Kramer and Craig Go Back-To-Back In Second Home Win

Back-to-back two-out jacks by Kevin Kramer and Will Craig continued the Indianapolis Indians parade of home runs at Victory Field on Wednesday afternoon to take a 2-0 series lead over the Toledo Mud Hens, 5-3.

The Indians (4-3) two home runs in the third inning tied a single-inning high and were the first back-to-back team home runs of the 2021 season. Kramer’s two-run shot to left field got the Indians on the board, and Craig’s homer to left was his third in the past two games.

RHP Beau Sulser (W, 1-0) set the Mud Hens down in order through the first three innings as the Indianapolis offense heated up. He pitched himself out of a bases-loaded jam after surrendering his first hit of the day in the fourth to hold the Indianapolis lead.

Toledo (2-5) capitalized on an error by shortstop Cole Tucker to lead off the fifth inning and scored two runs of their own in the frame. With two runners on and one out, a double and sacrifice fly cut the Indians lead to one. Both runs were unearned on Sulser’s line.

With a fifth-inning leadoff walk to Travis Swaggerty, a balk by Mud Hens starter Drew Hutchison (L, 0-1), an error by second baseman Isaac Paredes and a wild pitch, the Indians tacked on an insurance run. They then extended the score to 5-2 as Dustin Fowler singled home Craig in the seventh.

Sulser earned his first Triple-A win after tossing 5.0 innigns and allowing two runs (unearned) off four hits. Toledo’s final run came with a home run off LHP Braeden Ogle (S, 1) in the ninth.

Craig went 3-for-3 with two runs scored, a home run and a double to lead the Indians offense. It was his second consecutive multi-hit game after beginning the season 1-for-20 through his first five games.

The Indians and Mud Hens square off for the third game of the six-game set on Thursday night at 7:05 PM ET in Indianapolis. RHP Cody Ponce (0-0, 6.75) is set to face off against RHP Wily Peralta (0-0, 0.00).