Indians Lose Series to Bats on Saturday
INDIANAPOLIS – Alika Williams extended his hitting streak to nine games and Davis Wendzel hit his second home run of the season as the Indianapolis Indians lost to the Louisville Bats, 8-5, on Saturday night at Victory Field. The nine combined errors were the most in an Indians game since
INDIANAPOLIS – Alika Williams extended his hitting streak to nine games and Davis Wendzel hit his second home run of the season as the Indianapolis Indians lost to the Louisville Bats, 8-5, on Saturday night at Victory Field. The nine combined errors were the most in an Indians game since at least 2005, surpassing eight total miscues on May 21, 2022, vs. Toledo.
The Bats (8-6) tallied two runs in the third inning to open the scoring on an RBI single by Rece Hinds and sacrifice fly by Michael Chavis, with the Indians (3-11) punching back for one run in the bottom half of the frame. Mike Jarvis started things off with a walk and subsequently stole second base and third base. Williams then plated Jarvis with an RBI groundout to cut the deficit, 2-1.
Hinds and Chavis later extended the Bats lead further, with Hinds hitting a solo homer in the fifth inning and Chavis with a two-run blast in the seventh frame, for a 5-1 score.
The Indians rallied for three runs in the seventh, with the help of three errors by the Bats. Jarvis reached on a throwing error by Chavis to get things started, with Jarvis scoring on a throwing error by Edwin Arroyo to put Williams on base. Esmerlyn Valdez was hit by a pitch and with two outs, Rafael Flores Jr. singled home Williams, with Tyler Callihan also scoring as the throw from center fielder Ivan Johnson.
Two more Bats runs scored in the eighth on a two-out error on a dropped pop-up by Williams. Wendzel hit his second home run of the season in the bottom of the eighth, a 405-solo shot to left center field. Louisville tacked on one more run in the ninth on a Dayne Leonard double to score Francisco Urbaez.
Thomas Harrington (L, 0-2) allowed two runs (1er) across 4.0 innings with seven strikeouts. Bats starter Brandon Leibrandt tossed 4.0 innings of one-run ball and Sam Benschoter (W, 1-0) followed him with 2.0 scoreless. Tejay Antone (S, 1) shut down the Indians in the ninth to conclude the game.
The Indians conclude this week’s six-game series with the Bats from Victory Field on Sunday at 1:35 PM. RHP Wilber Dotel (0-2, 8.31) takes the mound for Indy with RHP Chase Petty (1-1, 5.11) pitching for Louisville, a rematch from Game 1 of the series.