Alvarez Bangs Career-High Tying Four Hits as Indians Bounce Back to defeat Clippers, 11-6

INDIANAPOLIS – Andrés Alvarez tied his career high with four hits, Brenden Dixon homered, and the Indianapolis Indians used back-to-back four-run innings to defeat the Columbus Clippers 11-6 on Wednesday afternoon at Victory Field.

Facing an early 3-0 deficit, the Indians recorded five runs in the first three innings to grab a brief 5-4 lead, their first since securing a 1-0 advantage through two innings in Saturday’s 4-2 loss to Omaha. Alvarez’s first triple of the season opened the bottom of the first inning, and it turned into a little league home run thanks to a throwing error. Trailing 4-1 in the third, Indy notched its first four-run frame, highlighted by Dixon’s two-run, go-ahead roundtripper to round out the inning.

After Micah Pries tied the game at 5-5 with a solo shot, Indianapolis (25-32) regained the lead for good in the fourth with four runs on three doubles by Jackson Glenn, Canaan Smith-Njigba and Matt Gorski, the latter two pushing Indy’s lead to 8-5.

Columbus’ (22-36) pitching could not limit the damage, as the Indians tacked on single runs in the sixth and seventh. Tyler Beede (L, 0-3) entered the game in the fourth inning and tossed 3.0 innings while allowing five earned runs and five hits.

Indians starter Daulton Jefferies (W, 1-1) pitched 5.0 innings, allowed four runs and punched out four hitters. Josh Fleming threw 3.0 shutout innings in relief.

The four-hit performance was the second of Alvarez’s career, the other coming with High-A Greensboro on July 1, 2021, at Bowling Green. Smith Njigba, Malcom Nuñez and Dixon drove in two runs apiece, and Alvarez, Gorski, Smith-Njigba and Mike Jarvis all had a stolen base.

Indianapolis and Columbus face off in the third contest of the six-game series tomorrow at 7:05 PM. RHP Domingo Germán (0-2, 6.46) will take the mound for the Indians against LHP Will Dion (2-2, 6.95).