Five Indians collect two-plus hits in series-opening win over Saints
By Cheyne Reiter
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Miguel Andújar hit a tiebreaking two-run single as part of a three-RBI performance, and Nick Gonzales and Canaan Smith-Njigba notched two RBI apiece as the Indianapolis Indians held off the St. Paul Saints, 8-5, on Tuesday night at CHS Field.
The Indians (53-60, 20-19) scored seven of their eight runs through the first four innings. After Ji Hwan Bae and Gonzales opened the game with consecutive doubles to give Indy a brief 1-0 lead, Andújar lined a bases-loaded single up the middle in the second to spark a four-run frame. A throwing error on a would-be double play then allowed Gonzalez to score and Malcom Nuñez to reach second base ahead of a Smith-Njigba run-scoring knock. Two innings later, Andújar and Smith-Njigba tacked on RBI singles, and Gonzales earned a two-out walk with the bases loaded in the seventh for his second RBI.
The Saints (66-48, 23-17) mustered just one hit off Roansy Contreras – a two-out, game-tying double by Kyle Garlick in the first that plated Andrew Stevenson, who drew a leadoff walk and stole second base. Contreras struck out five and walked two in 4.0 innings pitched.
Trevor Larnach and Brooks Lee recorded sacrifice flies in the sixth and eighth inning. In the bottom of the ninth, Austin Martin belted a two-run home run off Travis MacGregor, who walked the next two batters before inducing a groundout off the bat of Brooks Lee on the eighth pitch of the sequence. Southpaw Rob Zastryzny (S, 1) entered to face the left-handed Larnach and recorded a strikeout on a payoff pitch.
Yerry De Los Santos (W, 1-5) tallied two strikeouts and yielded one earned run over 2.0 innings in relief. Randy Dobnak (L, 4-6) surrendered seven runs (six earned) on 11 hits and three walks in 4.0 innings.
Twelve of Indy’s 15 hits were singles, and the team went 7-for-17 with runners in scoring position. Bae, Gonzales and Smith-Njigba each had three hits while Andújar and Mason Martin both registered two. Andújar increased his RBI total to 83, second in the International League.
The Indians and Saints continue their series on Wednesday at 8:07 PM ET. Indianapolis will send RHP Jared Jones (2-2, 5.44) to the bump against RHP Louie Varland (7-0, 4.03).
Originally posted on milb.com