Game Information: Toledo Mud Hens (74-60) vs. Indianapolis Indians (70-64)
September 13, 2022 – International League (IL) – Indianapolis Indians News Release
LOCATION: Victory Field
FIRST PITCH: 6:35 PM ET
GAME #135 / Home #64: Toledo Mud Hens (74-60) vs. Indianapolis Indians (70-64)
PROBABLES: RHP Daniel Ponce de Leon (1-3, 5.65) vs. RHP David Bednar (0-0, -.–)
RADIO: FoxSportsIndy.com / Fox Sports 1260 / iHeart app
TV: MiLB TV
ABOUT SUNDAY: The Indians got on the board in the top of the first courtesy of a ground-rule double by Blake Sabol, but a pair of Omaha singles in the following half inning gave the home team a 2-1 lead. Five runs plated on a bases-loaded walk, two-run single by Bligh Madris and RBI ground-rule double by Mason Martin in the top of the second gave Indianapolis a lead it would not relinquish. The Indians sent 10 batters to the plate with five hits and two walks in the frame. The scoring was far from over, and Jose Godoy launched his first Indianapolis home run with one out in the top of the third inning. Following a two-out double off the bat of Drew Maggi, Sabol continued his tear of excellence at the Triple-A level with an RBI single, extending the lead to 8-2. The Indians then one-upped themselves in the fourth inning, sending 12 batters to the plate to score eight runs on three bases-loaded walks, a sacrifice fly by Godoy and pair of two-run doubles off the bats of Kevin Padlo and Martin. Padlo highlighted the frame, going 2-for-2 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored. A sacrifice fly by Carter Bins in the seventh and a pinch-hit, two-run homer by Brendt Citta in the eighth inning plated two additional runs before the Storm Chasers took their turn batting around the order in the bottom of the eighth. They scored seven runs to cut the deficit to 10 runs.
PILE THEM ON: Indianapolis’ 19 runs scored on Sunday at Omaha was the team’s most since plating 21 in a 20-run rout of Columbus on July 6, 2017. It was also the second-most runs scored in a single game since 2005.
DOUBLING DOWN: The Indians roped seven doubles in Sunday’s victory, which is tied with Buffalo and Durham for the third-most two-baggers in a single game this season. The mark, which is one double shy of the league lead (Lehigh Valley and Omaha), is Indy’s most since hitting eight on April 17, 2018 at Columbus.
IN A PINCH: Entering into the game as a pinch hitter for Blake Sabol, Brendt Citta cranked a one-out, two-run home run to plate the final Indianapolis runs of the game in the eighth inning. It was his second pinch hit homer for the Indians in as many chances, which are the team’s only two of the season. The team has had only 21 pinch-hit at-bats this season with the addition of the universal DH after hitting four homers in 96 pinch-hit at-bats during the 2021 campaign.
PAD-THAI IS GOOD: Kevin Padlo reached base safely in all six of his plate appearances last night, going 3-for-3 with two doubles, two RBI, three walks and three runs scored. The third baseman has been a machine in 19 games with Indianapolis so far this season, hitting .320 (78-for-295) with eight extra-base hits, 15 RBI and 14 runs scored.
MR. CONSISTENT: Blake Sabol registered his third consecutive two-hit game on Sunday afternoon as he went 2-for-4 with a run scored, double and three RBI to continue his early success at the Triple-A level. He has four two-hit performances and has hit safely in nine of 11 games since being promoted from Double-A Altoona on Aug. 30, good for a .342 average (13-for-38) with five extra-base hits, nine RBI and almost as many walks (8) as strikeouts (9). He has now reached base safely in 21 of his last 22 games between Indianapolis and Double-A Altoona – collecting a hit in 20 of them. During this stretch, he is hitting .370 average (30-for-81) with six doubles, two triples, five home runs, 16 RBI and 17 runs scored.
HE CAN’T BE STOPPED: Center fielder Jared Oliva tied his season high with three hits for the third time in his past 12 games on Sunday afternoon, going 3-for-6 with a double and two runs scored to extend his hitting streak to nine consecutive games dating back to Aug. 30. Offensively, he has hit safely in 11 of 12 games, eight of which have been multi-hit contests, dating back to Aug. 25. Defensively, the outfielder hasn’t committed an error in 77 consecutive games dating back to 4/16, which is the fourth-longest active streak in the International League.
TONIGHT: After going 8-4 through their first 12-game homestand of the season from Aug. 16-28, the Indians will look to finish off their 2022 home slate of games with 12 consecutive games at Victory Field. To begin the final homestand of the year, Indy has the opportunity to build on a 7-5 season-series lead against the Toledo Mud Hens, owning a 4-2 record on its home turf. To begin the series tonight, right-handed pitcher David Bednar will make his Triple-A debut on a major league rehab assignment. Following him will be righty Noe Toribio, who has faced Toledo once this season and spun 3.0 scoreless innings in relief with as many strikeouts. Countering for the Mud Hens will be RHP Daniel Ponce De Leon, who battled Indianapolis last with Rochester on Aug. 28 and struck out seven over 6.0 two-run innings.
ALL-STAR POWER: The Pittsburgh Pirates announced today that 2022 National League All-Star, right-handed relief pitcher David Bednar, will begin a rehab assignment and start for Indianapolis tonight. The 27-year-old was placed on the 15-day injured list on Aug. 3 (retroactive to July 31) with low back inflammation. In 40 appearances with Pittsburgh this season, the closer is 3-4 with a 2.70 ERA (14er/46.2ip), 63 strikeouts and 17 saves in 21 opportunities. He also pitched a scoreless ninth inning for the NL in its 3-2 loss to the American League in the MLB All-Star Game. This rehab assignment will mark the first Triple-A action of Bednar’s career after he was promoted from Double-A Amarillo to San Diego to make his MLB debut on Sept. 1, 2019.
• Discuss this story on the International League message board…
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
