Gorski Ropes Walk-Off Double in 11th

INDIANAPOLIS – After trailing 3-0 early, the Indianapolis Indians recorded their fourth walk-off victory of the season and second against the Toledo Mud Hens with a towering, game-winning double off the bat of Fishers, Ind. native Matt Gorski in the 11th inning on Friday night at Victory Field.

Ryder Ryan (W, 2-0) dazzled with 2.0 perfect innings and four strikeouts out of the bullpen, stranding the automatic runner at second base both times to set up the victory for Indianapolis (8-8). With Billy Cook in scoring position, Matt Gorski launched the first pitch of Indy’s half of the 11th inning into the right-center gap for the team’s third consecutive win and second via walk-off in the last three days.

Toledo (5-14) started swinging out of the gate, using the wind to its advantage with two homers by Akil Baddoo and David Hensley to take a 3-0 lead through two innings. The Indians slowly began to chip away in the fourth, when Nick Yorke scored the team’s first run on a sacrifice fly by Gorski.

Indy then overcame the deficit completely with a three-run sixth, courtesy of a game-tying single by Nick Solak and go-ahead knock by DJ Stewart. The lead didn’t last long, however, with a run-scoring groundout by Jace Jung knotting the game at 4-4 in the top of the seventh.

Ryan capped a stellar performance by the Indians bullpen in relief of starter Mike Burrows. Yohan Ramírez, Tanner Rainey, Isaac Mattson and Ryan combined for 10 strikeouts across 6.2 one-run innings, with no free bases allowed in the final five frames.

The Indians jumped on the bullpen after Mud Hens starter Wilkel Hernandez exited the game with eight punchouts through 5.0 innings, tagging Chase Lee with all three runs in the sixth. The rest of the Toledo bullpen dueled with Indy, posting 4.0 shutout innings before Brendan White (L, 1-3) gave up the game-winning run.

Tsung-Che Cheng led the Indians offense with three singles, and Gorski followed with a pair of hits and RBI.

Indianapolis will look to clinch a series victory against Toledo on Saturday night at 6:35 PM. RHP Bubba Chandler (0-0, 1.69) will take the mound for the Indians against Mud Hens starter LHP Lael Lockhart (0-2, 7.20).