Velázquez Vanquishes Stripers, 6-4, in Season Finale with Go-Ahead Homer
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – Nelson Velázquez flipped the scoreboard with a two-run shot in the eighth inning to grant the Indianapolis Indians a 6-4 victory over the Gwinnett Stripers in the 2025 season finale on Sunday afternoon at Coolray Field. The Indians finished the campaign with a 87-62 record, marking their
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – Nelson Velázquez flipped the scoreboard with a two-run shot in the eighth inning to grant the Indianapolis Indians a 6-4 victory over the Gwinnett Stripers in the 2025 season finale on Sunday afternoon at Coolray Field. The Indians finished the campaign with a 87-62 record, marking their second-most wins in a season in the Victory Field era behind a 89-55 record in 2012.
With a 4-3 deficit in the eighth, Nick Solak got aboard to represent the tying run with a lead-off single, setting up Velázquez for a go-ahead, two-run blast off Amos Willingham (L, 1-1) to seal the victory for Indy (45-30, 87-62).
Sammy Siani led off the contest for the Indians with a single, moved over to second on a stolen base and scored on a Velázquez double to open the scoring. Gwinnett (34-41, 63-87) responded in their half of the first with their own lead-off single and a one-out walk before Carlos Rodríguez tied the game with an RBI double.
The Indians retook the lead in the second when Ryan Kreidler knocked a lead-off double, Mike Jarvis was hit by a pitch and Siani drove them both in with his second single of the day to make it a 3-1 game.
The Stripers worked back to tie the game with an RBI single from Rodríguez in the third and a solo home run from Connor Capel in the fourth. They finally eclipsed the Indians with a solo homer from David McCabe before Velázquez’s game-winning blast.
Indy added an insurance in the top of the ninth when Jase Bowen reached on a walk and scored on a fielding error following a single from Solak.
Drake Fellows and Jarod Bayless each tossed 3.0 innings before giving way to Eddy Yean (W, 8-5), Ryan Harbin and Cam Sanders (S, 5), who each tossed 1.0 inning to close out the win.
The Indians have won three straight regular season finales for the first time since at least 2005. Indy opens the 2026 season at Victory Field on March 27 against the St. Paul Saints.