Game Information: Indianapolis Indians (68-62) at Omaha Storm Chasers (63-68)
September 8, 2022 – International League (IL) – Indianapolis Indians News Release
LOCATION: Werner Park
FIRST PITCH: 7:35 PM ET
GAME #131 / ROAD #68: Indianapolis Indians (68-62) at Omaha Storm Chasers (63-68)
PROBABLES: RHP Luis Ortiz (0-0, 9.00) vs. LHP Austin Cox (6-7, 4.49)
RADIO: FoxSportsIndy.com / Fox Sports 1260 / iHeart app
TV: MiLB TV
ABOUT YESTERDAY – GAME ONE: The Indians fell short in Game 1 in a back-and-forth affair in extras, 5-4. After the team’s finished the seven scheduled innings deadlocked at 3-3, Indianapolis struck first in the top of the eighth with a looped single from center fielder Jared Oliva and a fielding error by left fielder Clay Dungan to plate placed runner Drew Maggi. In the bottom of the eighth, the Storm Chasers responded with a game-tying RBI single through the right side courtesy of third basemen Nick Loftin. In the ninth, Omaha right-hander Wyatt Mills kept placed runner Bligh Madris at second base and held the Indians off the board. The Storm Chasers capitalized in the bottom half and walked it off on a sacrifice fly to score to take Game 1. The Indians’ offensive output was highlighted by Madris, who cracked a two-run home run for his first home run with Indy since July 23, and Mason Martin, whose team-leading 16th home run of the season in the fourth tied the game at three.
ABOUT YESTERDAY – GAME TWO: In the nightcap, the Indians bounced back to take a 4-3 victory and split the doubleheader. The Indians have split all six of their doubleheaders this season. Two unearned started the scoring for the Indians against Omaha left-hander Drew Parrish with an error from shortstop Maikel Garcia leading to an Indianapolis run in both the first and second inning. RHP Noe Toribio, in his first Triple-A start, held Omaha off the board until a wild pitch plated Hicklen in the fourth and catcher Jose Briceno belted a solo home run in the fifth. With the game tied 2-2 in the sixth, a Mason Martin sacrifice fly and a hard-hit ground ball double by Jared Oliva plated the go-ahead and deciding runs. After Indians reliever Hunter Stratton allowed a home run to Freddy Fermin in the sixth, he shut the door to secure the win with a scoreless seventh.
ALL IN OLIVA: Center fielder Jared Oliva went 5-for-7 with an RBI double and two runs scored in yesterday’s doubleheader. In Game 1, he had three base knocks – his fourth three-hit performance of the season. He tacked on an additional two hits in the nightcap, including his RBI double to extend Indy’s lead late in the ballgame. In 17 games since Aug. 3, the 26-year-old is hitting .421 (24-for-57) with six doubles, a triple, a home run, 10 RBI and six stolen bases.
BLIGH LET’S IT FLY: Bligh Madris crushed his seventh home run of the season in Game 1 of last night’s doubleheader. Madris joined Oliva with a team-leading five hits in yesterday’s twinbill. Following his 2-for-4 performance that was highlighted by his two-run homer in Game 1, he led the Indians offense in the nightcap going 3-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. After going 0-for-9 in his first two games following being optioned to Indy on Aug.29, he has since caught fire. In his last six games, he is hitting .364 (8-for-22) with three doubles, a home run, five RBI and three runs scored.
MARTIN MASHED ONE: Mason Martin launched a ball well over the right field fence and onto the berm at Werner Park for his 16th home run of the season. It was his first long ball since July 27 at Toledo and he snapped a career-high 32-game home run drought (7/27-9/6). August was only the third time in his career where he did not club at least one home run and the first time since July 2018 with Bristol (R).
CAM IS THE MAN: Southpaw Cam Alldred came in relief of opener Austin Brice Tuesday night to extend his scoreless streak (2.1ip, 1h, 0er, 2bb, 4k). The 26-year-old reliever has now gone nine consecutive appearances without allowing a run (12.2ip). It is his longest scoreless streak since his 16.2-inning scoreless streak (4/20-5/24). During his scoreless stretch, he has knocked his season-ERA down from 2.78 to 2.18.
TONIGHT: After going 5-1 through the first leg of the 13-game road trip thanks to a season-high tying five-game winning streak, the Indians have fallen behind 2-1 in the seven-game set with the Storm Chasers and will look to even tonight at Werner Park at 7:35 PM ET. Coming into tonight, the Indians and Storm Chasers have split the previous 14 matchups with three remaining matchups at Werner Park. For the Indians, right-hander Luis Ortiz will take the mound for his second career Triple-A start, he has never faced Omaha. Countering for Omaha will be southpaw Austin Cox. Cox is 6-7 with a 4.49 ERA (61er/122.1ip) and a 1.54 WHIP. In two previous starts against Indy, he is 0-1 with 4.50 ERA (5er/10.0ip).
TAKING THE HILL: Right-hander Luis Ortiz is set to toe the rubber for Indy tonight at Werner Park. Ortiz will look to bounce back in his second start with the Indians after making his Triple-A debut at Louisville last Friday (4.0ip, 4h, 6r, 4er, 1bb, 3k). The 23-year-old was promoted from Double-A Altoona on Sept. 1 with two of Indy’s starters, Miguel Yajure and Johan Oviedo, being recalled by Pittsburgh. In 24 outings (23 starts) with the Curve, he is 5-9 with a 4.64 ERA (59er/114.1ip), 1.17 WHIP and 126 strikeouts. He is coming off his best month of the season, in August he went 2-2 with a 2.89 ERA (9er/28.0ip) and only four walks compared to 36 strikeouts. Ortiz currently ranks among Eastern League leaders in average against (3rd, .238), games started (T-3rd), strikeouts (4th), WHIP (4th), innings pitched (4th) and ERA (8th).
THIS DAY IN 2017: In Game 3 of the Governors’ Cup Semifinals, Nick Kingham shutout Durham with 7.0 four-hit innings to clinch the only win for the Indians in the series. A two-run double by Joey Terdoslavich was the difference in the game, and the Indians offense tacked on two more insurance runs in the eighth for the 5-0 win. It is the only playoff shutout by the Indians pitching staff at Victory Field and the second since 1996, the first coming also in Game 3 of the 2012 Governors’ Cup Semifinals.
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