Bats Split Doubleheader With Pawtucket
April 14, 2008 - International League (IL1)
Louisville Bats News Release
LOUISVILLE, KY- The Louisville Bats split a doubleheader with the Pawtucket Red Sox Monday evening, winning game one 3-2 and losing the second outing, 8-2. The twin bill was played after Sunday's rainout at Slugger Field, and both games were shortened to seven innings.
In game one of the double dip, Homer Bailey (2-1, 1.42) continued his outstanding pitching, giving up only two earned runs and five hits in six and one-third innings. He struck out four and walked one. In three starts this season, Bailey has now given up only four earned runs in 19 innings pitched.
Bailey and the Bats did not get the lead, however, until they had spotted Pawtucket a 2-0 lead after the first four-and-a-half innings. The Red Sox got on the board first with a Brandon Moss RBI single in the fourth inning, and then added to their lead in the fifth when Joe Thurston scored Chad Spann on a sacrifice fly.
After seeing their first 11 batters retired in order, the Bats got their offense going in the fifth inning, when they tied the game thanks to four consecutive singles. Paul Janish, who extended his hitting streak to seven games, drove in Adam Rosales to score Louisville's first run, while Andy Green put down a bunt single later in the inning to score Jerry Gil.
With the game tied at two in the sixth, David Ross smacked a two-out triple to center field, and then scored the go-ahead run on a passed ball by Pawtucket catcher George Kottaras.
Bill Bray came in with a runner on second in the final inning and only one out, but struck out the final two Red Sox batters to earn his second save and give the Bats the win. Chris Smith (0-1, 1.86) took the loss for Pawtucket.
Game two was a different story as the Red Sox jumped up to a quick 4-0 lead after the first two innings. That lead was more than enough for Red Sox right-handed starter Charlie Zink (1-1, 3.65), who held the Bats to just one hit in five innings pitched. The knuckleballer's bid for a no-hitter was thwarted in the bottom of the fifth when Adam Rosales reached on an infield single. In Zink's past two starts, he has not allowed a run to cross the plate, a span of nine and one-third innings.
Kottaras belted two home runs in the second game for Pawtucket, his second and third of the season.
The Bats finally got on the board in the sixth inning, when Green lined a double to right field and later scored on an RBI groundout by Jay Bruce, who ranks second on the team with seven runs batted in 2008. Louisville added another run in the seventh when Alvin Colina added an RBI double that scored Rosales. Colina has now hit safely in all six games he has played this year for the Bats and leads the team in RBIs with 11.
Taking the loss for the first time this season was right-handed starting pitcher Tom Shearn (2-1, 3.60). Before tonight's outing, Shearn had yet to allow an earned run in ten innings of work. Shearn also moved into third place in Louisville franchise history for strikeouts (303), moving past Brian Barber.
Louisville will continue their homestand tomorrow evening at 7:05 PM, when they welcome the Norfolk Tides to town for the first of a four-game series. Matt Belisle will take the mound for the Bats in his third rehab start. In two rehab starts, one with Single-A Sarasota and the other with Double-A Chatanooga, Belisle is 2-0 with a 1.06 ERA. The Tides will start RHP Jon Leicester (0-0, 1.23).
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International League Stories from April 14, 2008
- The Indians Record Their First Four-Game Sweep Since April 16-19, 2007 - Indianapolis Indians
- Clippers Avoid Sweep - Charlotte Knights
- Braves winning streak ends at six - Gwinnett Stripers
- Bats Split Doubleheader With Pawtucket - Louisville Bats
- Wings Break Out of Slump, Top Chiefs - Rochester Red Wings
- Bulls Drop Final Game Of Series To Yankees - Durham Bulls
- Richmond's Canizares, Louisville's Lehr Off To Hot Starts As First Players Of The Week For 2008 - IL1
- Bisons Announce Schedule For "Robert E. Rich High School Baseball Classic" - Buffalo Bisons
- Canizares IL Hitter of the Week - Gwinnett Stripers
- Bisons Notes - Buffalo Bisons
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