Ashcraft Shines Again, But Bullpen Woes Cost Indians in Rochester, 3-1
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Indianapolis Indians bats were held quiet by Major League rehabber Josiah Gray on Tuesday night at Innovative Field, as the Rochester Red Wings took the series opener, 3-1.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Indianapolis Indians bats were held quiet by Major League rehabber Josiah Gray on Tuesday night at Innovative Field, as the Rochester Red Wings took the series opener, 3-1.
The game was scoreless through the first five innings, as Gray and Indians right-hander Braxton Ashcraft matched each other frame-by-frame. For Ashcraft, it lowered the 24-year-old’s ERA at the Triple-A level to a sterling 0.59 through his first three starts (1 ER in 15.1 IP). The Indians (0-1, 33-41) opened scoring in the top of the sixth thanks to an RBI groundout from the rehabbing Joey Bart.
The Red Wings (1-0, 39-35) responded on the first pitch of the bottom of the sixth, as Riley Adams took rehabbing left-hander Ryan Borucki deep to left field to tie it at 1-1. An inning later, Rochester jumped on Indians reliever Geronimo Franzua (L, 2-5) for two more runs thanks to a wild pitch and an RBI single from top Nationals prospect James Wood.
After Gray left the game in the seventh, the Red Wings bullpen combined for 3.0 innings of one-hit, shutout ball, highlighted by converted-starter Eduardo Salazar (W, 1-0) and closer Rico Garcia (S, 12).
The Indians and Red Wings continue their six-game set on Wednesday evening at Innovative Field at 6:45 PM ET. Left-hander Andrew Alvarez (0-2, 9.64) will start for Rochester, while the Indians have yet to announce a starting pitcher.