Game Information: Indianapolis Indians (74-72) at Columbus Clippers (82-64)
September 26, 2022 – International League (IL) – Indianapolis Indians News Release
LOCATION: Huntington Park
FIRST PITCH: 6:15 PM ET
GAME #147 / Road #72: Indianapolis Indians (74-72) at Columbus Clippers (82-64)
PROBABLES: RHP Osvaldo Bido (3-7, 4.17) vs. RHP Hunter Gaddis (3-3, 3.83)
RADIO: FoxSportsIndy.com / Fox Sports 1260 / iHeart app
TV: MiLB TV
ABOUT SATURDAY NIGHT: Mason Martin launched his team-leading 19th home run to tie the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning, but the St. Paul Saints plated three runs in the eighth to defeat the Indianapolis Indians in the Victory Field 2022 finale on Saturday night, 6-3. The Indians got on the board first with a two-out, RBI single by Brendt Citta in the first inning. That run was soon erased as a two-run single by Cole Sturgeon and run-scoring ground out by Chris Williams put St. Paul ahead in the fourth, 3-1. With two outs, a single off the bat of Tucupita Marcano brought Indianapolis within one run. Martin then followed the very next frame, smoking a two-out homer over the wall in straightaway center field to tie the game. A pair of home runs by Michael Helman and John Andreoli in the top of the eighth inning lifted the Saints to victory in their second three-run frame of the night.
SLIGHT SCHEDULE SWITCH: The Indians and Clippers were originally scheduled to play a doubleheader tomorrow night to make up a weather-related postponement at Huntington Park on Sunday, July 17. That doubleheader has now been changed to one 9.0-inning contest with a 6:15 PM ET first pitch. The Indians’ season is now set to end at 149 games.
AT THE VIC: The Indians finished off their home slate of games on Saturday night with a 41-34 record after going 4-8 through the final 12-game homestand. This season marks their 18th campaign with a winning record at home since becoming a Pirates affiliate in 2005 and 21st season in Victory Field history.
OLIVA ALWAYS HITS: Jared Oliva joined two other Indians batters with a pair of hits in Saturday night’s loss, marking his third consecutive multi-hit game and 13th in a 31-game stretch since going 2-for-3 in the nightcap of an Aug. 3 doubleheader against Louisville. In that time frame, Oliva has been rolling with a .396 average (42-for-106). The outfielder entered Game 2 of that doubleheader with a .207 (42-for-203) average on the season, and has since has raised his season mark to .272 (84-for-309), collecting as many hits in his last 31 games as he did in his first 65. In addition to being named Indy’s September Player of the Month on Friday for his insane hot stretch, Oliva was also named the team’s 2022 Gold Glove award recipient as he is currently working an 88-game errorless streak, the second-longest in the International League this season.
TONIGHT: The Indians begin their final series of the season tonight at 6:15 PM ET in the first of three games at Columbus’ Huntington Park. In five games in Columbus from July 12-16, with the finale being postponed due to inclement weather and then canceled as part of a doubleheader originally scheduled for tomorrow, the Indians went 1-4 with four consecutive losses to end the series. At Victory Field, however, the Indians went 7-5 against the Clippers. Taking the mound to open the series for Indianapolis is RHP Osvaldo Bido (3-7, 4.17), who is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA (7er/11.2ip) in four games (three starts). Countering for the Clippers is RHP Hunter Gaddis (3-3, 3.83), who has never faced Indianapolis.
BIDO ON THE BUMP: Osvaldo Bido will take the mound tonight for his 32nd appearance (25th start) of the season. He has been a strikeout phenom since the All-Star break, compiling a 2-1 record, 2.31 ERA (12er/46.2ip) and 57 strikeouts in his last 11 games (eight starts) to earn Indy’s 2022 Most Improved award on Saturday. He has struck out seven-plus batters six times this season, five of which have come since July 24, including a career-high tying 10-strikeout performance on Tuesday night at Victory Field. In that time, he has registered a 2.59 strikeout-to-walk ratio, an improvement from his 1.48 mark (62 strikeouts, 42 walks) over his first 63.1 innings (20 games/16 starts).
Most Valuable Player: Ji-Hwan Bae was an everyday difference maker for the Indians to be named the 2022 Team MVP on Saturday. Rotating between second base (57 games/53 starts), third base (1 game/0 starts), shortstop (24 games/20 starts), left field (8 starts) and center field (20 games/19 starts) over 108 total games, he consistently performed at a high offensive level and leads all Indians qualifiers with a .289 average, .362 on-base percentage, .430 slugging percentage, .792 OPS, 121 hits, 81 runs scored and 30 stolen bases.
Pitcher of the Year: Cody Bolton excelled in a hybrid role with the Indians in his first Triple-A campaign coming off a season-ending knee injury in 2021 to earn Indy’s 2022 Pitcher of the Year award. The right-hander, who entered the season as Pittsburgh’s No. 30 prospect by Baseball America, went 4-2 with a 3.01 ERA (25er/74.2p) and 81 strikeouts over 29 games (14 starts). After strictly working as a starting pitcher through the first three seasons of his career, Bolton shined out of the bullpen, going 4-0 with a 2.45 ERA (9er/33.0ip) and 39 strikeouts.
Unsung Heroes: Jerad Eickhoff and Taylor Davis were virtually extensions of the coaching staff, respectively representing pitchers and position players as the team’s 2022 Unsung Hero award recipients. As players with years of experience, Eickhoff and Davis embraced the opportunity to provide clubhouse leadership, guiding a mix of journeymen and young prospects on the Indians roster to always put their best foot forward and to work tirelessly day in and day out to help the team win.
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