Palacios’ 466-foot home run earned Indy its second walk-off win of the season
By Brody Tisdale
July 26, 2023
INDIANAPOLIS – Josh Palacios launched a 466-foot walk-off home run as the Indianapolis Indians erased a five-run deficit with six unanswered runs to defeat the Louisville Bats 6-5 on Wednesday afternoon at Victory Field.
With the game squared at five apiece and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Palacios crushed the longest home run by an Indian hitter this season and of his career, sealing the team’s second walk-off win this year. Prior to the walk-off blast – the first of Palacios’ career at any level – the Indians (46-51, 13-10) eliminated a 5-0 deficit thanks to a bases-loaded walk by Palacios in the fifth and a four-run eighth inning that included a three-run, opposite-field shot by Canaan Smith-Njigba and game-tying double off the bat of Vinny Capra.
Louisville (51-45, 11-12) nabbed an early lead with a sacrifice fly by Michael Siani in the third and an RBI triple by Cincinnati’s top-ranked prospect Noelvi Marte in the fourth. In the top of the fifth, Nick Martini extended the Bats’ lead with a two-run home run, his second of the series, and Marte chipped in a run-scoring single before Indy stormed back.
Palacios went 2-for-3 with two runs, two RBI and two walks to go with his eighth home run of the season. The walk-off dinger off Alan Busenitz (L, 2-2) was his second long ball of the series and fourth home run in his last six games.
Juan Minaya (W, 1-1) held Louisville scoreless in a perfect ninth. The right-hander combined with Rob Zastryzny, Duane Underwood Jr. and Yohan Ramirez for 4.1 scoreless innings of relief to aid the Indians’ comeback victory.
Capra went 3-for-4 and is batting .485 (16-for-33) with six extra-base hits and nine RBI in July.
The walk-off home run was Indy’s first since Oneil Cruz on April 24, 2022, in an 11-inning, 8-7 win over Columbus.
The Indians and Bats continue their series on Thursday at 7:05 PM ET. RHP Andre Jackson (1-1, 5.40) is scheduled to start for Indy against RHP Brett Kennedy (3-2, 3.67).
Originally posted on milb.com