Indians Split Doubleheader with Mud Hens

INDIANAPOLIS – With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the sixth inning, pinch hitter Ji- Hwan Bae smacked a three-run triple to secure a Game 2 victory for the Indianapolis Indians on Thursday afternoon, 8-4. The Toledo Mud Hens never trailed in the first game of the twin bill, handing Indy a 4-2 defeat.

Indianapolis (19-18) earned the doubleheader split thanks to a four-run sixth inning that broke a 4-4 deadlock. Jared Oliva jumpstarted the frame with a one-out single and stolen base, and following a pair of walks drawn by Travis Swaggerty and Canaan Smith-Njigba, Bae came up big with a bases-clearing triple into the right-field corner. Moments later, Oneil Cruz scorched an RBI double 112 MPH off the wall in center field to bring home Bae.

Both teams scored a pair of runs in the first inning of Game 2. Mason Martin launched a two-run home run – his sixth long ball of the year – to tie the game.

Indy grabbed its first lead of the day in the third inning with another two-run burst. Cruz and Cole Tucker both walked to begin the frame, and after a deep flyout off the bat of Cal Mitchell that advanced both runners, a run-scoring groundout by Martin and missed catch error by pitcher Nivaldo Rodriguez (L,1-3) pushed the Indians in front, 4-2.

The Mud Hens (20-17) leveled the score with four consecutive hits in the fifth off Austin Brice before Bae’s heroics in the sixth.

Jerad Eickhoff and Cristofer Melendez (W, 2-1) both struck out five batters and allowed only one hit each in relief.

Toledo scored in four of the seven frames in Game 1 to secure the win. Kody Clemens led the charge for the Mud Hens with three hits and three RBI while falling a triple shy of the cycle.

After Martin tripled to lead off the sixth inning, an RBI groundout by Mitchell put the Indians on the board. Indy added one more run on an RBI groundout by Bae in the bottom of the seventh, but the rally fell short.

With no outs and two runners on in the bottom of the third, Luis Castillo (W, 2-0) entered in relief of starter Matt Manning and escaped the jam.

Roansy Contreras (L, 0-1) had his longest outing of the season, pitching 5.2 innings and surrendering three runs (two earned). He allowed six hits and one walk with four strikeouts.

Cruz – in eight total plate appearances for the day – reached base safely six times with a single, double and four walks.

The series continues Friday night with first pitch slated for 7:05 PM ET. LHP Trey McGough (1-0, 3.95) will toe the rubber for the Indians while Toledo has not yet named its starter.