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MLB

Cruz Crushes Walk-Off Bomb in Extras

Oneil Cruz’s walk-off home run was his first long ball of the season
Oneil Cruz hit his first home run of the season, a two-run walk-off bomb, in the 11th inning on Sunday afternoon. (Photo by Adam Pintar)
By Brody Tisdale
April 24, 2022

INDIANAPOLIS – Oneil Cruz launched a two-run home run in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the Indianapolis Indians an 8-7 walk-off win over the Columbus Clippers on Sunday afternoon at Victory Field. The triumph was Indy’s second straight in walk-off fashion.

INDIANAPOLIS – Oneil Cruz launched a two-run home run in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the Indianapolis Indians an 8-7 walk-off win over the Columbus Clippers on Sunday afternoon at Victory Field. The triumph was Indy’s second straight in walk-off fashion.

After Columbus (12-6) plated two runs in the top of the 11th to take a 7-5 lead, the Indians (9-8) rallied in the bottom half to salvage a series split. Following a one-out infield single by Josh Bissonette that scored Bligh Madris to bring Indy within one, Cruz obliterated a 2-1 curveball 112 mph off the bat off Kevin Coulter (L, 0-1) for his first home run of the season.

The game – which had five lead changes – featured clutch hitting throughout. With the bases loaded and two outs in the third inning, Mason Martin gave the Indians their first lead with a two-run double to make it 2-1. The score held until the seventh, when Indianapolis’ Hoy Park ripped a three-run homer down the right-field line to answer a two-run shot by Columbus’ Richie Palacios before the stretch.

The Clippers forced extra innings on a game-tying two-run home run by Alex Call in top of the ninth. The Ball State University product then gave Columbus its third and final lead with a two-run double in the 11th.

Right-hander Roansy Contreras made his first Triple-A start of the season and threw 3.1 innings, surrendering one run with two walks and five strikeouts. His only blemish came with two outs in the first inning on a Luke Maile home run.

John O’Reilly (W, 1-0) tossed 2.0 innings in relief and yielding two runs (one earned) on one hit and two walks.

Bissonette had a game-high three hits with one RBI and three runs scored. The three hits tied his career high, previously established with Double-A Altoona on July 16, 2021 vs. Binghamton.

The last time the Indians won back-to-back games in walk-off fashion came in 2021 when Christian Bethancourt walked off Iowa at Victory Field on June 30 and July 1.

The Indians will travel to Principal Park to meet the Iowa Cubs beginning Tuesday at 7:38 PM ET. Both teams have yet to name starting pitchers.