Park’s 4 RBI Night Powers Indians to Five Straight Wins, 9-4
September 4, 2022 – International League (IL) – Indianapolis Indians News Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Indianapolis Indians rode home runs from shortstop Hoy Park and left fielder Travis Swaggerty to a win over the Louisville Bats in the series finale at Slugger Field on Sunday night, 7-4. The win is the Indians’ fifth in a row in Louisville, and it pushed Indianapolis to a season-best seven games over .500.
After the Bats (52-77) jumped ahead with a first inning home run from third baseman Juniel Querecuto, Indians starter Jerad Eickhoff (W, 6-5) settled in. Across 5.0 innings of two-run ball, Eickhoff struck out two and didn’t walk anyone. By getting Louisville shortstop Matt Reynolds to fly out to left field as the second out of the third inning, Eickhoff became the first Indians pitcher to reach 100.0 IP this season.
The Indians (67-60) answered back and put Eickhoff in line for a win thanks to a three-run third inning, highlighted by a two-run single from Park on a line drive to right and an RBI single on a ground ball up the middle from center fielder Ji-hwan Bae. All nine hitters came to the plate in the third against Bats reliever Deck McGuire (L, 3-4).
In the fifth, Indianapolis added to their lead thanks to Swaggerty’s ninth home run of the season, a line drive shot that cleared the seats in straight-away right field. Park rode the offensive momentum an inning later with a two-run shot to the opposite field for his 10th blast of the season and his second in as many nights. With the homer, Park now has at least two hits in each of his last three games, going 8-for-13 with two doubles, two home runs, 6 RBI, and five runs scored in that span.
Louisville added one run in the fifth, sixth, and seventh, but the Indians put the game out of reach in the top of the ninth with an RBI double from right fielder Bligh Madris and a blooped RBI single into right from Swaggerty a hitter later. Swaggerty reached base safely in each of his five plate appearances, going 3-for-3 with a HR, 2 RBI, and a pair of walks.
With the win, the Indians are now 26-14 since the All-Star Break, which is good for the best record in the International League in that span.
The Indians now hit the road for Omaha, Nebraska for a seven-game series with the Royals-affiliated Storm Chasers. After the off day on Monday, first pitch on Tuesday night at Werner Park is scheduled for 7:35 PM ET. A starting pitcher has yet to be announced for either side.
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