Bats Clinch Series With 6-5 Win Over Indians

An Edwin Ríos two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning proved to be the difference in the Louisville Bats 6-5 win over the Indianapolis Indians on Saturday night at Louisville Slugger Field.

Ríos tallied his sixth home run in just 13 games for the Bats on his game-deciding shot to right field. Both P.J. Higgins and Austin Wynns recorded two hits on the night, with the former adding a double and two RBI and the latter tallying two doubles and one RBI. Louisville’s steady offense backed a solid outing by starter Lyon Richardson, who went 4.2 innings while allowing three runs and striking out four, and the Bats bullpen impressingly worked through a couple jams in the final innings to close the door.

Richardson found himself in trouble early, as he walked Canaan Smith-Njigba and allowed a single to Liover Peguero to lead off the game. Henry Davis came up next and singled to center field to score Smith-Njigba and give Indianapolis an early 1-0 lead before the Bats could record an out. Richardson then walked Malcom Nuñez to load the bases before recording a much-needed strikeout of Billy McKinney. Gilberto Celestino followed with a sharp ground ball that was snagged by Edwin Ríos at first, but a run would score on the tough play to extend the Indians lead to 2-0.

The Bats were ready to respond in their half of the first against Indians starter J.C. Flowers. Blake Dunn worked a walk and Livan Soto had a productive groundout to put Dunn in scoring position at second. Rece Hinds’ eight-pitch at-bat resulted in a strikeout, but Ríos tallied another walk to set the table for Higgins, who came through with a double to score Dunn and move Ríos to third. Martini worked the third walk of the inning for the Bats to load the bases, and a wild pitch from Flowers scored Ríos to tie the game at two.

Flowers found himself in traffic once again in the third. Ríos led off with his second walk and moved to second on another wild pitch from Flowers. Higgins followed with his second hit and RBI of the night on a single that scored Ríos from second and put the Bats in front at 3-2. Chris Gau was first out of the bullpen for Indianapolis, forcing Martini to ground out to begin his outing. Wynns then doubled down the left field line, scoring Higgins and increasing the Bats advantage to 4-2 going into the fourth inning.

After three consecutive scoreless innings for Richardson, he walked Smith-Njigba, struck out Peguero, and walked Davis to begin the fifth. Richardson then struck out Nuñez for his fourth of the night, but allowed a single to McKinney with two outs that scored Smith-Njigba and cut Louisville’s lead to 4-3. That prompted a pitching change for Pat Kelly, who went to Casey Legumina for the final out, and he picked off McKinney to finish the frame.

Legumina came back out for the sixth inning and immediately let up a double to Celestino. Later in the frame, Matt Gorski singled to score Celestino and tie the game at four before Gorski was caught stealing by Wynns to halt the Indians’ momentum.

The Bats again went quietly in their half of the sixth, and Indianapolis took advantage in the top of the seventh with a no-doubt home run by Smith-Njigba off Legumina to take the lead back at 5-4. Evan Kravetz was called on to conclude the inning and struck out Ji Hwan Bae to end the threat.

Ben Heller (L, 1-1) relieved Gau in the bottom of the seventh after his four innings of one-hit ball, and the Bats were excited to see a new arm. Hinds walked to put the leading run at the plate, and Ríos hit a cutter 108.5 miles per hour off the bat to deep right field for his sixth homer in just 13 games this season to give Louisville a 6-5 lead.

Kravetz (W, 4-0) remained in for the eighth and hit Celestino to start the frame, followed by a Matt Frazier single and a Gorski sacrifice bunt that allowed him to reach first safely and load the bases. Kelly then went to Brooks Kriske out of the bullpen. Kriske was masterful, striking out Andrés Alverez and forcing Smith-Njigba to ground into a double play to maintain the lead.

Sam Moll (S, 1) came on to attempt the save in the ninth. He struck out Peguero for the first out but walked Davis and allowed a single to Nuñez to put runners on first and third with just one out. Moll responded with back-to-back strikeouts to end the night and secure the 6-5 Bats win.

The Bats (20-18) and Indians (17-18) finish their series on Sunday afternoon, with first pitch at Louisville Slugger Field scheduled for 1:05 p.m. Nick Curran and Jim Kelch will be on the call for 1450/96.1 WXVW.