Game Information: Toledo Mud Hens (77-60) vs. Indianapolis Indians (70-67)
September 16, 2022 – International League (IL) – Indianapolis Indians News Release
LOCATION: Victory Field
FIRST PITCH: 7:05 PM ET
GAME #138 / Home #67: Toledo Mud Hens (77-60) vs. Indianapolis Indians (70-67)
PROBABLES: LHP Ricardo Sanchez (7-5, 4.63) vs. RHP Jerad Eickhoff (6-6, 4.70)
RADIO: FoxSportsIndy.com / Fox Sports 1260 / iHeart app
TV: MiLB TV
ABOUT YESTERDAY: Jared Oliva roped an inside-the-park home run off the wall in straightaway center to mark the Indians’ third long ball of the day, but the Mud Hens came back for a 12-3 win yesterday afternoon at Victory Field. After Tucupita Marcano and Josh VanMeter went yard with solo shots in each of the first two innings off Bryan Garcia, respectively, Oliva sent the first pitch of the bottom of the third inning out beyond a leaping Daz Cameron in center field. It was the first inside-the-park home run by an Indians batter at Victory Field since Alen Hanson on July 1, 2015. The Mud Hens countered with 12 unanswered runs, taking the lead with a four-run spot in the fourth inning and not looking back. They scored two runs in the fifth via back-to-back home runs by Brendon Davis and Jamie Westbrook, three in the sixth and three in the eighth.
STYLE AND SPEED: Jared Oliva continued his hot streak as of late, smoking an inside-the-park home run yesterday, the first of his career and Indianapolis’ first at Victory Field since Alen Hanson on July 1, 2015. It was Oliva’s seventh home run of the season, his most since hitting a career-high nine in 2018 with High-A Bradenton. The outfielder has been one of Indianapolis’ best offensive weapons over the last two months, registering a .400 average (32-for-80) in 23 games since going 2-for-3 with a triple and two RBI in the nightcap of a doubleheader on Aug. 3. It was the third stellar play Oliva has made this season after executing a walk-off steal of home on June 9 and robbing a home run on June 29 at Nashville.
VANMETER READING HOT: Josh VanMeter continued Indianapolis’ roll of home runs in the second inning yesterday, hitting a ball out to the Max Schumacher Victory Bell that then bounced onto West Street. The Indiana native has appeared in two games since being outrighted by Pittsburgh on Sept. 10 and has three extra-base hits. Yesterday was his seventh game at Victory Field this season after joining the Indians on a rehab assignment from June 21-26, and in those games he is 5-for-24 with five runs scored. He is no stranger to the ballpark at the corner of West and Maryland Streets in downtown Indianapolis, appearing at The Vic in 18 games during his time with Louisville from 2018-19. VanMeter raked in those games, hitting .323 (20-for-63) with nine extra-base hits, 10 RBI, 15 runs scored and more walks (13) than strikeouts (12).
MARCANO MAKES A DIFFERENCE: Tucupita Marcano jumpstarted the scoring yesterday, launching his second Triple-A home run in the bottom of the first inning. He was the lone Indianapolis batter to register multiple hits in yesterday’s contest, going 2-for-4 for his sixth multi-hit performance in 16 games with Indy this season. In those games, he is hitting .348 (23-for-66) with nine runs scored, five doubles, six RBI, eight walks and 11 strikeouts. Marcano has six total home runs this season between Double-A Altoona (31 games), Indianapolis and Pittsburgh (48 games), which is one shot shy of tying his career-high of seven home runs in 2021.
BOLTON ON THE BUMP: Cody Bolton made his 28th appearance (13th start) of the season yesterday and tossed 2.0 scoreless innings. As Indy’s jack of all trades on the mound, Bolton has registered a 3.14 ERA (25er/71.2ip), 76 strikeouts and a .207 average against (54-for-261). Below are his splits between starts and relief appearances:
13 starts: 0-2, 3.72 ERA (16er/38.2ip), 21 BB, 37 K, 1.27 WHIP, .203 AVG (28-for-138)
15 relief appearances: 4-0, 2.45 ERA (9er/33.0ip), 17 BB, 39 K, 1.30 WHIP, .211 AVG (26-for-123)
EDUCATION DAY: Yesterday was the fourth and final Baseball in Education day at Victory Field this season, with the Indians going 1-4 record in those games. They lost 12-5 on April 21 vs. Columbus; suspended on May 5 vs. Louisville and lost that completed game 7-5 on May 7; lost 4-2 vs. Toledo in Game 1 of a doubleheader on May 19 and won the nightcap 8-4.
SWIPING BASES: As a team, the Indians have 141 total stolen bases, their most since snagging a league-leading 168 in 2015 with Alen Hanson and Keon Broxton at the head of the baserunning charge. This season’s total currently is tied for fifth among International League teams, and it would be the first time the Indians finished in the top five of stolen bases since stealing the second most in 2018 (111). Their 69 stolen bases in 2019 was tied for 10th in the IL, and their 71 last season was tied for 14th in the Triple-A East.
TODAY: The Indians are still in search of their first win this series as they prepare for a 7:05 PM ET first pitch tonight vs. Toledo. The Indians have dropped the first three games in a series twice this season, from May 3-7 vs. Louisville and June 14-16 at Gwinnett. Getting the start for Indianapolis today will be RHP Jerad Eickhoff (6-6, 4.70) for his 27th appearance (18th start) of the season with Indianapolis. Two of those outings (one start) have come against Toledo, and in those games he is 0-0 with a 2.35 ERA (2er/7.2ip) with just one walk and 11 strikeouts. Toledo will counter with southpaw Ricardo Sanchez (7-5, 4.63), who has made four starts with the Mud Hens after being traded from Philadelphia to Detroit on Aug. 14. He has made 25 total Triple-A starts this season between Lehigh Valley and Toledo, none of which have come against Indianapolis.
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