After back-to-back rainouts, Indianapolis and Pawtucket meet for a doubleheader today at McCoy Stadium. Today’s game notes are attached.
Location: McCoy Stadium
Game 1 Time: 12:05 PM ET
Game 2 Time: 30 minutes after Game 1
Games #18 & 19/Road #5 & 6: Indianapolis Indians (5-12) @ Pawtucket Red Sox (7-9)
Game 1 Probables: RHP Clay Holmes (0-1, 5.06) vs. LHP Brian Johnson (0-0, 1.69)
Game 2 Probables: RHP Tyler Eppler (2-0, 1.06) vs. LHP Henry Owens (1-0, 1.72)
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS
Indianapolis Indians
Pawtucket Red Sox
Your PawSox lineup remains the same as yesterday. @Brian_Johnson35 takes the mound in Game 1, and @henryowensz gets the ball for Game 2
— Pawtucket Red Sox (@PawSox) April 27, 2017
TRIBE NOTES
A LONG-AWAITED GIFT: Tribe infielder Gift Ngoepe was recalled by the Pirates yesterday, making him the first African-born player to reach the major leagues. He entered last night’s game against the Cubs as part of a double-switch by manager Clint Hurdle, playing second base. In the bottom of the fourth, he pounded a 3-1 offering from Jon Lester into center field for a base hit. He walked and struck out in his next final two plate appearances against Lester and Carl Edwards Jr. Ngoepe, 27, played in 704 games over his eight-plus year minor league career, all of them spent in the Pittsburgh farm system after signing on Sept. 29, 2008. This year for Indy, he was batting .241 (14-for-58) with five extra-base hits and four RBI, while seeing time defensively at shortstop, second base and third base.
BYE BYE BARBATO: Right-hander Johnny Barbato was officially recalled by Pittsburgh Tuesday after tossing three scoreless frames in two appearances for Indy. He was acquired by Pittsburgh from the Yankees in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations on April 17.
MONDAY HEADLINES: Reliever Dovydas Neverauskas, born and raised in Vilnius, Lithuania, made his Major League debut Monday night for Pittsburgh in a 14-3 loss to the Cubs. Neverauskas’ appearance was the first by a Lithuania born-and-raised player. In 1933, outfielder Joe Zapustas played for the Philadelphia A’s. Zapustas was born in Lithuania but raised in Boston, Mass. Neverauskas had thrown 8.1 innings this year for the Tribe without allowing an earned run. He was optioned to Indy yesterday to make room for Ngoepe on Pittsburgh’s 25-man roster.
MAN IN CHARGE: Today’s game two starter, Tyler Eppler, has been one of the IL’s best pitchers in 2017. He ranks among league leaders in WHIP (2nd, 0.65), batting average against (4th, .164) and ERA (5th, 1.06). He has won each of his last two starts, snapping what were five- and four-game losing streaks for the Indians.
Former @PawSox RHP @Pat_Light, now with the Pirates, talks trades, spin rate & watching @Brian_Johnson35’s 1st win.https://t.co/Vonn8IjqWS
— Mike Monaco (@MikeMonaco_) April 26, 2017