Indians Bats Heat Up In Series Opening Victory

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis Indians offense erupted for seven runs in the first three innings on Tuesday night to take the series opener at the St. Paul Saints, 7-3. Indy recorded its most hits of the season in a single game with 11 and went 4-for-4 with runners in scoring position.

Hunter Owen and Anthony Alford led the offense with three RBI apiece and combined for five of the Indians 11 hits.

St. Paul (5-8) took the lead early against Indians starter Beau Sulser in the bottom of the first when Nick Gordon led off the inning with a single. He later rounded the bases to score on a one-out groundout from Brent Rooker.

A half inning later, the Indians (8-4) wasted no time and scored four runs on three hits to take the lead, 4-1. Christian Bethancourt led off the inning with a single to right field, followed by a walk to Chris Sharpe and RBI single by Anthony Alford. Still with no outs, Owen doubled down the left field line to score two more and record his first hit with the Indians this season. St. Paul’s Griffin Jax recorded the first out of the inning with a sacrifice fly off the bat of Joe Hudson to score Owen.

Indy tacked on three more runs in the the top of the third when Kevin Kramer singled on a line drive to right field and came around to score on back-to-back doubles from Sharpe and Alford, who collected his second and third RBI of the night. An infield single up the middle by Owen scored Alford and gave Indy the 7-1 lead.

After the first run in the first frame, Sulser (W, 2-0) held the St. Paul offense scoreless until the fifth inning when he gave up two runs on three hits. With two runners on, he ended the inning with a strikeout to earn his second win of the season.

The Indians bullpen entered in the sixth inning and shut St. Paul out for the last four innings. Braeden Ogle threw two relief innings with four strikeouts while Tyler Bashlor and Jandel Gustave combined for three strikeouts in the final two innings.

Griffin Jax (L, 1-1) took the loss on the mound for the Saints after accounting for all seven earned runs in five innings of work.

Bethancourt went 2-for-4 on the night and extended his hitting streak to five consecutive games to begin his season with Indianapolis.

The game began on an uneasy note for Indianapolis when center fielder and leadoff hitter Travis Swaggerty exited the game with an injury after being picked off at first base to open the first inning. With catcher Jason Delay as the lone position player on their bench, the Indians removed the designated hitter and operated with the pitcher’s spot hitting at the top of the lineup for the remainder of the game.

The Indians continue their series at St. Paul Wednesday night at 8:05 PM ET. RHP Chad Kuhl, in his first major league rehab appearance with the Indians, will take the mound in a piggyback start with RHP Cody Ponce (0-0, 5.87). RHP Chandler Shepherd (0-1, 9.82) will take the mound for the Saints.