Kelly dominates, Indianapolis pounds St. Paul 6-1 behind four-run fourth

Indianapolis did more than win Thursday at Victory Field. It controlled every phase of the game, then backed that control with a box score that told the same story from the first inning through the ninth.

The Indians beat the St. Paul Saints 6-1, scored in the first, third and fourth innings, and never let the game tilt back toward the visitors. Mitch Jebb supplied the biggest swing of the afternoon, going 4 for 5 with his first two Triple-A home runs and driving in four runs. Indianapolis’ third straight win over St. Paul came one night after a 12-0 shutout, turning the matchup into a two-day stretch of complete command.

Indianapolis opened fast. Jebb led off the first with a double, Ronny Simon followed with an RBI single, and Simon later scored on a balk to make it 2-0 before the Saints had settled in. Jebb then added his first Triple-A homer in the third inning, giving the Indians a little more separation, and the game broke open in the fourth.

That inning produced the knockout blow. Gabriel Gonzalez answered with St. Paul’s only run, a solo homer, but Jebb immediately restored control with a three-run shot, his second homer of the afternoon, pushing Indianapolis out to a 6-1 lead. From there, the Saints never mounted a serious threat. They finished with only two hits, a striking contrast to Indianapolis’ balanced output and steady pressure.

Antwone Kelly was the central reason the lead held. The right-hander worked 6.0 innings of one-run ball, allowed just two hits and struck out six after Chris Devenski opened with a scoreless first inning. Carson Fulmer and Brandan Bidois each followed with a scoreless inning to close it out, giving Indianapolis the kind of staff outing that saves bullpen arms and keeps a series moving in the right direction.

John Klein took the loss for St. Paul after allowing three earned runs in 3.0 innings. Indianapolis, which entered the night at 9-15, will try to turn the surge into something more lasting when the clubs meet again Friday at 6:35 p.m. The Indians said they were aiming for their first series win of the season, with Thomas Harrington scheduled to handle the bulk innings. For a club in its 124th franchise season and 30th at Victory Field, this was the kind of all-around performance that can look less like a single good night and more like a formula.