Rochester posts a 3-1 victory to earn a split in the series.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN. — Kyle Gibson threw five shutout innings in his return to Indiana as the Rochester Red Wings beat the Indianapolis Indians, 3-1, Thursday night at Victory Field. The 29-year-old limited the Tribe to one hit while fanning five to help the visitors earn a four-game and season-series split.
Rochester (60-44) capitalized on three walks by Indians starter Clay Holmes in the third to score the game’s first run. Tommy Field worked a leadoff walk and took second on an Engelb Vielma single to left. J.B. Shuck then singled to center before Mitch Garver made it 1-0 on a fielder’s choice to third.
Gibson’s only blemish came on a soft single by Kevin Newman in the first. The Indians (57-47) shortstop was forced to exit the game, however, due to fouling a ball off his left shin earlier in his at-bat.
Following a 50-minute rain delay in the middle of the sixth, the Red Wings scored a run off Dovydas Neverauskas in the seventh. Niko Goodrum opened the frame with a bunt single and quickly stole second and third base to set up a Vielma sacrifice fly.
Rochester added a final insurance run in the ninth on a Vielma double play that scored Daniel Palka.
Holmes (7-5) suffered the loss after failing to work five innings for a second straight start. He allowed one run on three hits in four innings pitched. Gibson (1-2) earned the win and John Curtiss worked damage control in the ninth for his fourth save. Indy loaded the bases with no outs in its final at-bat but could only muster one run on a Danny Ortiz sacrifice fly.
*NOTES — The Minnesota Twins traded C John Ryan Murphy to Arizona for LHP Gabriel Moya earlier Thursday. C Anthony Recker, acquired from Atlanta with Jaime Garcia on July 24, was transferred from Double-A Chattanooga to take Murphy’s roster spot. RHP Kyle Gibson was optioned to Rochester to make room for Garcia on Tuesday…Chili’s Chris Bostick went 1-for-4 for the Indians…Rochester is 45-9 when scoring first and leads the International League with an .833 winning percentage when plating the first run this season. The Red Wings had scored the game’s first run a league-low 24 times (18-6) through June 10. Since then, Rochester has scored the first run in 30 of 46 games while going 27-3 in those…The Red Wings travel to Toledo to start a 3-game weekend series against the Mud Hens Friday night.