There have been many memorable moments since the Indians began playing professional baseball in Indianapolis. This Day in Indianapolis Indians History reflects on 120 years of baseball in the heart of the Circle City.
1887: The Indianapolis Hoosiers, newest members of the National League, opened their season in front of 2,000 fans at Athletic Park. The Cincinnati Reds defeated the Hoosiers that day, 10-4.
1973: Indianapolis played its then-parent club, the Cincinnati Reds, in a preseason exhibition. Indy built a 6-0 lead but gave up two runs in the sixth, one in the seventh and four in the bottom of the ninth to fall, 7-6. Right fielder Ed Armbrister went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a stolen base, and left fielder Ken Griffey tripled while accounting for two runs in the defeat. Tom Carroll started for Cincy and yielded six runs on seven hits over 2.0 innings.
2003: On Opening Day in Columbus, right fielder Mark Budzinski went 4-for-4 with two RBI, one run and a stolen base while batting leadoff in Indy's 8-4 win.
2002: On Opening Day against Columbus at Victory Field, Indians first baseman Izzy Alcantara belted a two-out, three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to push Indy to a 4-1 triumph. Ryan Glynn yielded just one earned run on three hits with four strikeouts in 7.0 innings pitched for Indianapolis.
1989: The Indians won their season opener over Nashville by a 4-2 score at Bush Stadium, and right-hander Mark Gardner picked up his first of a team-high 12 wins with 5.0 innings of two-run ball. The future 99-game winner in the big leagues also led the American Association with 175 strikeouts that summer. In the postseason, Gardner put the finishing touches on Indy’s fourth consecutive American Association title by pitching 8.0 shutout innings in a 5-0, Game 5, series-clinching win on Sept. 6 at Omaha.
1996: Indianapolis notched its first win of the season in a two-hit, 3-0 shutout vs. American Association Eastern Division rival Louisville. Starting pitcher Kevin Jarvis allowed just one hit over 6.0 innings pitched, and relievers Mike Remlinger and Brian Drahman held the one-hitter through the eighth inning. Gregg Olson, in to close the game, allowed one hit in the ninth. Second baseman Aaron Holbert tallied both of Louisville's hits.
1997: Outfielder Brian Hunter went 4-for-5 with four RBI and fell a triple short of the cycle while leading the Indians to their first win of the season at Louisville, 8-5. Indy scored one run in each of the first three innings, but a four-run fourth staked Louisville to a 5-3 lead through seven frames before Indianapolis' offense erupted with a five-run eighth. Hunter, who spent the majority of the previous six seasons in the major leagues, appeared in 139 games for Indy in 1997 and led the American Association with 249 total bases. He also led the team in hits (142), doubles (36) and RBI (85).
2007: Center fielder Nyjer Morgan collected four hits in five at-bats atop the Indians lineup to push Indy past Columbus on Opening Day at Victory Field, 6-1. Left-hander Sean Burnett hurled 5.0 shutout frames (6h, 1bb, 3k) to earn the win.
2000: The Indians won 5-2 in their season opener at Richmond behind left-hander Horacio Estrada's 5.0 shutout innings and five strikeouts. The victory began a five-game winning streak for Indy to open the season, the first of two 5-0 starts to a campaign for Indy in the Victory Field era (also: 2014).
2014: Indy finished off a four-game sweep at Columbus to begin the season, just its second four-game sweep of the Clippers (also: May 31-June 3, 2013) since rejoining the International League in 1998. Right fielder Gregory Polanco went 3-for-5 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored in the 8-3 triumph and batted .400 (6-for-15) in the series. The sweep sparked Indy to its second 5-0 start to a season in the Victory Field era, as well.
1996: Right fielder Keith Mitchell and catcher Brook Fordyce each had four hits as the Indians coasted to a 15-4 win at Louisville. In total, the Indians collected 19 hits to the Redbirds' seven and put up a 10-run fourth inning to overcome an early 3-0 deficit. Each of Indy's first seven batters notched multi-hit games, including a two-double game by center fielder Curtis Goodwin and six total bases by left fielder Chad Mottola on a double and home run. Goodwin, second baseman Roberto Mejia and Mottola led the offense with three RBI apiece.
2005: The Indians scored seven runs off right-hander Curt Schilling (L, 6.0ip, 11h, 0bb, 6k) en route to a 7-5 win over Pawtucket in front of 10,150 fans on Opening Day at Victory Field. Left-hander Zach Duke (W, 5.0ip, 6h, 3r, 3er, 0bb, 4k) and designated hitter Edwards Guzman (3-for-4, HR, 3 RBI) starred for Indy in the victory.
2018: Tyler Eppler, who would go on to be Indianapolis' Pitcher of the Year Award recipient, fanned 10 batters over 5.2 innings to earn his first of 13 wins on the season. Indy's offense backed Eppler with 10 runs, putting up two-spots in the second and fourth innings before a five-run sixth, led by shortstop Kevin Newman with three RBI and two doubles by catcher Jacob Stallings. Relievers Richard Rodriguez and Tyler Jones kept the shutout intact, recording six of the final 10 outs via strikeout. The pitching staff's combined 16 strikeouts was a high for the season.
1962: The Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox faced off in front of 16,022 fans at old Victory Field during a preseason game. The Southsiders scored three runs in the top of the ninth and prevailed, 8-6. The White Sox, managed by former Indians skipper Al Lopez, sent former Indy southpaw Herb Score to the mound. He allowed four runs on six hits over 3.0 innings in the contest.
1984: After dropping its first two games of the season, Indianapolis notched 16 hits in a 13-9 win at Denver. The Indians went without a home run but tallied seven doubles in the victory. Indy plated five runs in the first and answered Denver's four-run bottom half with a seven-run second. Five Indians registered multihit games, led by third baseman Brad Mills who went 4-for-5 with one double, three RBI and two runs scored.
1990: In just the third game of the season, Indians third baseman Jerry Goff went 3-for-5 with two home runs and a franchise-record tying eight RBI in a 9-6 win at Iowa. Goff's eight RBI tied Mike Stenhouse's single-game RBI record of eight, which he set on May 10, 1984 vs. Evansville. Goff's historic performance was interrupted in the fifth inning when Indy center fielder James Steels drifted back toward the fence for a catch, but his spikes got stuck in the base of the wall. The game was delayed as Iowa's grounds crew had to help him escape.
1999: Indians designated hitter Rod McCall smacked a grand slam, and the Indians won in their season opener against Toledo at Victory Field, 9-7. McCall's grand slam is the only Opening Day grand slam for Indy in the Victory Field era.
2002: Trailing 8-0 after 4 1/2 innings, the Indians plated four runs in the fifth, two in the sixth and five in the eighth to rally past Toledo at Victory Field, 11-8. Shortstop Bill Hall had a game-high three hits, right fielder Izzy Alcantara homered and drove in four runs, and third baseman Rob Sasser and catcher Marcus Jensen each went yard for Indy.
2005: In Indy’s second game of the season, Graham Koonce belted the first of four walk-off homers for the Indians that summer. The first baseman launched a solo shot off Pawtucket’s Jason Kershner to open the bottom of the ninth, giving the Indians a 7-6 win. The long ball was Koonce’s first of a team-high 23 on the season. The Indians later reached the postseason before falling to Toledo in the Governors’ Cup finals, 3-0.
1989: In the third game of the season, Indy buried Louisville at Bush Stadium, 16-2. The Indians had 19 hits, led by second baseman Junior Noboa who finished 5-for-5 with two doubles, three RBI, three runs scored and one hit by pitch. The five-hit performance raised his average to .615 three games into the season, and he ended the month of April with a .478 average.
1996: The Indianapolis Indians officially announce that "Victory Field" will be the name of the new ballpark under construction in downtown Indianapolis.
2010: After dropping the season opener 17-4 at Columbus the day before, the Indians overcame a 3-0 deficit to beat the Clippers, 14-12. Third baseman Pedro Alvarez led the charge for Indy with a two-homer, five-RBI day. His long ball in the third inning drove in two, and his three-run shot came during a five-run fifth. The Indians outhit Columbus, 18-14, and had eight different players with two or more hits.
1984: Indians manager Buck Rodgers made his Bush Stadium debut in a season where he would earn American Association Manager of the Year and The Sporting News Minor League Manager of the Year honors. Indy topped Oklahoma City, 4-3, on a two-out, walk-off RBI single by designated hitter Ron Johnson. Center fielder Roy Johnson went 4-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and two stolen bases.
2002: Left-hander Jimmy Osting struck out seven batters while allowing one earned run on four hits and four walks in 5.0 innings at Charlotte. The effort was good enough for the Indians, who cruised to a 6-1 win thanks to a four-run first inning. Eight of the nine batters in Indy's lineup recorded at least one hit, led by three-hit performances from first baseman Jon Zuber and catcher Marcus Jensen.
1993: Brian Dorsett tied a single-game franchise record with three home runs as the Indians earned their first win of the season with an 11-1 triumph over Oklahoma City at Bush Stadium. He became the sixth player in franchise history to launch three homers in a game and first since Mike Hocutt on June 3, 1986 vs. Oklahoma City. Dorsett, born in Terre Haute, Ind. and an Indiana State University product, hit 18 home runs and drove in 57 runs in just 77 games for Indy that year. He returned to the Indians in 1995 and belted 16 more home runs in 91 games before retiring after the 1996 season.
1999: The Indians finished off a four-game sweep of Toledo at Victory Field with 16 hits in a dominant 10-1 triumph. Center fielder Mike Frank went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI from the ninth spot in Indy's lineup, and all nine starters registered at least one hit in the win.
2002: Center fielder Ryan Christenson launched two home runs and tallied four RBI from the leadoff spot in Indy's 9-1 win at Charlotte. All nine runs for Indy came in the first three innings, and right-hander Everett Stull benefited from the early support, tossing 6.0 innings and yielding just one run on five hits and two walks with four punchouts to earn the victory.
2007: Shortstop Brian Bixler went 4-for-4 with a triple, three RBI and one stolen base vs. Toledo in a 7-3 triumph at Victory Field. Indy recorded 12 hits off Mud Hens right-hander Virgil Vasquez (6.0ip, 6r, 4er, 1bb, 1k), who later pitched for Indianapolis in 2009.
2015: Chris Volstad, A.J. Morris, Bobby LaFromboise and Blake Wood combined for the seventh one-hitter in the Victory Field era. Outside of a second-inning single, Volstad shut down Columbus, and the Indians scored two in the fourth for the 2-0 win.
2009: Third baseman Neil Walker scored shortstop Brian Bixler from first base with a one-out double to left in the bottom of the 14th inning to give the Indians a 3-2 walk-off win over Toledo. Indy right-hander Daniel McCutchen helped the Indians snap their 0-3 start to the season by striking out seven hitters in 5.0 innings of two-run ball. Six Indians relievers combined to blank the Mud Hens over the final nine innings, yielding only three hits and two walks with nine strikeouts.
2014: The Indians improved to 9-1 on the season with a 6-3 win over Toledo, giving Indy a three-game sweep at Victory Field. Right fielder Gregory Polanco extended his hitting streak to nine games after going 4-for-4 with a home run and three RBI.
2019: For the second straight day, left fielder Trayvon Robinson finished the game with four hits en route to two Indy victories over Charlotte. He topped his 4-for-4 performance on April 11 with four extra-base hits in the second game of the series. With two doubles and two triples, he was the first Indy player to hit two triples in a game since Willy Garcia on April 27, 2016. That wasn't the first feat matched in the game either, as first baseman Will Craig stole home as part of a double steal, marking the first time an Indy player swiped home since Eury Perez on July 17, 2017.
1985: First baseman Andres Galarraga went 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored, and catcher Sal Butera belted a three-run homer in the top of the ninth inning as Indy won in Louisville, 6-2.
2019: After beginning the season 0-3, the Indians extended their winning streak to six games behind offensive contributions from every spot in the lineup. Each player nabbed at least one hit, with shortstop Cole Tucker and eventual Team MVP Jake Elmore leading the charge with three hits apiece. Indy trailed 3-0 after the top of the first but managed to put up nine runs on 16 hits to win its third game of the four-game series with Charlotte, 9-7.
2022: Following the completion of the first homestand, the Indians hit the road to St. Paul for a series against the Saints. With wind chills in the teens on April 13, Indy’s pitching trio of Chase De Jong, Austin Brice and Yerry De Los Santos iced the Saints offense over 9.0 innings, yielding only two walks en route to the organization’s first no-hitter since 2012 and 15th overall. The 5-0 victory also marked the first no-hitter in professional baseball for the 2022 season. De Jong struck out nine and issued both walks over 7.0 innings pitched before Brice (1.0ip, 1k) and De Los Santos (1.0ip, 2k) slammed the door in the eighth and ninth. The three pitchers, along with catcher Jason Delay who was behind the plate for all 27 outs of the no-hitter, played for Pittsburgh at various points over the remainder of the season.
1989: Second baseman Junior Noboa tallied four of Indy's 11 base hits in a 5-3 win at Louisville. Noboa doubled, scored one run, stole a base and added a sacrifice bunt for good measure in the triumph.
2002: Behind a 20-hit attack, Indianapolis ran away with a 14-5 win at Durham. Indy scored four of its runs off Bulls starting pitcher Travis Harper before hanging 10 runs in just four innings against Durham relievers. Seven Indians had two or more hits, and right fielder Izzy Alcantara smashed his sixth home run in just 11 games. The victory improved Indy's record to 9-2.
2005: The Indians trailed Ottawa 8-1 heading into the bottom of the fourth at Victory Field, but Indy scored 12 unanswered en route to a thrilling 13-8 win. Designated hitter Jose Leon sparked the comeback with a three-run homer in the fourth. The seven-run deficit was the largest the Indians had overcome in Victory Field era history until the same Indy squad rallied from a 9-0 deficit against Syracuse on July 20 later that season.
2009: The Indians trailed 5-1 in the third before scoring 12 unanswered runs to earn a 13-6 win over Columbus at Victory Field. Right fielder Garrett Jones drove in a game-high four runs by going 2-for-5 with two doubles, and center fielder Andrew McCutchen (3-for-6, 2B, 3B, 3 R) and shortstop Brian Bixler (4-for-4, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 4 R, 2 BB, 1 SB) reached base safely in nine of their 12 plate appearances. Reliever Jeremy Powell threw 4.0 scoreless innings while striking out six to earn the victory.
1955: Trailing 2-1 in the eighth inning at old Victory Field, the Indians erupted for eight runs en route to a 9-2 win over Minneapolis. Center fielder Rocky Colavito collected two doubles and three RBI in the triumph.
1957: Minneapolis starter Stu Miller no-hit the Indians at old Victory Field in a rain-shortened, six-inning game on Opening Night. This was now-Chairman Emeritus Max Schumacher's first game with the Indianapolis Indians front office as ticket manager.
1973: Indians designated hitter Andy Kosco went 4-for-4 with a home run, double, stolen base and two RBI in a 10-4 win at Oklahoma City. Right fielder Ed Armbrister scored three times in the victory.
2002: For a second consecutive game at Victory Field, left fielder Ryan Thompson clubbed two home runs against Louisville, the latter performance lifting Indy to a 5-1 win. Right fielder Izzy Alcantara and catcher Lance Burkhart both homered as well, giving the Indians four long balls off Louisville starting pitcher Paul Darnell who lasted just three innings.
2007: Right fielder Chris Aguila saved his lone hit in five at-bats for an opportune time at Harbor Park in Norfolk, clubbing a three-run homer in the top of the 11th to push Indy to a 5-2 victory.
1989: Mired in a 3-for-32 slump to start the season, center fielder Larry Walker belted his first home run on the campaign and drove in three runs as the Indians won 7-6 in Louisville. Mark Gardner lasted 7.0 innings to improve to 2-0 while Jay Baller converted his second save, despite yielding a two-out grand slam in the bottom of the ninth.
1991: In front of 13,899 fans – Bush Stadium's largest Opening Night crowd ever – the Indians were no-hit by Oklahoma City for eight innings but still won the game 1-0 thanks to a bases-loaded walk drawn by shortstop Wil Cordero in the bottom of the sixth that forced home left fielder John Vander Wal. OKC's starting pitcher Roger Pavlik walked seven in 5.1 innings pitched to suffer the loss. Indy drew 10 walks offensively, and Mark Gardner (4.2ip, 0h, 5bb, 7k), Dana Ridenour (W, 3.1ip, 2h, 0bb, 4k) and Doug Piatt (S, 1.0ip, 0h, 0bb, 0k) combined on the two-hit shutout.
2005: Catcher Ryan Doumit hit a three-run homer in the first and a solo shot in the ninth to cap an 8-4 win for Indy at Norfolk's Harbor Park. Second baseman Cesar Crespo tallied a game-high four hits in the victory.
2007: With the Indians trailing Norfolk 3-2 going into the seventh inning, catcher Ryan Doumit capped a five-run seventh inning with a grand slam. Indy was outhit 12-5 by the Tides but prevailed 7-5 thanks to Doumit's five-RBI performance.
2015: The Indians finished off their first comeback win of the season in a 4-hour, 13-inning marathon vs. Louisville. After ending the first nine tied at one, Louisville took the lead in the top of the 13th on three hits off Indy pitcher Charlie Leesman. The Indians responded with two runs in the bottom half to give Leesman, who had made a start four days before, his second win of the season. Right fielder Steve Lombardozzi tied the game with a single, and pinch hitter Elias Diaz provided the game-winning single to cap the 3-2 score.
2019: Trailing the Mud Hens 5-3 after the top of the fourth inning, center fielder Bryan Reynolds stepped up to the plate and sent his second career grand slam out to the trees in center field at Victory Field to put Indy on top, 7-5. Reynolds finished the day with a career-high tying five RBI, a feat he first accomplished in 2017. Toledo scored one run in the fifth and one in the ninth to tie the game before a two-out pop-up to shallow right field off the bat of first baseman Will Craig dropped in for an error on Harold Castro (his second of the game) to score Ke'Bryan Hayes from second and win the game for Indy.
1985: Indianapolis and Buffalo set an American Association record when they combined for 45 hits in a 10-inning contest at Bush Stadium. Gary, Ind. native and Indiana State graduate Wally Johnson had two hits and two runs scored, and Andres Galarraga collected four hits in six at-bats, but the Indians were handed a 15-9 defeat. Indy had 19 hits while Buffalo tallied 26.
1998: The Indians overcame a 4-0 deficit through four innings at Charlotte and prevailed in 14 innings, 7-5. Tied 5-5 through nine innings, Indianapolis scored two runs in the top of the 14th inning to win the 4-hour and 24-minute marathon. Second baseman Jason Williams and right fielder Tony Tarasco each went 2-for-6 with a run scored, and the bullpen held Charlotte scoreless over 8.2 innings combined. All 12 of Indy's hits were singles.
2010: Third baseman Neil Walker launched a leadoff home run as part of a game-high three hits, and Indianapolis scored seven runs through the first four innings en route to a 9-6 win over Toledo at Victory Field. Center fielder Jonathan Van Every and left fielder Brandon Moss both homered for Indy as well.
1956: In front of 669 fans at old Victory Field, Indians right-hander Dolan Nichols twirled a 9.0-inning shutout in a 3-0 win over Omaha. He scattered five hits and four walks, struck out one and finished off his complete-game effort in a tidy 2 hours and 11 minutes.
1973: The Indians topped Tulsa 8-5 behind designated hitter Andy Kosco's five-RBI day. Kosco launched his second home run of the year, and Indy center fielder George Foster doubled twice.
2004: The Indians walked off Richmond with a 7-6 win at Victory Field thanks to a broken-bat single to left field by shortstop J.J Hardy in the bottom of the ninth. Hardy drove in five runs, the other four coming on a grand slam in the fifth inning that turned a 3-0 deficit into an Indians lead. First baseman Jeff Liefer also clubbed a pair of solo home runs, the second tying the game at 6-6 in the eighth.
2005: Indians right-hander Ian Snell scattered five hits while striking out eight over 7.0 innings of two-run ball in a 4-3 victory at Richmond. Jose Leon broke a 2-2 tie with a pinch-hit, two-run homer in the eighth.
1955: Indianapolis defeated the Cleveland Indians 12-10 in an exhibition game at old Victory Field. Center fielder Rocky Colavito and catcher Earl Averill each hit home runs for Indianapolis and Hank Aguirre earned the win.
1956: Roger Maris hit a pair of home runs for Indy in an 8-7 home loss to Denver. Maris ripped 17 homers that year and led the Indians to an American Association pennant, American Association championship and Junior World Series title. Five years later, he set MLB’s single-season home run record with 61 homers for the Yankees.
1984: Joe Hesketh and Bill Sattler combined on a three-hitter as Indy blanked Oklahoma City at All Sports Stadium, 8-0. Catcher Sal Butera sparked Indy's lineup from the No. 8 hole with three hits in as many at-bats, one RBI and one run scored.
1973: In a 5-4 victory vs. the Oklahoma City 89ers at Bush Stadium, left fielder Ken Griffey tallied three hits (two doubles) and designated hitter Andy Kosco had a three-run homer. Joaquin Andujar pitched around six walks over 7.0 innings of three-run ball (two earned) to take home his first win of the season.
2006: Indians second baseman Yurendell DeCaster was the star of the game by accounting for all of Indy's runs in a 4-2, walk-off win over Ottawa at Victory Field. Trailing 2-0 in the seventh, DeCaster recorded a game-tying, two-run single. He then launched a two-run homer with one away in the ninth, his first of two walk-off homers hit that season (also: July 4, 2006 vs. Columbus). DeCaster finished his Indianapolis career with three walk-off home runs and provided six career walk-off hits in an Indians uniform, more than any other player in the Victory Field era.
2019: Indianapolis and Louisville were both held scoreless through the first nine innings before the teams traded runs in the 10th and the Indians plated one in the 11th for the 2-1 win. Right-hander Mitch Keller got the nod for the Indians and tossed 6.0 two-hit innings with eight strikeouts, while Bats starting pitcher Keury Mella tossed 7.0 four-hit innings and fanned seven. With no outs in the 11th and the bases loaded with the automatic runner and back-to-back walks, Eric Wood knocked a single through the infield for the walk-off win. It was the second consecutive extra-inning game of the series and Indianapolis' second walk-off in its last four games.
1955: The Indians outhit Denver 21-14 on their way to a 16-9 win in Colorado. Joe "Rabbit" Caffie went 4-for-5 with a triple, three RBI, three runs scored and a stolen base, Bill Glynn finished 4-for-5 with two home runs and a double, and Rudy Regalado had a game-high five hits for Indy.
1984: Indianapolis raked 19 hits and scored the first 13 runs of the game in a 16-7 win at Oklahoma City. Left fielder Mike Fuentes and right fielder Max Venable both had two-homer performances, and first baseman Razor Shines and designated hitter Ron Johnson each joined the slugfest with one of their own. Venable drove in five runs while Fuentes scored four times.
1989: The Indians topped Iowa at Bush Stadium, 2-1, behind 8.0 dominant innings thrown by right-hander Mark Gardner. He allowed one run on three hits and one walk with 15 strikeouts, and closer Jay Baller struck out both batters he faced in the ninth to strand a pair of inherited baserunners.
2009: Indianapolis clobbered the Mud Hens in Toledo, 10-2, behind a season-high 18 hits, a total that was matched on July 16 at Pawtucket. Six Indians recorded two or more knocks, highlighted by a 4-for-5 showing from first baseman Luis Cruz, who fell a triple shy of the cycle in the rout.
2014: Indy mounted an 11-0 lead en route to an 11-6 win at Toledo's Fifth Third Field. Right fielder Gregory Polanco led the Indians with a 3-for-5, four-RBI performance. Right-hander Casey Sadler benefited from the run support with 7.0 shutout innings, scattering four hits and two walks with six punchouts.
2016: After leading the Indians to Game 5 of the Governors’ Cup finals in 2015, Josh Bell put up massive numbers for Indy in 2016, including hitting for the cycle in a 13-1 rout on April 22 at Louisville. He finished 4-for-5 with five RBI and two runs scored and became the fourth player to hit for the cycle in the Victory Field era.
1902: In the newly formed American Association, the Indianapolis Indians opened the regular season with a 5-4 win over the Milwaukee Brewers – who were a minor league team at the time – at Washington Park. The team was part of a parade from the Grand Hotel to Washington Park, where a crowd estimated at 4,000 watched the locals earn the hard-fought victory.
1998: Playing in his third season with the Indians, center fielder Steve Gibralter smacked two home runs and drove in four runs as part of a 3-for-5 effort. Indy third baseman Pete Rose Jr. also doubled, hit a sacrifice fly, stole a base and scored three times in the 12-2 win over Durham.
2004: Right-hander Pedro Liriano earned the win after striking out seven batters in 5.0 innings while allowing one earned run on five hits in a 6-2 triumph at Toledo. It was Liriano's first win of the season. Offensively, future 2020 Indians hitting coach Jon Nunnally went 1-for-4 with a three-run homer in the fourth inning that put Indy on top for good.
2006: Indians starting pitcher Brandon Duckworth threw 7.0 scoreless innings on six hits with five strikeouts in a 10-0 win at Louisville. Indy's offense was powered by third baseman Jose Bautista who drove in two runs, the second coming on a ninth-inning solo home run. Travis Dawkins collected two doubles among his four hits in five at-bats.
1997: After surrendering four runs in the top of the first inning vs. New Orleans and digging into a 5-0 hole at the midway point of the second, the Indians used a three-run second and four-run eighth to force extra innings. With two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning, Indianapolis plated one run to clinch the 8-7 victory. A five-RBI day from third baseman Aaron Boone and 4.1 scoreless innings from relievers Jeff Tabaka, Scott Service and Scott Sullivan led the Indians to the comeback win.
1954: In the second game of a twin bill at Columbus, left-hander Herb Score fanned 11 batters in a 7.0-inning, complete-game effort to give the Indians an 8-1 win and doubleheader sweep. The victory was the first of an American Association-leading 22 wins for the southpaw. He also led the league in ERA (2.62) and strikeouts (330), the latter holding as the American Association single-season record to this day. Indians center fielder Rocky Colavito homered in both contests, and Indy finished with eight long balls combined between the games.
2015: Designated hitter Tony Sanchez and third baseman Steve Lombardozzi combined to drive in eight of Indy's nine runs to lead the team to a 9-3 win at Fifth Third Field in Toledo. Sanchez went 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and drove in five RBI, tying a career high for the third time. Lombardozzi had a game-high four hits, two of which were doubles, to raise his average to .392 to start the season. Sanchez would end the season tied with Elias Diaz and Brent Morel with a team-leading 47 RBI.
1973: For a second consecutive start, Joaquin Andujar issued six walks but held Tulsa scoreless over 6.0 scoreless innings in an Indians 5-0 win at Bush Stadium. Andujar struck out nine and surrendered only one hit. Offensively, Dan Driessen went 4-for-4 with a home run and three RBI.
2006: Although Indians hitters struck out 14 times at Toledo, with Mud Hens starting pitcher Wil Ledezma punching out 12 in 6.0 innings, Indy won 3-0. Solo home runs by right fielder Raul Gonzalez and second baseman Taber Lee provided a trio of Indians hurlers – who combined on a three-hitter – with enough run support.
2010: In a 15-inning, 4-hour and 57-minute marathon at Louisville Slugger Field, the Indians outlasted the Bats, 7-6. The game was knotted at 2-2 entering the eighth inning, but both teams traded a pair of runs in the frame and the game went to extras tied at four. Each team scored single runs in the 13th and 14th innings before center fielder Jose Tabata hit a solo home run in the 15th that proved to be the difference. Catcher Erik Kratz earned the save after closing out the game with a hitless frame.
2016: Indianapolis' Opening Day starter Tyler Glasnow tossed 6.0 scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts – his first 10-plus strikeout game of nine in an Indians uniform – to earn his first win of the season in a 9-0 shutout at Durham. The two hits allowed by Glasnow were the only Bulls hits of the game, with the Indy bullpen combining for three hitless innings to close out the game. The Indians were leading 2-0 going into the top of the ninth inning and put up a seven-spot in their final frame on four home runs to finish off the Bulls, the second time Indy had belted four home runs in an inning in the Victory Field era. Eight of the nine Indians hitters recorded at least one hit, with five notching multi-hit games.
2012: The first seven batters in Indy's lineup combined for 18 hits in a 13-2 rout at Durham. "The Hit Collector" Matt Hague went 4-for-6 with a double, three RBI and three runs scored, and both Jake Fox and Nick Evans went deep in the victory. Evans matched Hague with a four-hit performance of his own and fell a triple short of the cycle.
2019: After fanning eight batters in his last start, right-hander Mitch Keller one-upped himself with 10 strikeouts at Charlotte to earn his second win of the season. The Indians took an early lead and never trailed even as Keller surrendered four runs in his 5.0-inning start. Right fielder Eric Wood paced the offense, going 3-for-5 with a career-high tying four RBI, and catcher Jacob Stallings belted two home runs. Five members of the Indians had multi-hit days, with Jake Elmore joining the multi-RBI club. Tyler Lyons and Clay Holmes combined for 4.0 one-hit innings and eight strikeouts. Indy's pitching staff total a season-high 18 strikeouts.
1997: With the game knotted at 1-1 through 12 innings between Oklahoma City and Indianapolis at Victory Field, the 13th finally saw a bit of offense from both teams. Oklahoma City scored two runs on a David Bell single to go ahead 3-1, but the Indians rallied in the bottom half with three runs. Indy's offense was led by center fielder Brian Hunter, who drove in two runs on two doubles, adding to what would be a team-leading 36 doubles on the year.
1998: Indians starting pitcher Steve Parris recorded 16 strikeouts over 7.0 innings of two-run ball, and the Indians rolled to a 14-3 win against Charlotte at Victory Field. The 16 punchouts set a new Victory Field era record, a feat that lasted until Ian Snell fanned 17 Mud Hens on June 28, 2009. The previous single-game best for strikeouts in the short lifespan of The Vic was held by Brett Tomko, who had 12 in 6.1 innings pitched vs. Omaha on May 8, 1997.
2007: Left fielder Rajai Davis reached base safely in all five of his plate appearances (two singles, one triple, one home run, one walk) to propel the Indians past Ottawa at Lynx Stadium, 10-0. Second baseman Luis Ordaz also had four hits in the win.
2010: Trailing 9-3 through four innings of play, Indy scored the game's final seven runs to win 10-9 over Pawtucket at McCoy Stadium. Designated hitter Brian Myrow sparked the rally with a two-out grand slam in the fifth, and left fielder Neil Walker finished 4-for-4 with a home run, double and three RBI.
2019: The Indians scored in all but one inning during a 9-8 win over Charlotte at BB&T Ballpark. Catcher Steven Baron logged a game-high four hits (two singles, two doubles) from the ninth spot in Indy's lineup.
2012: Three Indians combined on a no-hitter in Durham, just the third no-no in the Victory Field era and first since Ian Snell spun a 9.0-inning no-hitter on May 15, 2005 vs. Norfolk. Left-hander Justin Wilson got the nod and threw 7.1 innings, yielding two walks with nine strikeouts. Jose Diaz then recorded the final two outs in the eighth inning before Doug Slaten slammed the door with a 1-2-3 ninth to give Indy a 2-0 victory. The no-hitter was just the fourth combined effort of 13 no-hitters in franchise history at the time and first since Pedro Martinez, Felix Rodriguez and Scott Service held Louisville hitless in the second game of a doubleheader on May 25, 1997.
1963: The Indians split a doubleheader at Richmond to finish the month of April at 8-7 overall, 1.5 games out of first place in the International League Southern Division. Third baseman Don Buford hit .308 (16-for-52) in 14 April games and went on to lead the IL in batting average (.336), hits (206), doubles (41), runs scored (114) and stolen bases (42) en route to team and league MVP honors. The Indians finished the 1963 campaign as Southern Division champions and defeated both Syracuse (4-1) and Atlanta (4-1) in consecutive best-of-seven series to win their first Governors’ Cup.
1989: Indianapolis finished the month of April with a 16-6 record after scoring five runs in the top of the ninth at Buffalo to win, 5-2. Second baseman Junior Noboa had three hits in five at-bats and cranked a two-run shot during the five-run burst, and first baseman Razor Shines went 3-for-3 with a run scored.
2004: Indians first baseman Jeff Liefer went 3-for-3 and drove in six runs while falling a triple short of the cycle in an 8-6 win vs. Toledo. The Indians mounted an 8-0 lead through five innings, but the Mud Hens scored two runs apiece in the sixth, seventh and eighth to creep within two. Future 2017 Indians manager Andy Barkett went 1-for-4 with a run scored for the visitors.
2005: Right-hander Ian Snell improved to 4-0 on the season as the Indians dropped Louisville at Victory Field, 4-1. Snell struck out six and yielded just one run on five hits and a walk. Left fielder Nate McLouth had a game-high three hits while first baseman Graham Koonce and second baseman Jose Castillo both homered for Indy.