Indians Clinch Division Title

INDIANAPOLIS - The Indianapolis Indians defeated the Louisville Bats 6-1 at Victory Field on Thursday night, lowering their magic number to clinch the International League West Division title to just one.

The Tribe waited for a half hour for the Toledo Mud Hens to finish off a 10-3 win over the Columbus Clippers, securing the Indians' first International League West Division title since 2000.

It will also be first trip to the postseason for Indianapolis since 2005, when the Indians won the IL Wild Card. This season has been historic for the Tribe, who have won 80 games, the most since that last division title in 2000.

Indianapolis scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning. After working to a full count and fouling off several pitches, Matt Hague hit a ground ball single through the hole at shortstop to drive in Chase d'Arnaud from second. d'Arnaud had also scored the Tribe's first run of the game when he led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run to left, his fifth of the season and second in three days.

With his 2-for-3 performance on Thursday night, d'Aranud is now 9-for-17 in his past four games with a double, two home runs, four RBI and six runs scored. His first-inning long ball tied the game at 1-1 after the Bats had scored in the top of the first when Felix Perez hit a two-out single to drive in Willie Harris.

The Indians put up three insurance runs in the top of the seventh, the first when Tony Sanchez doubled home Brandon Boggs to make it 3-1. Indianapolis then scored a pair of runs when a would-be inning-ending double play was botched, allowing both Sanchez and Jose Morales to cross the plate.

Indianapolis scored its final run of the ballgame in the bottom of the eighth inning as Sanchez recorded his second RBI hit of the contest, driving in Hague with a single to left.

The victory secured the first Triple-A win of RHP Phil Irwin's career in just his second start for Indianapolis. Irwin struck out nine in six innings and has now recorded 17 strikeouts across 10 career Triple-A innings.

Three Indianapolis relievers combined for three scoreless innings. After Logan Kensing and Justin Wilson tossed the seventh and eighth inning, Tim Wood let things get interesting in the ninth inning, allowing a hit and two walks before closing out the victory. Wood left the bases loaded to earn his 21st save of the season.

The 80 wins signifies the most for the Indians as an affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Indianapolis become Pittsburgh's top minor league affiliate in 2005. Earlier this year, the Tribe signed a Player Development Contract with the Pirates to continue working together for at least the next two seasons.

By clinching their division, Indianapolis is guaranteed home playoff games on Wednesday, Sept. 5, and Thursday, Sept. 6.