We embarked on yet another mini baseball tour, with stops planned in Indianapolis and St Louis, began on the morning of August 11, 2017 from Maryland. Google Maps showed us that the 575 mile trip would take close to nine hours to complete. Since we had tickets for the Indianapolis Indians at 705 pm, we needed to leave before 900 am local time to leave enough time to drop off our bags at the hotel and reach Victory Field, home the Indians, in time for the first pitch.
The drive was uneventful, with late morning and mid day traffic working in our favor. Following a stop for lunch in West Virginia, we simply followed Interstate 70 the rest of the way toward Indianapolis. Construction slowed us down a few times, but the weather was good until we started approaching the Ohio/Indiana border.
By that time, storms were building in front of us. Luckily, we were able to dodge them as we approached Indianapolis. Despite the construction delays and the emerging weather, we were still on time to make the first pitch. However, it seemed as though our luck had run out, as showers and thunderstorms slowed our progress moving through Indianapolis.
Traffic had slowed to a crawl as we lurched toward the ballpark. An enormous crowd appeared as the rain started, slowing things even further. We didn’t know it at the time, but a large band jamboree was in progress in Indianapolis, and the rain caused the crowd to disperse all at once. In almost no time, we went from being early to running the risk of missing the first pitch.
Arriving at the ballpark after the game start time, we quickly found parking down the street, not far from Lucas Oil Field. The rain that slowed our approach to the park had also provided a blessing. Apparently the rain was intense enough to require the infield to be covered, which delayed the start of the game.
Not only did we not miss the first pitch, we were afforded time to undertake a quick tour of the park. Victory Field was typical of urban minor league ballparks, using the city skyline as a backdrop. The Marriott Building dominates the view in left center field, with a factory building (which looks like it could be a foundry or a slaughterhouse) visible in right field.
Unlike most minor league ballparks, Victory Field features a full wraparound concourse, as well was a picnic area that spans the entire outfield. The ballpark also has a second deck, which is unusual for a minor league park. Throw in a decent scoreboard in right centerfield, and Victory Field was an unexpectedly nice ballpark.
After visiting the team store and concession stand (both of which offered standard fare), we looked for our seats. Luckily, the 20 minute rain delay allowed us to explore the ballpark and still catch the first pitch. Our seats were located behind the dugout on the first base side, about 10 rows back. The seats afforded a great view of the park, as well as the Marriott Building.
Slowly clearing skies and mild temperatures at first pitch set the stage for a pleasant evening to watch a ballgame. The Indianapolis Indians, the Triple A affiliate of the Pittsburg Pirates, were hosting the Syracuse Chiefs (the Nationals Triple A affiliate). As might be expected in a Triple A contest, their were some familiar names in the lineup.
In John Feinstein’s book Where Nobody Knows Your Name: Life in the Minor Leagues of Baseball, he states that nobody actually wants to be in Triple A. Either you were an ex-MLBer trying to get back up to the big leagues, or a minor leaguer trying to get there for the first time. Seeing the names of the ex big leaguers in the lineup reminded me of that quote.
Starting for the hometown Indians was Tyler Glasnow. The 6 foot 8 inch right hander was dominant this night, allowing only a second inning solo homer in seven innings of work, while scattering five hits and striking out 11. The Chiefs starter, Esmil Rogers, was almost as good, allowing two earned runs in six innings.
The game remained tight as the evening faded into night. The Indians’ bullpen held the lead they were handed, resulting in a 2-1 win for the Indians. Even before the end of the game (which ran longer than usual due to the rain delay at the start of the game), Indians fans started leaving, as the hour was growing late.
Though rain delayed the start of the game, it did not detract from the experience. Victory Field was an unexpectedly enjoyable ballpark nestled in downtown Indianapolis. The ballpark had all of the amenities of a Triple A stadium with its own character. Should you find yourself near Indianapolis on a summer evening, check to see if the Indians are in town. You’ll be glad you did.
Baseball Travels 