ALTOONA, Pa. -- Oneil Cruz has gotten off to a slow start for Class AAA Indianapolis, but maybe the way he finished Sunday's game will get the ultra talented prospect turned around.
Cruz destroyed a breaking ball for a two-run, 430-foot walk-off home run in the 11th inning to give the Indians an 8-7 victory over the Columbus Clippers at Victory Field in Indianapolis.
Here's a look at the long ball, which was Cruz's first of the season.
112 MPH
β Indianapolis Indians (@indyindians) April 24, 2022
430 FT
Ballgame. π pic.twitter.com/XqdxgZEk7B
Cruz entered play Sunday with just a .204 average and .577 OPS in his first 13 games for Indianapolis. The 23-year-old shortstop had no homers, two doubles and one triple in 49 at-bats going into the game.
He was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts Sunday before stepping to the plate in the 11th inning and his team trailing, 7-6. That's when he walked it off with the clutch home run.
Cruz has struck out 19 times in 54 at-bats, a 35 percent clip.
He has played shortstop in 12 games and two games in the outfield. He played left field Sunday.
CURVE WALK IT OFF, TOO
Class AA Altoona also won in walk-off fashion Sunday, on an RBI single by Andres Alvarez in the bottom of the ninth for a 5-4 victory over New Hampshire.
Travis MacGregor, a second-round draft pick in 2016, struggled for the Curve, giving up four runs on six walks and two hits in 2 2/3 innings. His ERA through three starts is 10.38. He had a 6.25 ERA in 22 games (21 starts) for Altoona last year.
GONZALES SCUFFLING
The Pirates' top prospect, Nick Gonzales, is having a tough go of it so far with Altoona. He was 0-for-4 Sunday to drop his average to .167.
More importantly, Gonzales has struck out 21 times in 42 at-bats. It's obviously still early, but that number will have to be watched in the coming weeks to see if Gonzales starts making more contact.
On the flip side, he has walked 13 times in 57 plate appearances, so he has shown good plate discipline.
