LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Enmanuel Valdez hit a go-ahead, two-run single in the top of the ninth inning to push the Indianapolis Indians to a 5-4 win on Tuesday night at Louisville Slugger Field.
With the Indians (18-10, 49-54) trailing, 4-2, in the final frame, Dominic Fletcher and Derek Berg opened with back-to-back walks. Joshua Palacios grounded into a double play with Fletcher advancing to third. On 0-2 with the game in the balance, Termarr Johnson cut the deficit to one with an RBI single into right field. Mitch Jebb then walked on a 3-2 pitch to put the tying run in scoring position. Jebb’s walk was the end of Hunter Parks’ (L, 2-2) outing as Trevor Kuncl entered from the Louisville (9-19, 48-53) bullpen.
A wild pitch from Kuncl moved both runners into scoring position as Ronny Simon drew ball four later in the at-bat to load the bases. Valdez entered a 3-2 count and laced a line drive into left center for two runs and the lead.
Indy struck first with an RBI double from Jack Brannigan in the fourth inning as the Bats countered with all four of their runs in the fifth, capped by Héctor Rodríguez’s 25th home run of the campaign. Duce Gourson drove in the Indians’ second run with a single in the sixth.
Noah Davis tossed 5.0 innings for Indy as he allowed the four Bats runs. CD Pelham followed with 2.0 scoreless innings and Derek Diamond (W, 3-0) recorded the next three outs unscathed. Beau Burrows (S, 8) stranded Rodríguez at third with a strikeout of Michael Chavis to conclude the contest.
Indianapolis continues the six-game series at Louisville on Wednesday night at 6:35 PM ET. LHP Hunter Barco (3-6, 4.87) is scheduled to start for the Indians and RHP Davis Daniel (5-8, 4.71) will take the rubber for the Bats.