Plassmeyer’s Punchouts, Offensive Outpouring Propel Indians to First Home Win in ‘24

INDIANAPOLIS – Southpaw Michael Plassmeyer spun a gem with 5.0 one-run innings and eight strikeouts to lead the Indianapolis Indians to their first win at Victory Field in 2024 on Thursday night over the Memphis Redbirds, 7-5.

Plassmeyer (W, 1-0), who started on Opening Night for the Indians on Friday in Louisville, had struck out six batters through three scoreless innings of work before giving up a triple and sacrifice fly to begin the fourth inning. Through two starts (9.0 innings) to begin the season, he has racked up 14 strikeouts.

The Indians (2-3) got on the board first in the top of the second inning, after Billy McKinney roped a double for the first extra-base hit of the game and was driven in on a Carter Bins single.

After Memphis (3-2) tied the game on Moisés Gómez’s sacrifice fly, Indy’s offense came alive with a trio of run-scoring doubles throughout the fifth and sixth innings. With two outs in the fifth, Malcom Nuñez extended his own torrid stretch of extra-base hits with a double to plate Liover Peguero. The momentum carried into the sixth, and with the bases loaded Nick Gonzales and Gilberto Celestino went back-to-back with doubles to score four more. Joshua Palacios capped Indy’s scoring with an RBI single three batters later.

The Redbirds rallied with four runs in the top of the ninth inning. César Prieto launched a three-run home run and with two outs, Luken Baker roped an RBI double to bring Memphis within two. Geronimo Franzua (S, 1) then entered and induced a game-ending fly out on one pitch.

Victor Santos (L, 0-1) surrendered two Indians runs across 5.0 innings, exiting after Indy took the lead in the fifth inning.

Indy’s offense was highlighted by Jake Lamb’s three-hit day. Nick Gonzales and Gilberto Celestino extended their respective hitting streaks to all five games to begin the season, with Gonzales going 2-for-5 with a run, double and pair of RBI. Nuñez and Bins joined Gonzales with two-hit offerings.

The Indians and Redbirds continue their six-game series on Friday night at 7:05 PM ET. Featured as MiLB.tv’s Free Game of the Day, RHP Paul Skenes (0-0, 0.00) will take the mound for Indianapolis in his second Triple-A start. Countering for the Redbirds is RHP Adam Kloffenstein (0-0, 4.50).