IL1 Louisville Bats

Game Notes: Columbus Clippers (7-4) at Louisville Bats (5-7)

Published on April 16, 2019 under International League (IL1)
Louisville Bats News Release


Game 13, Home 6

Columbus Clippers (7-4) at Louisville Bats (5-7)

7:00 PM | Tuesday, April 16, 2019 | Louisville Slugger Field

LISTEN: Nick Curran & Jim Kelch, 790 KRD; iHeartRadio.com; iHeart app

A BAKER'S DOZEN: The Louisville Bats and Columbus Clippers meet in the second game of a four-game series at Louisville Slugger Field as the Bats continue their eight-game road trip, which they have started 2-3 after a series split against the Gwinnett Stripers and a series-opening loss to the Clippers on Monday. Tonight, right-hander Keury Mella (0-1, 7.00) gets the ball for Louisville, last starting in the home opener last Thursday, which the Bats won 7-6.

AGAINST COLUMBUS: After last night's 4-3 loss, Louisville fell one behind Columbus in the all-time series. Columbus owns a 208-207 record in 415 total matchups between the clubs since 1988. Last season, the Bats went 9-15 in 24 games against the Clip Show, going 4-10 at Louisville Slugger Field and 5-5 at Huntington Park. The 14 home games were the most either team's hosted in the all-time series, while the 10 games at Columbus were the fewest since the Clippers hosted 10 in 2014.

TRANSACTIONS: The Bats added outfielder Phillip Ervin to their 25-man roster on Tuesday, placing first baseman Brian O'Grady on the 7-day injured list (retro to 4/14, lower back muscle spasm) in a corresponding move.

- Ervin, who was Louisville's Opening Day center fielder, was recalled to Cincinnati and joined the Reds as their "26th man" for the Mexico Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. In 2 games with the Reds, Ervin went 1-for-2 with a triple.

- O'Grady had started the first 10 games at first base for Louisville this season, before being scratched from the lineup on Sunday. He's batting .333 (11-for-33) with 6 runs, 2 doubles, 3 home runs, 8 RBI and 9 walks this season, hitting 2 homers in the Bats' home opener on April 11.

NOT SO EXTRA: The Bats failed to record an extra-base hit in Monday's 4-3 loss, the first time that has happened all season. In 2018, Louisville went without a double, triple or home run in a game on 8 occasions, going 1-7, winning on July 29 vs. Rochester in a 3-2 game.

WE'LL BE HERE ALL NIGHT: The Bats have worked 53 walks as an offense through 12 games this season, tied for second in the league, and trailing only their current opponent Columbus' 59 walks. On the mound, Louisville's walked 55 batters as a pitching staff, ranking second in the league, while Columbus' 49 walks surrendered are fourth-most. Interestingly, the 4 teams with the most walks surrendered in the IL thus far are all IL West Division clubs.

WITHIN GRASP: In 5 of Louisville's 7 losses this season, the team has held a lead. The Bats led 3-2 yesterday after a three-run bottom of the third, scoring on runs batted in from Christian Colon, Nick Longhi and Rob Refsnyder. Columbus would score the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth, handing Louisville its fifth loss this year after leading, and second consecutive loss after leading by a 3-2 score. Last season, the Bats led at one point in 31 of their 76 (41%) of their losses.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE: Through 12 games this season, the Bats' opponent has been above .500 for 11 of the 12, and technically every possible game, with the lone exception being when a record-less Louisville and Toledo squared off in the first game of the season. Regardless of outcome, this will remain true for the remainder of the current series, with 3 games to go and Columbus 3 games above .500. In 2018, Louisville played 80 of its 137 games against teams above .500 (58%; 33-47), 9 games against .500 teams (7%, 4-5) and 48 games against teams below .500 (35%; 24-24).

KOLUMBUS KLIPPERS: Louisville right-hander Lucas Sims struck out 10 Clippers in his start last night, the first double-digit K performance for the Bats in 2019. Eight of the last 10 double-digit strikeout games for an individual Bats pitcher have come against Columbus, dating back to September 3, 2017.

Check out the Louisville Bats Statistics

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International League Stories from April 16, 2019


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