Another Bats Comeback as Louisville Beats Yankees 5-3

June 20, 2012 - International League (IL1)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees News Release


Louisville, KY - The Louisville Bats had tried on six previous occasions to extend a two game winning streak to a three game streak and each time had failed. The Bats finally ended the streak came from behind for the second consecutive game picking up three runs in the seventh inning to down Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 5-3 at Louisville Slugger Field on Wednesday afternoon.

Louisville got on the board against SWB starter Dellin Betances in the bottom of the second with the Yankees starter walking in the first run of the game. Cody Puckett picked up a one out walked and went first to third on a single by Felix Perez, the first of his three hits on the afternoon. A walk to Corky Miller loaded the bases and a free pass to Miguel Rojas gave the Bats a 1-0 lead.

Russell Branyan gave the Yankees the advantage back in the top of the fourth inning off Louisville starter Chad Reineke with his seventh homer of the season. Ronnier Mustelier led off the SWB fourth with a single to center. With one down Branyan took a Reineke offering over the wall in left center just out of the reach of the leaping Perez and the Yankees grabbed a 2-1 advantage.

The Bats got the run back off Betances in the bottom of the fifth inning with Perez doing the damage picking up his third hit of the afternoon. The Yankee starter, who walked a season high seven batters on the day, issued a one out walk to Mike Costanzo and a two out walk to Cody Puckett extended the inning for Perez who tied the game at 2-2 with an RBI single to left.

Jack Cust snapped the 2-2 tie in the top of the sixth inning with his team leading 14th homer of the season. The solo shot to deep left center was the second allowed by Reineke on the afternoon and gave Scranton/Wilkes-Barre the 3-2 lead.

The lead for the Yankees lasted until the home half of the seventh inning with Louisville picking up three runs, two of which were earned to grab a 5-3 advantage. The Bats loaded the bases against Yankees reliever Chase Whitley (LP, 5-3) who took over for the departed Betances with two out in the fifth. A one out single by Costanzo, a two out base hit by Puckett put runners at first and third and then a Whitley pitch grazed the arm of Perez to load the bases. Corky Miller got home a pair of runs on a two RBI single off the glove of a diving Brandon Laird at third giving Louisville a 4-3 lead. A fielding error by second baseman Corban Joseph allowed another run to score to make it 5-3.

Bill Bray (WP, 1-0) picked up the win for the Bats in relief tossing 1.0 innings of scoreless relief allowing one walk. Jordan Smith (SV, 8) pitched a scoreless ninth for the save. Louisville has won three in a row for the first time all season and improves to 25-49. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre has lost five of seven to the Bats in 2012 and fall to 40-33.

The Yankees and Bats wrap up the four game series on Thursday night with a 7:05 PM first pitch from Louisville Slugger Field. Right hander D.J. Mitchell (5-3, 5.15) gets the start for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre with Louisville countering with right hander Tim Gustafson (2-1, 5.06).



International League Stories from June 20, 2012


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