PAWTUCKET, R.I. - Cole Tucker delivered a go-ahead single in the seventh as part of three-hit night to help propel the Indianapolis Indians past the Pawtucket Red Sox on Friday night, 4-3. Tucker has now amassed a multi-hit game in four of his last six contests.
PAWTUCKET, R.I. - Cole Tucker delivered a go-ahead single in the seventh as part of three-hit night to help propel the Indianapolis Indians past the Pawtucket Red Sox on Friday night, 4-3. Tucker has now amassed a multi-hit game in four of his last six contests.
Tucker led off the game and clubbed the first pitch into the left-field corner for a double. He would be stranded aboard, but it was just the start of his big night. Indianapolis (38-33) scored the game's first run in the second. Like Tucker, Logan Hill started the frame with a double. Two outs later, Christian Kelley dribbled a single up the middle to advance Hill home.
The lead was extended for Indy in the third. Tucker opened the rally with a bunt single between the mound and first base. One batter later, he scored on Kevin Kramer's sacrifice fly. Hunter Owen singled as part of the rally in his Triple-A debut. Owen is an Evansville, Ind. native and played collegiately at Indiana State.
In the bottom of the third, Pawtucket (30-42) erased the deficit and took the lead on one swing of the bat. With two men aboard, former Indiana Hoosier Sam Travis clubbed a three-run homer to right field.
A pair of doubles tied the game for Indy in the sixth. Eric Wood smashed one over third base with one out, then scored when Nick Franklin doubled to left-center field. He was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple, but his effort leveled the score.
Tucker's final hit of the night proved to be his biggest. Jason Martin began the seventh with a double into the right-field corner. Tucker followed with a single to right field, it advanced Martin home and gave the Tribe the lead for good, 4-3.
A bullpen day for the Indians saw four pitchers limit PawSox batters to just four hits. Tyler Lyons (4-0) recorded four outs and fanned two to earn the victory. Montana DuRapau then retired six of the final seven batters to record his fifth save with the Tribe.
Kyle Hart, another former Indiana University star, picked up the loss for Pawtucket after he allowed four runs (three earned).
The Indians and Pawtucket will play game two of the three-game series in Rhode Island on Saturday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. Alex McRae (5-2, 5.10) will ascend the mound for the Tribe. Indy returns to Victory Field on Monday, June 24 to open a four-game homestand.
