Indians Extend Winning Streak to Season-Best Five in Iowa, 8-5
DES MOINES, Iowa – The Indianapolis Indians utilized a pair of two-out hits in the seventh and eighth innings to extend their winning streak to five games, their longest of the season, in an 8-5 win over the Iowa Cubs on Saturday night at Principal Park.
DES MOINES, Iowa – The Indianapolis Indians utilized a pair of two-out hits in the seventh and eighth innings to extend their winning streak to five games, their longest of the season, in an 8-5 win over the Iowa Cubs on Saturday night at Principal Park.
Knotted at 4-4 in the top of the seventh, the Indians (12-12, 45-52) jumped ahead of the I-Cubs (10-16, 43-58) with a two-run, two-out, two-strike line drive single to right field from Seth Beer against Iowa reliever Frankie Scalzo Jr. (L, 0-3). An inning later, Henry Davis plated two more with an opposite-field single, also coming with two men out. For Davis, his 2-for-5 day extended his hitting streak to eight games, and Saturday marked the seventh of those eight games in which he’s driven in at least one run.
The Indians and I-Cubs traded blows right out of the starting gate, with Liover Peguero plating Davis with a sacrifice fly in the top of the first before Iowa’s Owen Caissie doubled home former Indian Gilberto Celestino a half-inning later. Scoring halted until the bottom of the fourth when Iowa third baseman Fabián Pertuz belted a three-run home run to left center field, but the Indians immediately responded in the top of the fifth with an RBI double from Jake Lamb and a two-run shot from Peguero.
On the hill, Indians starter Luis Cessa (W, 4-4) worked 6.0 innings and struck out six while only issuing one walk. Nick Dombkowski, Michael Plassmeyer, and Connor Sadzeck (S, 2) each worked an inning of relief to tie a bow on the victory.
The five-game winning streak surpasses Indianapolis’ previous season long of four, which they’ve done on three different occasions (4/4-4/6 vs. Memphis, 4/16-4/19 vs. St. Paul, 7/1-7/5 vs. Louisville). With a win on Sunday afternoon, Indianapolis could wrap up their first six-game series sweep since moving to the weekly schedule in 2021.
The Indians and I-Cubs conclude their six-game series on Sunday afternoon at 2:08 PM ET at Principal Park. The pitching matchup will be a rematch of the series opener on Tuesday, with right-hander Domingo Germán (5-4, 3.88) getting the ball for the Indians opposite Iowa’s Kyle McGowin (0-2, 6.57). Indianapolis then returns home for a six-game set with the Toledo Mud Hens at Victory Field beginning on Tuesday at 7:05 PM ET.