Indians (36-35) came out swinging in the second frame, tallying three runs. With one out, Alec Bettinger beaned Carter Bins and Jared Oliva reached second on a misplayed ball down the third base line by Mark Mathias. Kevin Newman added a run with a sac fly to center, and Ben Gamel smacked a two RBI long ball to right field, giving Indianapolis a 4-0 lead early in the contest.

Nashville (43-29) cut the deficit in half in the second inning. A lead-off hit-by-pitch to Mathias and a two-run homer off the bat of Jon Singleton made it a 4-2 game.

Back at it offensively in the top of the third inning, Castro was walked and stole second. With two outs, Carter Bins doubled on a fly ball to center to bring in another run for the Indians.

After a scoreless fourth, Nashville notched a solo run in the fifth. Cody Bolton walked David Dahl on four pitches, and two consecutive singles from Mathias and Singleton brought Dahl home to make it a 5-3 ballgame, but the threat ended there.

The Indians added an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning. Newman led off the inning by reaching on a fielding error by Brice Turang, and Yoshi Tsutsugo was walked to put runners on first and second. Josh Bissonette drove in the game’s final run with an RBI single to left, giving the Indians a 6-3 victory.

In his thirteenth start this season, Osvaldo Bido tossed 3.0 innings, yielding two runs on four hits and five punchouts. Bolton (W, 2-1) threw 3.0 innings in relief, surrendering one run on three hits and four strikeouts.

Nashville RHP Alec Bettinger (L, 0-4) allowed five runs (two earned) on three hits in 2.1 innings of work.

The Indians and Sounds will meet for the second game of the six game set tomorrow at 8:05 PM ET. Nashville will send RHP Caleb Boushley (8-2, 2.97) to the mound. Indianapolis has yet to name a starter.