LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Indianapolis Indians scored 10 unanswered runs in the first three innings to defeat the Louisville Bats, 12-7, on Thursday night at Louisville Slugger Field. Ronny Simon went 3-for-3 with five RBI to match his career high. It was the second time this season Simon drove in five (also July 4 at Omaha).
The Indians (19-11, 50-55) scored one run in the first inning, four in the second and five in the third to take a commanding 10-0 lead over Louisville (10-20, 49-54) in a blink. Simon plated the first run of the game with an RBI single. To open the second frame, Duce Gourson, Dominic Fletcher and Derek Berg walked to load the bases with no outs. With one down, Termarr Johnson drew a free pass to score the game’s second run. A lineout from Mitch Jebb was the second out but Francisco Urbaez threw the ball away attempting to force an inning-ending double play, scoring Fletcher on the play. Simon then drove in two more with another base hit.
In the third inning, Johnathan Rodríguez homered in his first game with the Indians after he was acquired via trade from Baltimore on July 27. Berg later drove home a run on a hit, Jebb plated another with a sacrifice fly and Simon capped the stanza with a two-run double.
Louisville brought home their first two runs in the fourth inning and Johnson answered with his eighth home run of the season in the fifth, a solo shot to make the score 11-2. Tyler Callihan logged an RBI single in the sixth for the Indians’ final tally.
The Bats made a late push, scoring one run in the bottom of the eighth and four in the ninth. Héctor Rodríguez’s 26th homer of the campaign was a three-run blast and Will Benson hit a solo long ball to conclude the scoring.
Mike Clevinger tossed 2.0 scoreless innings to start the game for the Indians, marking his sixth consecutive shutout appearance since July 11. Major league rehabber Evan Sisk followed him out of the bullpen and set down all three batters he faced, striking out two. Landon Tomkins (W, 1-0) tossed the next 3.0 frames, allowing two runs. Justin Meis covered 2.2 innings but was relieved in the ninth after a fifth run was charged to him on Benson’s home run. Derek Diamond recorded the game’s final out.
Jose Acuna (L, 1-3) allowed eight runs (7er) across 2.0 innings for the Bats.
The six-game series between Indianapolis and Louisville continues Friday at 7:15 PM ET. RHP Antwone Kelly (5-5, 4.29) is scheduled to start for the Indians with RHP Jared Lyons (1-2, 4.76) set to throw for the Bats.