St. Paul’s five-game winning streak came to a close Friday night as Indianapolis defeated the Saints 8-3 at CHS Field.

It was the first win in three tries so far for the Indians, who had fallen to St. Paul in the first two matchups of their six-game series.

Indianapolis never trailed in the game, holding a 1-0 lead after the first inning and a 4-1 advantage after two off of Saints starter Ricky Castro. Castro (0-1) lasted just 2 2/3 innings and saw his ERA balloon from 4.32 to 6.55 after allowing four earned runs on seven hits while striking out six.

St. Paul scored all of its runs off solo homers as part of its eight-hit night. Two of the blasts came from Kyler Fedko, one apiece in the second and seventh innings, before Kaelen Culpepper launched his round-tripper in the eighth.

The Saints fell to 32-28 with the loss, while the Indians improved to 25-36 with their initial victory of the week.

The two teams return to the diamond on Saturday, with St. Paul sending Aaron Rozek to the mound for a 6:37 p.m. start.

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Fire Department and the Indiana National Guard are mourning the passing of one of their own.

Sgt. Nathaniel J. Thomas, 34, died unexpectedly on Thursday while on orders at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Thomas served as an infantryman in the National Guard while also serving as a firefighter private for IFD.

At the time of his passing, Thomas was on military leave from his firefighter role to fulfill training obligations for the military.

The Indianapolis Fire Department said Thomas joined the department on Feb. 22, 2021. He was assigned to Engine 9 A shift.

IFD said Thomas was “a trusted brother at the firehouse, dedicating his civilian life to protecting the community from emergencies and hazards.”

Thomas leaves behind his wife, Morgan, and their five children.

Both the National Guard and IFD encourage their members to use available peer support and behavioral health resources as they grieve this unexpected loss.

The family requests privacy at this time.

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun said the following in a statement:

“Maureen and I are heartbroken by the sudden loss of Sgt. Nathaniel Thomas, a dedicated Indiana National Guard soldier and Indianapolis firefighter who lived a life of service to others. Our prayers are with his wife, Morgan, their five children, and all who knew and loved him. Indiana will remember his service, honor his sacrifice, and carry forward the example he set for others.”

Farm Aid: Historic Farm Aid concerts through the years

Concert tickets, rather notoriously, aren’t cheap these days. Luckily, central Indiana has plenty of live entertainment to offer that won’t drain your bank account.

Summer means free concert season, and there are ample opportunities to catch plenty of shows no matter your preferred genre. Rock, pop, jazz, classical, international music and tribute bands galore are set for local stages all season.

Pull up a lawn chair or grab a picnic blanket for more than 100 free concerts in Indianapolis, Fishers, Noblesville, Carmel, Greenwood, Plainfield, Mooresville, Kokomo, Rushville and more.

Festival and one-off show dates

• June 20: Bloombox Festival, with bands, vendors and artists creating original works. Harrison Center, 1505 N. Delaware St. harrisoncenter.org/bloombox
• July 3-4: CarmelFest, with a parade and festival that includes two days of live concerts. In and around Carter Green and Civic Square in Carmel. carmelfest.net/event-schedule
• June 18-20: Haynes Apperson Festival, with acts including Kool & The Gang and Foghat. Foster Park, 721 W. Superior St. in Kokomo. haynesappersonfestival.org
• July 14-15: Symphony in the Parks, with Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra at Ellenberger Park on July 14, 5301 E. St. Clair St and at Garfield Park on July 15, 2345 Pagoda Drive. tinyurl.com/437kfpr6
• Aug. 27 and 28: Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra at Taggart Memorial Amphitheater at Riverside Regional Park on Aug. 27, 1856 Burdsal Pkwy. At Holliday Park on Aug. 28, 6363 Spring Mill Road. Register for tickets: icomusic.org/shows
• Sept. 11: Opera in the Park, with Indianapolis Opera and guests, honoring the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and the 250th anniversary of the U.S. At MacAllister Amphitheater at Garfield Park, 2345 Pagoda Drive.
• Sept. 26: Garfield Park Art + Music Festival, with live music, food and more. MacAllister Amphitheater at Garfield Park, 2345 Pagoda Drive.