Shockley, Beer Homer as Indians Lose in Comeback Fashion, 12-8

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Indianapolis Indians jumped out to an 8-4 lead through four innings after a pair of three-run home runs by Dylan Shockley and Seth Beer, but fell to the Rochester Red Wings 12-4 in Sunday afternoon’s series finale at Innovative Field.

With Rochester (5-1, 43-36) leading 1-0 in the first inning following a solo home run by Riley Adams, Dylan Shockley jumped on Washington Nationals rehabber Josiah Gray with a two-out, three-run home run in the second inning. The long ball, which Jackson Cluff countered with a three-run shot of his own in the bottom half, was Shockley’s first since Aug. 10, 2021, with FCL Pirates.

The Indians (1-5, 34-45) continued to wear down Gray in the third, with a double by Joshua Palacios kicking off a four-run frame. The hot-hitting outfielder came around to score on a Malcom Nuñez sacrifice fly before Seth Beer, swinging another hot bat for Indy in the series, launched a three-run homer to extend the lead to 7-4. Ten of the first 11 runs in the game came via home runs.

The teams traded runs in the fourth before the Red Wings offense took off against the Indians bullpen and defensive miscues. With two outs in the sixth inning, a hanging fly ball off the bat of Cluff dropped beyond the outstretched glove of right fielder Ji Hwan Bae to score Carter Keiboom from first base. One inning later, a two-run single by Keiboom against after back-to-back free bases tied the game, and a bases-loaded walk to Cluff by Ryder Ryan (0-1) gave Rochester the lead.

The Red Wings put up three runs again in the eighth, capped by a two-run double by Juan Yepez that dropped between the center fielder Palacios and second baseman Liover Peguero.

Joan Adon (W, 4-5) was the second of three Rochester relievers to hold Indianapolis scoreless through the final four innings. He combined with Eduardo Salazar and Rico Garcia to strike out six batters out of the bullpen.

Palacios finished the series with a 3-for-5 performance, one day after going a season-high 4-for-5. He ended the series with a .450 batting average (9-for-20) in five games. Beer joined him, hitting safely in four of five games in the series with a .353 batting average (6-for-17), three extra-base hits and eight RBI.

The Indians travel to Louisville Slugger Field before beginning a home-and-home series with the Louisville Bats tomorrow night at 6:35 PM ET. RHP Grant Gavin (0-0, -.--) will make his Bats debut in the series opener while the Indians have yet to name a starter.