Peguero carries offense in Game 1 triumph; McKinney-Gorski go back-to-back in Game 2 victory
By Cheyne Reiter
INDIANAPOLIS – Liover Peguero continued his hot streak with two hits and two RBI in Game 1, and Billy McKinney and Matt Gorski smacked back-to-back home runs ahead of a five-run third inning in the nightcap to carry the Indianapolis Indians to a doubleheader sweep over the Memphis Redbirds, 5-4 and 7-5, on Saturday night at Victory Field. Indy overcame 4-2 deficits in each contest to run its win streak to four games.
In the first contest, Indianapolis (5-3) used a three-run fifth inning to snag the victory. With two runners aboard, Peguero doubled home Nick Gonzales to cut the deficit to 4-3. Jake Lamb then walked on a wild pitch that plated Gilberto Celestino to tie the game. Following a pitching change, Malcom Nuñez lofted a sacrifice fly to center field.
Moisés Gómez put Memphis (3-5) in front in the first inning with a run-scoring single, but the Indians responded with two in the home half on a Peguero RBI single and McKinney sacrifice fly. Indy’s lead held until the fourth when Arquímedes Gamboa singled to right to drive in Gavin Collins. Wily Peralta (W, 1-0) took over for Quinn Priester in the fifth and surrendered a sacrifice fly to Nick Dunn that put the visitors back on top. Gómez later raced home on a Peralta wild pitch, but the Indians’ half of the fifth settled the score.
Adam Kloffenstein (L, 0-1) yielded five earned runs on three hits and five walks in 4.1 innings pitched. Geronimo Franzua (S, 2) pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning for the save.
Game 2 featured another Indians rally that led to victory. Trailing 4-2 midway through the third, the Indians sent 10 batters to the dish, tallied six hits and scored five runs – all with two outs. Joshua Palacios had a run-scoring single, Matt Gorski ripped a two-run double, Grant Koch notched an RBI double and Gonzales singled home a run to finish the frame.
The Redbirds inched closer on an RBI groundout by Baker in the fifth, but Brent Honeywell (S, 1) slammed the door with a six-out save.
The Redbirds again claimed a 1-0 lead in the opening frame on a sacrifice fly by Luken Baker, but McKinney and Gorski’s long balls to begin the second pushed the Indians in front, 2-1. Memphis regained the lead momentarily with three runs in the top of the third until Indy batted around in the bottom half for the first time this season.
Connor Sadzeck (W, 1-0) pitched 3.0 one-run innings and struck out two in relief. Gordon Graceffo (L, 0-2) was tagged for seven earned runs on eight hits in 2.2 innings pitched to suffer the loss.
Celestino ran his team-high hit streak to seven games, going 1-for-2 with a walk and two runs in Game 1 and 1-for-4 with a run in Game 2.
The Indians and Redbirds conclude their six-game series on Sunday at 1:35 PM. In a rematch of Tuesday’s series opener, LHP Cam Alldred (0-1, 6.00) gets the nod for Indy against RHP Sem Robberse (1-0, 1.80).
Originally posted on milb.com/indianapolis