Hayes Homers In Indians Sunday Loss

ST. PAUL, MINN. – Ke’Bryan Hayes hit the first home run of his MLB rehab assignment, but the Indianapolis Indians fell just short of a comeback against the St. Paul Saints to drop the series finale on Sunday afternoon, 5-4.

Hayes, in the second game of his major league rehab with Indianapolis, went 2-for-4 with a double and two-run home run that brought the Indians within striking distance of the Saints. He combined with Christian Bethancourt (3-for-4, 2 2B) and T.J. Rivera (2-for-4) to drive in all the Indians runs.

St. Paul (7-11) opened the game with a three-run first inning after a two-out throwing error by Ethan Paul scored two runs and extended the frame.

Bethancourt traded places with Hayes following a leadoff double in the fourth inning to score the first Indians run, but St. Paul quickly repeated the effort. With a leadoff double of their own and three consecutive one-out singles, the Saints extended their lead to 5-1 entering the fifth.

Indianapolis (11-6) came within one run of St. Paul in the eighth inning. With Troy Stokes Jr. on first and no outs, Hayes sent a fly ball over the right field wall to cut the Saints lead to 5-3. Rivera singled home Bethancourt from second with two outs to plate the final Indians run of the day.

Beau Sulser (L, 2-1) surrendered all five St. Paul runs (two earned) in 4.0 innings of work. The Indians bullpen combined to hold the Saints to just one hit through the final five innings.

Tom Hackimer (S, 1) entered in the ninth inning for the Saints and struck out the side to earn the team’s second save of the season. Griffin Jax (W, 2-1) tossed 6.0 one-run innings with eight strikeouts to start the game.

Indianapolis travels to Omaha next to begin a six-game series against the Storm Chasers on Tuesday at 7:35 PM ET. The starting pitchers for both teams have yet to be announced.