Bats Pitching Stymies Tribe in 5-1 Win
April 20, 2014 - International League (IL1)
Louisville Bats News Release
INDIANAPOLIS, In. - The Louisville Bats were dominant on the mound and at the plate on Easter Sunday, taking game five of a six-game split series with the Indianapolis Indians (11-5) 5-1 at Victory Field. A four-run second inning was the catalyst to the victory, which moved Louisville to a 9-7 record on the season
Indianapolis didn't get their first hit off of Louisville starter Josh Smith until Gregory Polanco hit a lead-off double in the fourth. Smith was stellar again in his fourth appearance (second start) of the season, going seven innings and striking out five while only allowing a run on two hits and a walk. Smith received his third win of the season and lowered his ERA to a diminutive 2.18 for the season. He also went 1-for-2 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored.
Bats pitchers retired the last 15 batters in order to close out the Indians, who only registered two hits on the afternoon. Indianapolis scored their lone run of the game in the fifth inning on a Chase d'Arnaud sacrifice fly.
Four two-out hits put the Bats in front early in the second inning. After Hernan Iribarren walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch, Argenis Diaz singled him home to give Louisville a 1-0 lead. In the following at-bat, Smith sent an RBI double over the heads of a shallow outfield to score Diaz. Jason Bourgeois and Ruben Gotay would follow with RBI singles to extend the Bats lead to 4-0 after the second.
While the Indians struggled mightily at the plate, Louisville registered 10 hits on the afternoon and is now a perfect 6-0 when outhitting their opponent. Bourgeois' RBI single extended his hitting streak to 10 games, matching the longest Bats hitting streak of 2013 that was set by Neftali Soto last June. Mike Costanzo (2-for-4) and Diaz (2-for-4) joined Bourgeois (2-for-3) to form a trio of Bats that registered two hits, and all three drove in a run in the contest.
Costanzo added one more to the Louisville lead in the third with a solo home run, hitting the game's only home run off of Indians starter Jake Brigham to give the Bats a 5-0 advantage. Brigham (L, 1-1) would go five innings and allow five earned runs on five hits and three walks with three strikeouts.
Bourgeois registered his team-best fourth stolen base of the year in the eighth inning. He has yet to be caught stealing this season. The stolen base was only the seventh of the year for Louisville, who entered the game last in the International League in the category.
Bats reliever Lee Hyde closed the door on the Indians after an outstanding starting effort from Smith. He threw two perfect innings with one strikeout to finish a dominant day on the mound for Louisville.
The Bats and the Indians will conclude their six-game split series tomorrow night in Indianapolis. RHP Tim Crabbe (1-1, 2.30) will get the ball for Louisville against Indianapolis lefty Jeff Locke (0-1, 9.00). First pitch in the series finale is set for 7:05 p.m.
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