Naptown Buzz

Your source for all things Indy™

Minor League Baseball (MiLB) News

Indianapolis Indians (11-6) Lead Triple-A East Midwest Division After Week 3

by

Three weeks into the 2021 Triple-A East season, the Indianapolis Indians (11-6) lead the Triple-A East Midwest Division with a one-game lead over the Omaha Storm Chasers (10-7).

The Indianapolis Indians head to Omaha this week for a scheduled six-game series against the Storm Chasers to see who stands on top after week four.

Triple-A East Midwest Division Standings (May 24, 2021)

TEAM MLB AFFILIATION W L PCT GB
Indianapolis Indians Pittsburgh Pirates 11 6 .647 –
Omaha Storm Chasers Kansas City Royals 10 7 .588 1.0
Iowa Cubs Chicago Cubs 9 7 .562 1.5
Columbus Clippers Cleveland Indians 8 9 .471 3.0
Toledo Mud Hens Detroit Tigers 7 10 .412 4.0
St. Paul Saints Minnesota Twins 7 11 .389 4.5
Louisville Bats Cincinnati Reds 5 12 .294 6.0

Results: Indianapolis Indians @ St. Paul Saints May 18-23, 2021

by

The Indianapolis Indians headed to Saint Paul, Minnesota to take on the St. Paul Saints for a scheduled six-game series May 18-23, 2021.

Tuesday, May 18, 2021

The Indianapolis Indians offense erupted for seven runs in the first three innings on Tuesday night to take the series opener at the St. Paul Saints, 7-3. Indy recorded its most hits of the season in a single game with 11 and went 4-for-4 with runners in scoring position.

READ MORE on the Indianapolis Indians Blog.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BATTING

BATTING
2B: Owen (1, Jax); Sharpe (4, Jax); Alford (1, Jax).
TB: Alford 4; Bethancourt 2; Hudson, J; Kramer; Owen 3; Sharpe 2; Swaggerty.
RBI: Alford 3 (7); Hudson, J (1); Owen 3 (3).
2-out RBI: Owen; Alford 2.
SF: Hudson, J.
GIDP: Bethancourt.
Team RISP: 4-for-4.
Team LOB: 5.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BASERUNNING

BASERUNNING
PO: Swaggerty (1st base by Jax).

GAME INFO

WP: Sulser.
Pitches-strikes: Sulser 92-63; Ogle 30-21; Bashlor 21-12; Gustave 16-13; Jax 93-61; Hamilton, I 24-16; Coulombe 38-26.
Groundouts-flyouts: Sulser 5-4; Ogle 2-0; Bashlor 0-1; Gustave 0-1; Jax 6-2; Hamilton, I 3-1; Coulombe 1-0.
Batters faced: Sulser 23; Ogle 7; Bashlor 5; Gustave 4; Jax 24; Hamilton, I 7; Coulombe 8.
Umpires: HP: Junior Valentine. 1B: John Mang. 3B: Matthew Bates.
Weather: 70 degrees, Cloudy.
Wind: 17 mph, R To L.
First pitch: 7:07 PM.
T: 3:10 (:03 delay).
Att: 3,031.
Venue: CHS Field.
May 18, 2021

Wednesday, May 19, 2021

In a rainy start to the series between the Indianapolis Indians and St. Paul Saints, the second game of the six-game set was suspended in the bottom of the eighth inning tied, 2-2, on Wednesday night due to inclement weather. The game will resume play at 7 PM ET on Thursday evening, with the regularly scheduled game beginning no earlier than 8:05 PM ET. The nightcap will be a nine-inning contest.

READ MORE on the Indianapolis Indians Blog.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BATTING

2B: Rivera, T (1, Shepherd); Paul (1, Minaya).
TB: Hudson, J; Kramer; Paul 3; Rivera, T 2; Sharpe; Tucker.
RBI: Hudson, J (2).
2-out RBI: Hudson, J.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Tucker 2.
GIDP: Tucker.
Team RISP: 2-for-4.
Team LOB: 5.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS FIELDING

PB: Hudson, J (1).

GAME INFO

Pitches-strikes: Kuhl 42-27; Ponce 61-41; Davis, A 13-9; Spitzbarth 26-14; Shepherd 68-46; Minaya 43-25; Vasquez 29-20.
Groundouts-flyouts: Kuhl 2-2; Ponce 3-3; Davis, A 0-0; Spitzbarth 1-1; Shepherd 3-1; Minaya 4-1; Vasquez 1-2.
Batters faced: Kuhl 11; Ponce 16; Davis, A 3; Spitzbarth 6; Shepherd 17; Minaya 11; Vasquez 6.
Umpires: HP: John Mang. 1B: Matthew Bates. 3B: Junior Valentine.
Weather: 71 degrees, Overcast.
Wind: 14 mph, Out To LF.
First pitch: 7:05 PM.
T: 2:37 (1:08 delay).
Att: 3,094.
Venue: CHS Field.

Thursday, May 20, 2021

Following a St. Paul Saints walk-off 3-2 win in the continuation of Wednesday night’s suspended game, the Indianapolis Indians offense scored seven runs on a season-high 13 hits to take home the nightcap victory on Thursday, 7-3.

READ MORE on the Indianapolis Indians Blog.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BATTING

2B: Sharpe (5, Albers); Bethancourt (2, Albers); Tucker (3, Albers).
3B: Tucker (2, Leyer).
TB: Bethancourt 3; Delay 2; Madris 2; Owen 2; Paul; Sharpe 2; Tucker 6.
RBI: Bethancourt (4); Owen (4); Tucker 3 (3).
2-out RBI: Owen; Bethancourt; Tucker 2.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Kramer; Bethancourt.
GIDP: Madris 2; Sharpe.
Team RISP: 5-for-13.
Team LOB: 5.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BASERUNNING

CS: Madris (1, 2nd base by Albers/Telis).
PO: Madris (1st base by Albers).

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS FIELDING

PB: Delay (1).
DP: 2 (Owen-Tucker; Paul-Tucker-Owen).

GAME INFO

Pitches-strikes: Yajure 84-57; Hartlieb 26-13; Eckelman 32-22; Albers 75-52; Leyer 33-18; Gibaut 36-22.
Groundouts-flyouts: Yajure 7-1; Hartlieb 1-0; Eckelman 1-1; Albers 6-4; Leyer 1-0; Gibaut 2-0.
Batters faced: Yajure 20; Hartlieb 6; Eckelman 9; Albers 22; Leyer 8; Gibaut 9.
Umpires: HP: Matthew Bates. 1B: Junior Valentine. 3B: John Mang.
Weather: 71 degrees, Cloudy.
Wind: 10 mph, R To L.
First pitch: 7:05 PM.
T: 2:47.
Att: 3,113.
Venue: CHS Field.

Friday, May 21, 2021

With two outs in the top of the 10th inning, Kevin Kramer launched his second home run of the season to lift the Indianapolis Indians over the St. Paul Saints, 6-4, on Friday night. The Indians now lead the series, 3-1.

READ MORE on the Indianapolis Indians Blog.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BATTING

2B: Sharpe 2 (7, Barnes, C, Barnes, C); Kramer (1, Barnes, C); Madris (1, Barnes, C); Hudson, J (2, Coulombe).
HR: Kramer (2, 10th inning off Whalen, 1 on, 2 out).
TB: Bethancourt 2; Hudson, J 3; Kramer 7; Madris 3; Paul; Sharpe 4.
RBI: Bethancourt (5); Hudson, J (3); Kramer 4 (9).
2-out RBI: Kramer 3.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Sharpe 2; Rivera, T 2; Paul 2; Alford 2; Bethancourt 2.
Team RISP: 3-for-21.
Team LOB: 14.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS FIELDING

E: Owen (1, fielding).
DP: (Bethancourt-Kramer).

GAME INFO

WP: Hamilton, I; Whalen.
HBP: Paul (by Hackimer); Riddle (by Bashlor).
Pitches-strikes: Marvel 88-58; Bashlor 18-11; Mears 17-10; Jacques 31-24; Gustave 11-9; Barnes, C 90-55; Coulombe 27-19; Hamilton, I 27-13; Hackimer 28-12; Whalen 34-23.
Groundouts-flyouts: Marvel 6-5; Bashlor 1-0; Mears 0-1; Jacques 3-2; Gustave 3-0; Barnes, C 3-3; Coulombe 1-1; Hamilton, I 1-2; Hackimer 0-0; Whalen 2-1.
Batters faced: Marvel 22; Bashlor 3; Mears 4; Jacques 9; Gustave 4; Barnes, C 22; Coulombe 6; Hamilton, I 5; Hackimer 6; Whalen 10.
Inherited runners-scored: Bashlor 2-0; Gustave 1-0; Coulombe 1-0; Whalen 3-0.
Umpires: HP: Junior Valentine. 1B: John Mang. 3B: Matthew Bates.
Weather: 79 degrees, Partly Cloudy.
Wind: 9 mph, R To L.
First pitch: 7:05 PM.
T: 4:04.
Att: 4,474.
Venue: CHS Field.

Saturday, May 22, 2021

The Indianapolis Indians held the St. Paul Saints hitless in the final six innings and Hunter Owen launched his first homer of the season to score the game-winning run in a 5-1 Indians victory on Saturday night. With the win, Indy clinched its second consecutive series win.

READ MORE on the Indianapolis Indians Blog.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BATTING

2B: Hudson, J (3, Duran, J).
3B: Stokes Jr. (1, Minaya).
HR: Owen (1, 4th inning off Minaya, 0 on, 0 out); Hudson, J (1, 7th inning off Vasquez, 0 on, 1 out).
TB: Hayes; Hudson, J 6; Kramer 2; Madris; Owen 4; Sharpe; Stokes Jr. 4.
RBI: Hudson, J (4); Kramer 2 (11); Owen (5); Stokes Jr. (2).
2-out RBI: Kramer; Stokes Jr.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Rivera, T; Owen 2; Paul; Kramer.
Team RISP: 3-for-9.
Team LOB: 9.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS FIELDING

DP: (Owen-Paul-Bethancourt).

GAME INFO

WP: De Jong, C; Duran, J.
Pitches-strikes: De Jong, C 78-52; Wright, S 42-26; Davis, A 12-7; Duran, J 63-34; Minaya 41-28; Vasquez 26-17; Law, D 32-22; Leyer 11-7.
Groundouts-flyouts: De Jong, C 5-3; Wright, S 2-2; Davis, A 0-1; Duran, J 1-1; Minaya 2-1; Vasquez 2-0; Law, D 2-0; Leyer 0-0.
Batters faced: De Jong, C 22; Wright, S 8; Davis, A 3; Duran, J 13; Minaya 11; Vasquez 6; Law, D 9; Leyer 2.
Inherited runners-scored: Law, D 1-0; Leyer 2-0.
Umpires: HP: John Mang. 1B: Matthew Bates. 3B: Jon Moynihan.
Weather: 82 degrees, Partly Cloudy.
Wind: 11 mph, R To L.
First pitch: 7:08 PM.
T: 2:56.
Att: 5,044.
Venue: CHS Field.

Sunday, May 23, 2021

Ke’Bryan Hayes hit the first home run of his MLB rehab assignment, but the Indianapolis Indians fell just short of a comeback against the St. Paul Saints to drop the series finale on Sunday afternoon, 5-4.

READ MORE on the Indianapolis Indians Blog.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BATTING

2B: Hayes (1, Jax); Bethancourt 2 (4, Jax, Coulombe).
HR: Hayes (1, 8th inning off Gibaut, 1 on, 0 out).
TB: Bethancourt 5; Hayes 6; Owen; Paul 2; Rivera, T 2; Stokes Jr.
RBI: Bethancourt (6); Hayes 2 (2); Rivera, T (1).
2-out RBI: Rivera, T.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Rivera, T; Alford.
Team RISP: 3-for-9.
Team LOB: 7.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS FIELDING

E: Paul (2, throw); Bethancourt (2, fielding).
DP: (Paul-Rivera, T-Bethancourt).

GAME INFO

Pitches-strikes: Sulser 69-45; Spitzbarth 14-7; Ogle 37-24; Hartlieb 16-10; Jax 90-54; Gibaut 23-13; Coulombe 23-16; Hackimer 15-11.
Groundouts-flyouts: Sulser 4-3; Spitzbarth 2-0; Ogle 1-0; Hartlieb 2-0; Jax 5-2; Gibaut 0-0; Coulombe 0-2; Hackimer 0-0.
Batters faced: Sulser 20; Spitzbarth 4; Ogle 8; Hartlieb 4; Jax 24; Gibaut 5; Coulombe 5; Hackimer 4.
Inherited runners-scored: Hartlieb 2-0.
Umpires: HP: Matthew Bates. 1B: Jon Moynihan. 3B: John Mang.
Weather: 72 degrees, Overcast.
Wind: 8 mph, In From CF.
First pitch: 2:08 PM.
T: 2:42.
Att: 4,052.
Venue: CHS Field.

Victory Field Capacity Increased for June 2021

by

The Indianapolis Indians have announced that Victory Field will operate at 50%  capacity for its next two homestands beginning Tuesday, June 1, and continuing through Sunday, June  20. In total, 12 home contests will be played during that span with approximately 6,900 tickets available per game.

Regarding face coverings, both Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Centers for Disease Control and  Prevention (CDC) have deferred to state and local authorities on mask mandates.

Per the current Marion County Public Health Department (MCPHD) mandate by Director Dr. Virginia A. Caine, and backed by Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, face coverings will be required for all fans over the age of 2 years old. Fans may only remove masks when actively eating or drinking in their ticketed seat location.

Indianapolis Indians June 2021 Ticket Information

Full- and half-season ticket holders receive priority access to the June 1 through June 20 home games beginning Monday, May 17 at 10 AM. Then on Thursday, May 20 at 10 AM, mini and flex plan holders along with Knot Hole Kids Club members will receive priority seating access. Single-game tickets will be made available to the general public on Monday, May 24 at 10 AM.

Outfield lawn pods can hold up to six (6) people at $12 per ticket while reserved ($15) and box ($18) seat pods accommodate two (2) to six (6) people.

The Indians welcome the Columbus Clippers (Cleveland Indians Triple-A affiliate) to Victory Field for six games from June 1-6. Then from June 15-20, the Memphis Redbirds (St. Louis Cardinals) come to The  Vic for a six-game series.

As safety protocols continue to evolve, the Indians will update Victory Field’s capacity percentage and guidelines upon approval from the MCPHD.

Frustration Mounts Towards Indy Mask Mandate

The MCPHD is supposed to release an update this week on mask mandates, while many across the state and the country have already dropped the mask mandate.

We would assume that the local mask mandate goes away this week, but as our Marion County and statewide approach to the pandemic has seemed highly political, and seemingly not very scientific nor focused on health, we’ll just have to wait to see. Especially since dropping the mask mandate this week would have implications for the Indy 500. Plus the way we treated the Big Ten Championships and the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament seemed a little off. As if the timing of certain “relaxations” were based solely on events, not science.

This conversation on the MCPHD Twitter thread sums up the frustration pretty well.

Having been to Victory Field for the first homestand last week, we can assure you that everything is on the up-and-up at Victory Field and you should have no fears about attending a game in person, mask or not.

PLAY BALL!!!

Results: Indianapolis Indians vs Toledo Mud Hens May 11-16, 2021

by

Will Craig Hits A Solo Home Run
Indianapolis Indians First Baseman Will Craig, Hitting Cleanup, Belts His First of Two Solo Home Runs at Victory Field on Tuesday, May 11, 2021. Photo: Brian Groce

The Indianapolis Indians host the Toledo Mud Hens for a scheduled six-game series May 11-16, 2021 at Victory Field in downtown Indianapolis.

Tuesday, May 11, 2021


The Indianapolis Indians lineup began the game with fireworks and never let up on Tuesday night for Victory Field’s home opener, launching two home runs in the first inning and four total on the evening to oust the Toledo Mud Hens, 4-3.

READ MORE on the Indianapolis Indians Blog.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BATTING

HR: Swaggerty (2, 1st inning off Manning, 0 on, 0 out); Craig 2 (2, 1st inning off Manning, 0 on, 2 out, 7th inning off Pinto, W, 0 on, 0 out); Susac (1, 5th inning off Manning, 0 on, 2 out).
TB: Craig 8; Susac 4; Swaggerty 4.
RBI: Craig 2 (6); Susac (1); Swaggerty (4).
2-out RBI: Craig; Susac.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS FIELDING

Outfield assists: Swaggerty (Rodríguez, A at 3rd base).
DP: 3 (Tucker-Craig; Swaggerty-Kramer; Kaiser, C).

GAME INFO

HBP: Núñez, R (by De Jong, C); Short, Z (by Poppen).
Pitches-strikes: Manning 80-53; Pinto, W 17-10; Del Pozo, M 14-8; De Jong, C 84-52; Poppen 33-18; Mears 29-16; Gustave 16-11.
Groundouts-flyouts: Manning 4-4; Pinto, W 1-0; Del Pozo, M 3-0; De Jong, C 4-4; Poppen 1-1; Mears 0-1; Gustave 3-0.
Batters faced: Manning 21; Pinto, W 4; Del Pozo, M 3; De Jong, C 23; Poppen 9; Mears 5; Gustave 3.
Umpires: HP: Charlie Ramos. 1B: Rich Grassa. 3B: Tom Hanahan.
Weather: 55 degrees, Partly Cloudy.
Wind: 10 mph, L To R.
First pitch: 7:08 PM.
T: 2:41.
Att: 2,678.
Venue: Victory Field.

Wednesday, May 12, 2021

Back-to-back two-out jacks by Kevin Kramer and Will Craig continued the Indianapolis Indians parade of home runs at Victory Field on Wednesday afternoon to take a 2-0 series lead over the Toledo Mud Hens, 5-3.

READ MORE on the Indianapolis Indians Blog.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BATTING

2B: Tucker (1, Hutchison); Sharpe (2, Burrows); Craig (2, Ross Jr.).
HR: Kramer (1, 3rd inning off Hutchison, 1 on, 2 out); Craig (3, 3rd inning off Hutchison, 0 on, 2 out).
TB: Craig 7; Fowler; Kramer 4; Sharpe 2; Tucker 2.
RBI: Craig (7); Fowler (2); Kramer 2 (3).
2-out RBI: Kramer 2; Fowler; Craig.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Swaggerty 2; Fowler.
Team RISP: 2-for-9.
Team LOB: 8.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BASERUNNING

CS: Alford (1, 2nd base by Hutchison/Policelli); Tucker (1, 2nd base by Hutchison/Policelli).

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS FIELDING

E: Tucker (1, fielding).

GAME INFO

WP: Hutchison; Ogle.
Balk: Hutchison; Ogle.
HBP: Kramer (by Hutchison).
Pitches-strikes: Hutchison 89-49; Burrows 26-16; Ross Jr. 17-13; Blackwood 18-10; Sulser 68-47; Jacques 16-11; Spitzbarth 15-8; Keller, K 16-9; Ogle 19-9.
Groundouts-flyouts: Hutchison 3-4; Burrows 0-1; Ross Jr. 0-2; Blackwood 2-0; Sulser 6-6; Jacques 2-1; Spitzbarth 1-2; Keller, K 0-0; Ogle 1-0.
Batters faced: Hutchison 22; Burrows 6; Ross Jr. 5; Blackwood 4; Sulser 21; Jacques 3; Spitzbarth 3; Keller, K 4; Ogle 5.
Inherited runners-scored: Burrows 1-0.
Umpires: HP: Rich Grassa. 1B: Tom Hanahan. 3B: Charlie Ramos.
Weather: 58 degrees, Partly Cloudy.
Wind: 6 mph, L To R.
First pitch: 1:35 PM.
T: 2:49.
Att: 2,147.
Venue: Victory Field.

Thursday, May 13, 2021

After hitting back-to-back home runs on consecutive pitches for the second straight game on Thursday night, the Indianapolis Indians lost in comeback fashion to the Toledo Mud Hens, 6-5.

READ MORE on the Indianapolis Indians Blog.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BATTING

HR: Alford (1, 2nd inning off Peralta, Wi, 2 on, 0 out); Bethancourt (1, 2nd inning off Peralta, Wi, 0 on, 0 out).
TB: Alford 5; Bethancourt 4; Delay; Fowler 2; Swaggerty; Tucker.
RBI: Alford 3 (3); Bethancourt (1); Kramer (4).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Kramer; Fowler; Bethancourt 2; Tucker.
Team RISP: 2-for-11.
Team LOB: 11.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BASERUNNING</h4
SB: Swaggerty (3, 2nd base off Farmer/Policelli).

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS FIELDING

E: Eckelman (1, fielding).
Outfield assists: Fowler (Reyes, V at 2nd base).
DP: (Fowler-Tucker).

GAME INFO

WP: Peralta, Wi; Del Pozo, M 2; Krol; Eckelman.
Pitches-strikes: Peralta, Wi 42-23; St. John 30-18; Del Pozo, M 29-18; Foley 33-26; Farmer 13-10; Krol 20-9; Ponce 80-59; Eckelman 39-25; Weiman 6-4; Bashlor 14-8.
Groundouts-flyouts: Peralta, Wi 1-0; St. John 2-1; Del Pozo, M 1-3; Foley 4-1; Farmer 1-1; Krol 2-0; Ponce 4-5; Eckelman 3-2; Weiman 2-1; Bashlor 1-0.
Batters faced: Peralta, Wi 9; St. John 8; Del Pozo, M 8; Foley 9; Farmer 4; Krol 5; Ponce 23; Eckelman 10; Weiman 3; Bashlor 3.
Inherited runners-scored: St. John 2-1.
Umpires: HP: Tom Hanahan. 1B: Charlie Ramos. 3B: Rich Grassa.
Weather: 66 degrees, Partly Cloudy.
Wind: 4 mph, In From RF.
First pitch: 7:04 PM.
T: 3:11.
Att: 2,261.
Venue: Victory Field.

Friday, May 14, 2021

A four-run eighth sparked by a tie-breaking one-out single off the bat of first baseman Christian Bethancourt led the Indianapolis Indians to their first comeback win of the season over the Toledo Mud Hens, 6-2.

READ MORE on the Indianapolis Indians Blog.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BATTING

2B: Bethancourt (1, Shore).
HR: Susac (2, 7th inning off Ross Jr., 0 on, 0 out).
TB: Alford 2; Bethancourt 3; Sharpe; Susac 5; Swaggerty.
RBI: Alford (4); Bethancourt (2); Paul (1); Susac 2 (3).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Bethancourt 2; Susac; Tucker 2.
GIDP: Tucker.
Team RISP: 3-for-11.
Team LOB: 8.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BASERUNNING

SB: Sharpe (1, 2nd base off Shore/Centeno); Paul (1, 2nd base off Carlton/Centeno).
CS: Tucker (2, 2nd base by Shore/Centeno); Alford (2, 2nd base by Shore/Centeno).

GAME INFO

WP: Marvel.
HBP: Stewart, C (by Marvel); Paredes (by Gustave).
Pitches-strikes: Shore 81-41; Carlton 30-17; Ross Jr. 27-18; Blackwood 29-18; Marvel 93-60; Ogle 25-15; Spitzbarth 27-19; Gustave 30-19.
Groundouts-flyouts: Shore 3-1; Carlton 0-4; Ross Jr. 2-0; Blackwood 3-0; Marvel 7-1; Ogle 3-0; Spitzbarth 0-1; Gustave 0-0.
Batters faced: Shore 18; Carlton 7; Ross Jr. 6; Blackwood 7; Marvel 23; Ogle 8; Spitzbarth 5; Gustave 6.
Inherited runners-scored: Carlton 1-0; Blackwood 1-1; Ogle 2-1.
Umpires: HP: Charlie Ramos. 1B: Rich Grassa. 3B: Tom Hanahan.
Weather: 70 degrees, Partly Cloudy.
Wind: 1 mph, In From CF.
First pitch: 7:04 PM.
T: 3:30.
Att: 2,921.
Venue: Victory Field.

Saturday, May 15, 2021

With the bases loaded and one out in the ninth inning, relief pitcher Tyler Bashlor fanned back-to-back batters to clinch the Indianapolis Indians’ 5-4 win over the Toledo Mud Hens on Saturday night. With their fourth victory of the series, the Indians have earned their first series win of the season.

READ MORE on the Indianapolis Indians Blog.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BATTING

2B: Tucker (2, García, R); Sharpe (3, Burrows).
3B: Fowler (1, Burrows).
HR: Fowler (2, 5th inning off García, R, 2 on, 2 out).
TB: Bethancourt; Fowler 7; Hudson, J 2; Paul; Sharpe 2; Tucker 3.
RBI: Fowler 3 (5); Kramer (5); Sharpe (3).
2-out RBI: Sharpe; Fowler 3.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Paul; Fowler; Alford; Bethancourt.
GIDP: Paul.
Team RISP: 2-for-9.
Team LOB: 7.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BASERUNNING

CS: Kramer (1, 2nd base by García, R/Policelli).

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS FIELDING

E: Paul (1, throw); Tucker (2, throw).

GAME INFO

WP: Wright, S; Jacques.
HBP: Short, Z (by Mears); Sharpe (by García, R); Alford (by García, R).
Pitches-strikes: García, R 81-47; Burrows 31-21; Pinto, W 17-10; Wright, S 81-53; Jacques 44-28; Mears 30-22; Bashlor 12-7.
Groundouts-flyouts: García, R 5-2; Burrows 3-0; Pinto, W 2-0; Wright, S 1-6; Jacques 3-0; Mears 0-0; Bashlor 0-0.
Batters faced: García, R 25; Burrows 8; Pinto, W 3; Wright, S 20; Jacques 11; Mears 8; Bashlor 3.
Inherited runners-scored: Bashlor 2-0.
Umpires: HP: Rich Grassa. 1B: Tom Hanahan. 3B: Charlie Ramos.
Weather: 68 degrees, Cloudy.
Wind: 4 mph, Out To LF.
First pitch: 7:05 PM.
T: 2:56.
Att: 3,096.
Venue: Victory Field.

Sunday, May 16, 2021

Christian Bethancourt singled on a line drive to center field to score Travis Swaggerty and seal the Indianapolis Indians’ comeback victory over Toledo for their first walk-off win of the season on Sunday afternoon, 6-5. Indy dug out of a 5-0 hole in the triumph for its 14th comeback win since 2005 when facing a deficit of at least five runs.

READ MORE on the Indianapolis Indians Blog.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BATTING

HR: Sharpe (2, 2nd inning off Manning, 0 on, 1 out); Swaggerty (3, 2nd inning off Manning, 2 on, 2 out); Fowler (3, 8th inning off Foley, 0 on, 0 out).
TB: Bethancourt 2; Fowler 5; Kramer 2; Sharpe 4; Susac; Swaggerty 4.
RBI: Bethancourt (3); Fowler (6); Sharpe (4); Swaggerty 3 (7).
2-out RBI: Swaggerty 3; Bethancourt.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Bethancourt; Susac 2.
Team RISP: 2-for-8.
Team LOB: 8.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BASERUNNING

SB: Bethancourt (1, 3rd base off Foley/Centeno).

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS FIELDING

E: Bethancourt (1, fielding).

GAME INFO

WP: Manning.
Pitches-strikes: Manning 45-25; St. John 29-18; Payano, P 34-18; Del Pozo, M 15-8; Foley 18-13; Farmer 24-9; De Jong, C 71-45; Weiman 33-25; Eckelman 31-18; Spitzbarth 29-17.
Groundouts-flyouts: Manning 1-2; St. John 4-1; Payano, P 0-1; Del Pozo, M 0-0; Foley 0-1; Farmer 0-0; De Jong, C 2-1; Weiman 4-1; Eckelman 2-1; Spitzbarth 0-1.
Batters faced: Manning 12; St. John 7; Payano, P 7; Del Pozo, M 3; Foley 6; Farmer 5; De Jong, C 16; Weiman 9; Eckelman 8; Spitzbarth 7.
Inherited runners-scored: St. John 2-0.
Ejections: Mud Hens manager Tom Prince ejected by 1B umpire Charlie Ramos (2nd); Mud Hens pitcher Ian Krol ejected by 1B umpire Charlie Ramos (2nd); Indians manager Brian Esposito ejected by HP umpire Tom Hanahan (7th).
Umpires: HP: Tom Hanahan. 1B: Charlie Ramos. 3B: Rich Grassa.
Weather: 67 degrees, Cloudy.
Wind: 5 mph, Out To LF.
First pitch: 1:36 PM.
T: 3:10.
Att: 3,015.
Venue: Victory Field.

Results: Indianapolis Indians @ Iowa Cubs May 4-9, 2021

by

The Indianapolis Indians headed to Des Moines to take on the Iowa Cubs for a scheduled six-game series May 4-9, 2021.

Tuesday, May 4, 2021

Travis Swaggerty launched his first Triple-A home run and RHP Chase De Jong held the Iowa Cubs hitless through five innings to lead the Indianapolis Indians to their first Opening Night win since 2017, 3-0.

READ MORE on the Indianapolis Indians Blog.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BATTING

2B: Sharpe (1, Biagini); Hudson, J (1, Adam).
HR: Swaggerty (1, 1st inning off Biagini, 0 on, 0 out).
TB: Busby; Hudson, J 3; Kramer; Sharpe 3; Swaggerty 6.
RBI: Busby (1); Swaggerty 2 (2).
2-out RBI: Busby.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Kramer; Alford; Busby; Craig 2.
Team RISP: 2-for-10.
Team LOB: 10.

GAME INFO

HBP: Kramer (by Meisinger).
Pitches-strikes: De Jong, C 90-62; Hartlieb 14-10; Shreve 8-7; Gustave 11-7; Biagini 90-54; Adam 32-20; Meisinger 29-18.
Groundouts-flyouts: De Jong, C 5-2; Hartlieb 2-0; Shreve 1-0; Gustave 0-1; Biagini 16-0; Adam 2-2; Meisinger 0-0.
Batters faced: De Jong, C 22; Hartlieb 3; Shreve 3; Gustave 3; Biagini 25; Adam 8; Meisinger 7.
Umpires: HP: Alex Tosi. 1B: John Tumpane. 2B: Matt Winter. 3B: Jose Matamoros.
Weather: 63 degrees, Partly Cloudy.
Wind: 16 mph, In From LF.
First pitch: 6:42 PM.
T: 2:40.
Att: 3,656.
Venue: Principal Park.

Wednesday, May 5, 2021

After seven innings of back-and-forth ball, the Iowa Cubs capped a five-run eighth with a grand slam to hand the Indianapolis Indians their first loss of 2021, 8-3, and even the series at one game apiece.

READ MORE on the Indianapolis Indians Blog.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BATTING

2B: Kaiser, C (1, Holmes).
HR: Fowler (1, 8th inning off Jewell, 0 on, 0 out).
TB: Fowler 4; Kaiser, C 2; Kramer; Stokes Jr.; Swaggerty.
RBI: Craig (1); Fowler (1); Swaggerty (3).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Sharpe 2; Fowler 2; Alford; Craig.
SF: Craig.
GIDP: Craig.
Team RISP: 2-for-12.
Team LOB: 10.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BASERUNNING

SB: Swaggerty 2 (2, 2nd base off Holmes/Higgins, 2nd base off Morgan/Higgins); Stokes Jr. (1, 2nd base off Jewell/Higgins).

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS FIELDING

E: Swaggerty (1, fielding).

GAME INFO

IBB: Alcantára, S (by Bashlor).
HBP: Fowler (by Wieck); Swaggerty (by Morgan).
Pitches-strikes: Sulser 65-39; Weiman 37-27; Bashlor 19-10; Ogle 23-12; Mears 24-7; Eckelman 11-5; Holmes 72-41; Wieck 25-12; Morgan 15-10; Jewell 18-13; Nance 12-8.
Groundouts-flyouts: Sulser 4-0; Weiman 1-0; Bashlor 1-0; Ogle 0-1; Mears 1-0; Eckelman 0-0; Holmes 1-3; Wieck 0-0; Morgan 1-0; Jewell 1-0; Nance 2-0.
Batters faced: Sulser 14; Weiman 9; Bashlor 4; Ogle 5; Mears 6; Eckelman 3; Holmes 21; Wieck 5; Morgan 5; Jewell 5; Nance 4.
Inherited runners-scored: Morgan 3-0.
Umpires: HP: John Tumpane. 1B: Matt Winter. 2B: Jose Matamoros. 3B: Alex Tosi.
Weather: 65 degrees, Overcast.
Wind: 3 mph, L To R.
First pitch: 6:39 PM.
T: 3:09.
Att: 1,359.
Venue: Principal Park.

Thursday, May 6, 2021

Chris Sharpe sent his first Triple-A home run over the left-field wall and into the Principal Park parking lot to put the Indianapolis Indians up 3-0 early en route to a 5-4 win over the Iowa Cubs on Thursday night.

READ MORE on the Indianapolis Indians Blog.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BATTING

3B: Tucker (1, Abbott).
HR: Sharpe (1, 2nd inning off Abbott, 1 on, 1 out); Stokes Jr. (1, 7th inning off Stock, 0 on, 1 out).
TB: Sharpe 4; Stokes Jr. 4; Tucker 4.
RBI: Kramer (1); Sharpe 2 (2); Stokes Jr. (1).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Sharpe; Busby.
Team RISP: 0-for-6.
Team LOB: 4.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BASERUNNING

SB: Tucker (1, 2nd base off Abbott/Gushue); Fowler (1, 2nd base off Abbott/Gushue).

GAME INFO

Pitches-strikes: Ponce 66-39; Jacques 24-14; Poppen 26-14; Shreve 11-10; Hartlieb 12-9; Gustave 23-15; Abbott 89-64; Stock 42-24; Mekkes 13-9.
Groundouts-flyouts: Ponce 2-2; Jacques 1-0; Poppen 4-0; Shreve 1-0; Hartlieb 0-1; Gustave 1-0; Abbott 5-4; Stock 2-0; Mekkes 2-0.
Batters faced: Ponce 14; Jacques 5; Poppen 7; Shreve 4; Hartlieb 3; Gustave 5; Abbott 25; Stock 7; Mekkes 4.
Inherited runners-scored: Jacques 1-0; Hartlieb 1-0.
Ejections: Cubs manager Marty Pevey ejected by 1B umpire Jose Matamoros (1st).
Umpires: HP: Matt Winter. 1B: Jose Matamoros. 2B: Alex Tosi. 3B: John Tumpane.
Weather: 64 degrees, Partly Cloudy.
Wind: 17 mph, In From LF.
First pitch: 7:12 PM.
T: 3:10.
Att: 1,390.
Venue: Principal Park.

Friday, May 7, 2021

A wild pitch and two-out passed ball between Indianapolis batterymates Tyler Bashlor and Andrew Susac brought home the Iowa Cubs winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning on Friday night following a comeback attempt by the top of the Indians lineup. The I-Cubs tied the series at 2-2 following the 4-3 win.

READ MORE on the Indianapolis Indians Blog.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BATTING

2B: Craig (1, Rucker); Susac (1, Jewell).
3B: Kramer (1, Stewart, K).
TB: Craig 2; Kramer 3; Sharpe; Susac 3; Tucker 2.
RBI: Craig 3 (4).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Sharpe; Busby 2; Craig 2.
Team RISP: 1-for-13.
Team LOB: 8.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BASERUNNING

SB: Alford (1, 2nd base off Rucker/Lobatón).

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS FIELDING

E: Susac (1, catcher interference).
PB: Susac (1).
DP: 3 (Tucker-Craig; Busby-Tucker-Craig; Kramer-Craig).

GAME INFO

WP: Bashlor.
IBB: Miller, I (by Bashlor).
HBP: Kramer (by Morgan).
Pitches-strikes: Marvel 89-53; Keller, K 19-9; Ogle 17-11; Spitzbarth 15-8; Bashlor 30-18; Stewart, K 82-48; Rucker 35-27; Morgan 21-15; Jewell 25-13.
Groundouts-flyouts: Marvel 5-1; Keller, K 0-0; Ogle 2-0; Spitzbarth 2-0; Bashlor 0-3; Stewart, K 7-0; Rucker 2-0; Morgan 0-1; Jewell 3-0.
Batters faced: Marvel 21; Keller, K 4; Ogle 5; Spitzbarth 3; Bashlor 6; Stewart, K 18; Rucker 10; Morgan 5; Jewell 7.
Inherited runners-scored: Keller, K 2-0.
Ejections: Indians shortstop Cole Tucker ejected by 1B umpire Alex Tosi (10th).
Umpires: HP: Jose Matamoros. 1B: Alex Tosi. 2B: John Tumpane. 3B: Matt Winter.
Weather: 66 degrees, Clear.
Wind: 5 mph, L To R.
First pitch: 7:10 PM.
T: 3:27.
Att: 4,019.
Venue: Principal Park.

Saturday, May 8, 2021

POSTPONED

The fifth game of a six-game series between the Indianapolis Indians and Iowa Cubs has been postponed due to inclement weather. The contest will be made up as part of a to-be-determined doubleheader when Indy travels back to Des Moines from Aug. 3-8.

READ MORE on the Indianapolis Indians Blog.

Sunday, May 9, 2021

The Indianapolis Indians were no-hit by the Iowa Cubs for the second time in their all-time series history on Sunday afternoon as the Cubs shut out Indy, 2-0, to take the 3-2 series win.

READ MORE on the Indianapolis Indians Blog.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BATTING

Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Kramer; Kaiser, C.
Team RISP: 0-for-3.
Team LOB: 3.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BASERUNNING

SB: Fowler (2, 2nd base off Miller, S/Higgins).

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS FIELDING

E: Wright, S (1, pickoff).
DP: (Craig).

GAME INFO

Pitches-strikes: Yajure 92-60; Wright, S 44-26; Miller, S 47-28; Nance 37-22; Wieck 31-22; Meisinger 12-6.
Groundouts-flyouts: Yajure 6-2; Wright, S 0-0; Miller, S 2-1; Nance 3-0; Wieck 0-0; Meisinger 1-0.
Batters faced: Yajure 23; Wright, S 9; Miller, S 10; Nance 10; Wieck 6; Meisinger 4.
Umpires: HP: John Tumpane. 1B: Matt Winter. 2B: Jose Matamoros. 3B: Alex Tosi.
Weather: 55 degrees, Partly Cloudy.
Wind: 12 mph, In From CF.
First pitch: 1:10 PM.
T: 2:28.
Att: 3,318.
Venue: Principal Park.

Indianapolis Indians Host Toledo Mud Hens May 11-16, 2021

by

Indianapolis Indians Host Toledo Mud Hens May 11-16, 2021 Homestand

Minor league baseball and the Indianapolis Indians are back in action at Victory Field!!!

Buy your digital tickets today at milb.com/indianapolis/tickets/promotions.

Opening Night

Tuesday, May 11 @ 7:05 PM (Gates open at 6:00 PM.)

Celebrate the return of Indians baseball at Victory Field with our 2021 home opener.

Wednesday Day Game

Wednesday, May 12 @ 1:35 PM (Gates open at 12:30 PM.)

Take your lunch at the ballpark or cut out of the office early.

Thirsty Thursday & Circle City Night

Thursday, May 13 @ 7:05 PM (Gates open at 6:00 PM.)

Thirsty Thursday

Quench your thirst with $2 fountain drinks, $3 domestic drafts, and $5 premium and craft drafts.

Circle City Night

Show your 317 pride and attend Circle City Nights, exclusive to Thursday home games. The Indians will wear Circle City jerseys.

Prospects Night featuring Pirates Jerseys

Friday, May 14 @ 7:05 PM (Gates open at 6:00 PM.)

Catch the stars of tomorrow today at Victory Field!

The Indians will wear jerseys designed in the spirit of our MLB affiliate, the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The jersey auction begins Friday, May 14, and concludes at the end of the seventh inning on Saturday, May 15.

Promotion: Mystery Card Set Giveaway

  • The first 1,000 fans through the Victory Field gates will receive a mystery card set that includes five (5) trading cards featuring one (1) autograph from a 2021 Pirates prospect.

Ticket Offer: Bobblehead Ticket Package

  • Two Rawlings Gold Gloves, two bobbleheads. Enhance your bobblehead collection with a pair of Gold Glove winners, Will Craig and Ke’Bryan Hayes. Limited packages are available and must be purchased in advance.

Prospects Night featuring Pirates Jerseys

Saturday, May 15 @ 7:05 PM (Gates open at 6:00 PM.)

Catch the stars of tomorrow today at Victory Field!

The Indians will wear jerseys designed in the spirit of our MLB affiliate, the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The jersey auction begins Friday, May 14, and concludes at the end of the seventh inning on Saturday, May 15.

Promotion: Mystery Card Set Giveaway

  • The first 1,000 fans through the Victory Field gates will receive a mystery card set that includes five (5) trading cards featuring one (1) autograph from a 2021 Pirates prospect.

Ticket Offer: Bobblehead Ticket Package

  • Two Rawlings Gold Gloves, two bobbleheads. Enhance your bobblehead collection with a pair of Gold Glove winners, Will Craig and Ke’Bryan Hayes. Limited packages are available and must be purchased in advance.

Kids Eat Free Sunday & Education Day

Sunday, May 16 @ 1:35 PM (Gates open at 12:30 PM.)

Kids Eat Free Sunday

Children 14 and under receive a hot dog, bag of chips, and bottle of water with the price of admission.

Education Day

Baseball and education all in one! Enjoy an Indians game featuring STEM-related activities. Plus, raise money for your kid’s school and win great prizes with our school fundraising program.

Indianapolis Indians 2021 Season Information

by

After a long 19-month “off-season”, minor league baseball and the Indianapolis Indians are back in action!

Here are the basics of how the 2021 Indianapolis Indians Season will work.

And let us preface this with all dates and plans are subject to change due to the fluid situation of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introducing The Triple-A East

You’ll also notice some new teams on the schedule. This is because the International League was disbanded before the 2021 season in conjunction with Major League Baseball‘s reorganization of Minor League Baseball.

All 14 teams formerly of the Triple-A International League, plus four teams from the Triple-A Pacific Coast League, one team from the Double-A Southern League, and one team from the independent American Association of Professional Baseball, make up the newly formed 20-team Triple-A East.

Along with the Triple-A West, Triple-A East is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball (MLB).

The Triple-A East teams are as follows.

Division Team MLB Affiliation City
Midwest Columbus Clippers Cleveland Indians Columbus, Ohio
Indianapolis Indians Pittsburgh Pirates Indianapolis, Indiana
Iowa Cubs Chicago Cubs Des Moines, Iowa
Louisville Bats Cincinnati Reds Louisville, Kentucky
Omaha Storm Chasers Kansas City Royals Papillion, Nebraska
St. Paul Saints Minnesota Twins Saint Paul, Minnesota
Toledo Mud Hens Detroit Tigers Toledo, Ohio
Northeast Buffalo Bisons Toronto Blue Jays Buffalo, New York
Lehigh Valley IronPigs Philadelphia Phillies Allentown, Pennsylvania
Rochester Red Wings Washington Nationals Rochester, New York
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders New York Yankees Moosic, Pennsylvania
Syracuse Mets New York Mets Syracuse, New York
Worcester Red Sox Boston Red Sox Worcester, Massachusetts
Southeast Charlotte Knights Chicago White Sox Charlotte, North Carolina
Durham Bulls Tampa Bay Rays Durham, North Carolina
Gwinnett Stripers Atlanta Braves Lawrenceville, Georgia
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp Miami Marlins Jacksonville, Florida
Memphis Redbirds St. Louis Cardinals Memphis, Tennessee
Nashville Sounds Milwaukee Brewers Nashville, Tennessee
Norfolk Tides Baltimore Orioles Norfolk, Virginia

Indianapolis Indians 2021 Home Game Schedule

Due to the pandemic and delayed start of the season, there will be 60 home games over the course of ten 6-game homestands.

The only non-division home series will be played against the Memphis Redbirds June 15-20, 2021.

Single-game tickets may be purchased at milb.com/indianapolis/tickets/promotions.

  • May 11-16, 2021: Toledo Mud Hens [Results] (Indians win series 5-1)
  • June 1-6, 2021: Columbus Clippers [Results] (Indians win series 4-2)
  • June 15-20, 2021: Memphis Redbirds (Southeast Division) [Results] (Indians win series 5-1)
  • June 29-July 4, 2021: Iowa Cubs
  • July 13-18, 2021: Omaha Storm Chasers
  • July 20-25, 2021: Toledo Mud Hens
  • August 10-15, 2021: St. Paul Saints
  • August 24-29, 2021: Louisville Bats
  • August 31-September 5, 2021: Iowa Cubs
  • September 14-19, 2021: St. Paul Saints

Indianapolis Indians 2021 Away Game Schedule

Due to the pandemic and delayed start of the season, there will also be 60 away games over the course of ten 6-game homestands.

The only non-division away series will be played against the Nashville Sounds June 8-13, 2021.

  • May 4-9, 2021: @ Iowa Cubs [Results] (Indians trail in series 3-2, May 8th game to be made up on August 4th)
  • May 18-23, 2021: @ St. Paul Saints [Results] (Indians win series 4-2)
  • May 25-30, 2021: @ Omaha Storm Chasers [Results] (Indians lose series 6-0)
  • June 8-13, 2021: @ Nashville Sounds (Southeast Division) [Results] (Indians split series 3-3)
  • June 22-27, 2021: @ Louisville Bats [Results] (Indians lose series 4-2)
  • July 6-11, 2021: @ Columbus Clippers
  • July 27-August 1, 2021: @ St. Paul Saints
  • August 3-8, 2021: @ Iowa Cubs
  • August 17-22, 2021: @ Toledo Mud Hens
  • September 7-12, 2021: @ Louisville Bats

Indianapolis Indians 2021 Radio Broadcast Schedule

Listen on AM 1260 as Howard Kellman, Andrew Kappes and Cheyne Reiter call the action all season long.

Indianapolis Indians 2021 Home Game TV Schedule

In what we think is a very cool agreement, WISH-TV/MyINDY-TV 23 will be airing 35 of the 60 Indianapolis Indians home games.

The broadcast schedule is as follows:

  • Tuesday, May 11 vs. Toledo Mud Hens
  • Friday, May 14 – Sunday, May 16 vs. Toledo Mud Hens
  • Thursday, June 3 – Sunday, June 6 vs. Columbus Clippers
  • Thursday, June 17 – Sunday, June 20 vs. Memphis Redbirds
  • Tuesday, June 29 – Sunday, July 4 vs. Iowa Cubs
  • Thursday, July 15 – Friday, July 16 vs. Omaha Storm Chasers
  • Sunday, July 18 vs. Omaha Storm Chasers
  • Wednesday, July 21 – Sunday, July 25 vs. Toledo Mud Hens
  • Thursday, Aug. 12 – Friday, Aug. 13 vs. St. Paul Saints
  • Sunday, Aug. 15 vs. St. Paul Saints
  • Saturday, Aug. 28 – Sunday, Aug. 29 vs. Louisville Bats
  • Wednesday, Sept. 1 – Thursday, Sept. 2 vs. Iowa Cubs
  • Saturday, Sept. 4 – Sunday, Sept. 5 vs. Iowa Cubs

Indianapolis Indians 2021 Streaming Schedule

Enjoy live streaming of all Indianapolis Indians games all season long as well as full game archives on MiLB.TV. Available on desktop, iOS, and Android devices.

Indianapolis Indians 2021 COVID-19 Protocols

Now to address the elephant in the room.

With the Indianapolis Indians home opener set for Tuesday, May 11 against the Toledo  Mud Hens at Victory Field, the organization announced numerous health and safety game day protocols in advance of the six-game series that runs through Sunday, May 16. The protocols align with previously set and approved guidelines by the Marion County Public Health Department (MCPHD), Major League  Baseball (MLB), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

“We are excited to welcome both Indians baseball and our great fans back to Victory Field,” said Randy  Lewandowski, Indianapolis Indians President, and General Manager. “As we open our gates to kick off  Victory Field’s 25th anniversary season, the safety of our fans, players, and staff remains top priority.  While we recognize new capacity percentages for outdoor events were adjusted yesterday, our existing plan of 25% capacity for May home dates remains in effect. We look forward to increasing capacities later  this summer while continuing to follow protocols and guidelines from the Marion County Public Health  Department, Major League Baseball, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”

Safety protocols for game days at Victory Field are detailed here and below: 

  • Per the current MCPHD order, face coverings will be required for all fans over the age of 2 years old. Fans may only remove masks when actively eating or drinking in their ticketed seat location. Neck gaiters, bandanas, and vented masks will not be accepted upon entry. 
  • Seating options will primarily be sold in pods of 2, 4, or 6 seats in the seating bowl to ensure social distancing.
  • Lawn seating is also available at $12 per ticket in seating pod arrangements in both left and right fields. Lawn pods can hold up to six (6) people. If a group has more than six in its party, they are able to buy pods close to each other to make it work for their group.
  • The Indians will operate at 25% capacity (approximately 3,450 fans) through the end of May. 
  • The Indians have transitioned to a digital ticketing system to provide a safe, convenient and secure way for fans to use and share game tickets. Digital ticketing provides a contactless entry solution for all fans coming to Victory Field. 
  • All concession stands will be cashless with food and condiments distributed in closed or prepackaged containers. Concession menus will also be simplified. 
  • Walkways and concourses will have signage to direct guests to ensure proper social distancing,  including one-way pedestrian traffic. Restrooms with multiple entrances and gift shops will be assigned a one-way entrance and exit. 
  • Victory Field has implemented the use of industrial-grade, mobile sanitization units that will be used to disinfect surfaces throughout the stadium prior to, during, and after the game. Hand sanitizing stations for fans and staff have been added to high-traffic areas. 

Indianapolis Indians 2021 Schedule Notes

Due to the pandemic and delayed start of the season, all series are six games this season, which are held from Tuesday-Sunday.

There are no Monday games this year, thus we now have the Tuesday Dollar Menu on select dates.

There is no All-Star game this year due to the season delay and schedule changes.

The season will be played straight through from May 4th through September 19th.

There is no scheduled postseason for championship playoffs or the Triple-A National Championship Game.

Indianapolis Indians 2018 Opening Day Roster

by

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis Indians, in conjunction with the Pittsburgh Pirates, today announced their Opening Day roster for the 2018 season. Outfielder Austin Meadows – ranked by Baseball America as the second-best prospect in Pittsburgh’s farm system and No. 44 overall in professional baseball – headlines the group.

First-year manager Brian Esposito, the club’s 61st skipper in team history, returns 13 players from Indy’s 2017 division championship squad. Like the ’17 team, the roster has a blend of up-and-coming prospects and veterans with major league experience. Joining Meadows as top 10 Pirates prospects, according to Baseball America, is infielder Kevin Newman (No. 5) and Indy’s Opening Day starter, Nick Kingham (No. 8). Infielder Kevin Kramer (No. 12), Pirates 2017 Minor League Player of the Year, Jordan Luplow (No. 13), infielder Max Moroff (No. 16) and right-hander Tyler Eppler (No. 29) round out Indy’s top prospects.

Following Kingham in the rotation are four right-handers – Eppler, Alex McRae, Austin Coley and Casey Sadler – with McRae and Coley both having pitched for Double-A Altoona during its 2017 Eastern League Championship run. The bullpen is right-handed heavy and welcomes one returner, Ohio State University product Brett McKinney, who is joined by Tanner Anderson, Johnny Hellweg, Tyler Jones, Damien Magnifico and Richard Rodriguez. Hellweg, Magnifico and Rodriguez have each had brief big-league stints in their respective careers.

Returning catcher Jacob Stallings headlines backstop duo after finishing his 2017 campaign with a Triple-A batting average north of .300. Ryan Lavarnway, 30, a veteran with 140 major league appearances under his belt, will share duties with Stallings.

Five of the Tribe’s seven listed infielders played for Indy last season. Two newcomers, Kramer and first baseman/outfielder Jerrick Suiter, join Moroff, Newman, Jose Osuna, Erich Weiss and Eric Wood. Moroff belted a career-high 13 home runs for the Tribe in 2017, while Wood pounded a career-high-tying 16 dingers.

The Tribe outfield features Meadows and Luplow, 2017 Indy Indians MVP Christopher Bostick and 29-year-old Todd Cunningham. Last year, Bostick finished fourth in the International League in batting (.294) and was an IL midseason All-Star.

Overall, eight of the Indians’ 25 active players are currently members of Pittsburgh’s 40-man roster.

Pitchers

# Name Pos Bat Thw Ht Wt DOB Status MLB 40-man
16 Tanner Anderson P R R 6′ 2″ 195 05-27-1993 Active No
10 Austin Coley P R R 6′ 2″ 203 07-14-1992 Active No
19 Kyle Crick P L R 6′ 4″ 220 11-30-1992 Active Yes
Montana DuRapau P R R 5′ 11″ 175 03-27-1992 Restricted No
36 Tyler Eppler P R R 6′ 5″ 230 01-05-1993 Active No
22 Johnny Hellweg P R R 6′ 7″ 235 10-29-1988 Active No
30 Tyler Jones P R R 6′ 4″ 240 09-05-1989 Active No
49 Nick Kingham P R R 6′ 5″ 225 11-08-1991 Active Yes
44 Damien Magnifico P R R 6′ 1″ 205 05-24-1991 Active No
38 Brett McKinney P R R 6′ 0″ 225 11-19-1990 Active No
28 Alex McRae P R R 6′ 2″ 220 04-06-1993 Active No
31 Richard Rodriguez P R R 6′ 4″ 205 03-04-1990 Active No
37 Casey Sadler P R R 6′ 3″ 220 07-13-1990 Active No
Kevin Siegrist P L L 6′ 5″ 230 07-20-1989 Suspended No

Catchers

# Name Pos Bat Thw Ht Wt DOB Status MLB 40-man
23 Ryan Lavarnway C R R 6′ 4″ 240 08-07-1987 Active No
32 Jacob Stallings C R R 6′ 5″ 220 12-22-1989 Active Yes

Infielders

# Name Pos Bat Thw Ht Wt DOB Status MLB 40-man
17 Kevin Kramer 2B L R 6′ 0″ 200 10-03-1993 Active No
2 Max Moroff 2B S R 5′ 10″ 185 05-13-1993 Active Yes
3 Kevin Newman SS R R 6′ 1″ 180 08-04-1993 Active No
13 Jose Osuna 1B R R 6′ 3″ 240 12-12-1992 Active Yes
45 Jerrick Suiter 1B R R 6′ 4″ 230 03-04-1993 Active No
6 Erich Weiss 2B L R 6′ 2″ 200 09-11-1991 Active No
14 Eric Wood 3B R R 6′ 1″ 210 11-22-1992 Active No

Outfielders

# Name Pos Bat Thw Ht Wt DOB Status MLB 40-man
7 Christopher Bostick LF R R 5′ 10″ 200 03-24-1993 Active Yes
27 Todd Cunningham CF S R 6′ 0″ 205 03-20-1989 Active No
24 Jordan Luplow RF R R 6′ 1″ 195 09-26-1993 Active Yes
15 Austin Meadows CF L L 6′ 3″ 210 05-03-1995 Active Yes
Daniel Nava OF S L 5′ 10″ 195 02-22-1983 7-day DL No

SOURCE: Indianapolis Indians

Indianapolis Indians 2018 Game 1 Notes (April 6, 2018)

by

The Indians open their 2018 season and 117th in franchise history tonight against the Columbus Clippers.

Location: Victory Field

First Pitch: 7:15 p.m. ET

Game #1/Home #1: Indianapolis Indians (0-0) vs. Columbus Clippers (0-0)

Probables: RHP Nick Kingham vs. LHP Shawn Morimando

Radio: Fox Sports 97.5 / AM 1260

TV: Comcast 90 / MiLB TV

WELCOME BACK: The Indianapolis Indians, in continuous operation since 1902, open the 117th season in franchise history tonight, welcoming a division foe and recent rival, Columbus, to Circle City. The Indians have been part of the International League since 1998, in addition to a one-year showing in 1963 when Indy secured its first of two Governors’ Cup Championships (also: 2000).

DRESS APPROPRIATELY: First pitch temperatures this evening are expected to hover around 40 degrees. Last year, Indy’s home opener against Toledo was a somewhat chilly affair as well, with the first pitch temperature being 48 degrees. Indy won that game by a 7-4 final, thanks to a five-run seventh inning that featured home runs by Jason Rogers and Max Moroff.

SPEAKING OF OPENING DAY: The Indians snapped a two-game Opening Day slide last year with their win over the Mud Hens. Tonight, the Tribe will seek its first winning streak on Opening Day since the early 2000s. Indianapolis last won consecutive games on Opening Day from 2003-05, winning 8-2 at Columbus, 2-1 at Norfolk and 7-5 vs. Pawtucket. Indy also reeled off four straight Opening Day wins from 1998-2001. They blanked Toledo 3-0 in ’98 and won again over the Mud Hens at Victory Field in ’99 by a 9-7 score. In 2000, Indy won 5-2 at Richmond before earning a 6-5 win over Toledo again at The Vic in 2001.

INDY VS. COLUMBUS, OPENING DAY: The Indians and Clippers have met on Opening Day nine times since 1997. Indy is just 3-6 against Columbus, including a 1-4 mark at Victory Field. Indy’s only win over Columbus at The Vic came in 2007 when the Tribe picked up a 6-1 victory behind five shutout innings from southpaw Sean Burnett.

NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN: Brian Esposito, announced as the 61st manager in franchise history in January 2018, is his sixth season of coaching and fifth as a manager in the Pirates farm system. He served as a player/coach for the Tribe under manager Dean Treanor in 2013, a squad that went 80-64 en route to a second straight IL West Division title. Esposito, 38, owns a career managerial record of 233-195 (.544). His best season came in 2015 with Low-A West Virginia, a team that went 87-52 (.626), good for the third-highest winning percentage among all full-season teams in Minor League Baseball.

FAMILIAR FACES: The Indians’ roster carries plenty of familiar faces into the first homestand. Thirteen players (four pitchers, nine position players) return from the 2017 division championship team. Returning pitchers include tonight’s starter Nick Kingham, along with Tyler Eppler, Brett McKinney, and Casey Sadler. Catcher Jacob Stallings and infielders Max Moroff, Kevin Newman, Jose Osuna, Erich Weiss and Eric Wood also return. In the outfield, 2017 Team MVP Christopher Bostick is joined by Pirates 2017 MiLB Player of the Year Jordan Luplow and Austin Meadows, the No. 2 prospect in Pittsburgh’s farm system according to Baseball America.

THE NEW GUYS: Twelve of Indy’s 25 active players are new to Indianapolis. Pitchers Tanner Anderson, Austin Coley, and Alex McRae all will get their first taste of Triple-A, with each having played a prominent role in Double-A Altoona’s run to the 2017 Eastern League title. New pitchers already with Triple-A experience include Kyle Crick, Johnny Hellweg, Tyler Jones, Damien Magnifico and Richard Rodriguez. Just four position players are new to Indy, including infielders Kevin Kramer and Jerrick Suiter who spent most of their 2017 seasons in Altoona. Veteran catcher Ryan Lavarnway and 29-year-old outfielder Todd Cunningham finish out the roster.

SOURCE: Indianapolis Indians