Game Notes: Columbus Clippers (8-5) at Louisville Bats (6-8)
April 18, 2019 - International League (IL) - Louisville Bats News Release
Game 15, Home 8
Columbus Clippers (8-5) at Louisville Bats (6-8)
7:00 PM | Thursday, April 18, 2019 | Louisville Slugger Field
LISTEN: Nick Curran, 790 KRD; iHeartRadio.com; iHeart app
EIGHT OF EIGHT: The Louisville Bats wrap up an eight-game homestand Thursday night, looking to not only salvage a series tie with the Columbus Clippers, but also an even record on the homestand, coming into play 3-4 in the first 7 games. Tonight, right-hander Jose Lopez (1-0, 1.80) will look to repeat his stellar performance (W, 6.0 IP, 1 R) from "Thunder At Slugger" Day, when the Mint Juleps won 3-2 in front of a sellout crowd of 13,638.
AGAINST COLUMBUS: The Bats are trying to even their record in the current four-game series, the eight-game homestand, and also the all-time series with Columbus, with COL yesterday taking the 209-208 advantage in 417 matchups since 1988. After today, the Bats and Clippers don't meet again until the Clip Show comes back to Louisville Slugger Field for a three-game series from June 28-30, which is a part of Louisville's only other homestand of 8 or more games in the 2019 season.
GREAT SCOTT!: Third baseman Christian Colon went 3-for-4 with his first home run of the season and 2 RBI, now tallying 7 hits over his last 2 games. He's the first Bat to accomplish that since Scott Schebler did it from July 25-26, 2016 vs. Charlotte, with Schebler recording 2 hits and then 5 hits, respectively, with the 5-hit game being the most recent 5-hit game for the Bats.
- Colon is batting .519 (14-for-27) on the homestand with 8 runs scored, 2 doubles, one homer, 7 RBI, and has a current 3-game RBI streak.
- The 2015 World Series champ's 4-hit game on Tuesday was the first for Louisville since Hernan Iribarren's on August 26 last season at Indianapolis.
NO THANKS, YOU CAN GO FIRST: The Bats struck first yesterday, taking a 3-0 lead in the third inning on a Nick Longhi RBI single in the second and Colon's two-run homer in the third. It was the first time on the homestand that Louisville scored first, last scoring first in their most recent road game on April 10 at Columbus, in an 8-0 win, before yesterday. Out of the 7 games played so far at Louisville Slugger Field, the Bats' opponent has scored first in 6 games (3-3 record), and scored in the first inning on 5 occasions (3-2), including in each of the first 4 games against Gwinnett.
HOW FAR WILL THEY FLY?: There were 4 more home runs in Wednesday's 9-5 loss, 2 hit by each team. For Louisville, Colon hit his first and Aristides Aquino blasted his third of the season. Through 7 games at Louisville Slugger Field this season, there have been a combined 21 home runs (10 by the Bats, 11 by opponents), averaging 3 homers/game. In the early going, the number of homers/game (3.00) in 2019 is nearly double compared to the 2018 season (1.61 homers/game), with 114 total homers (47 by the Bats, 67 by opponents) hit in 71 games at LSF in 2018.
OPPONENT TIES RECORD: Columbus recorded 7 stolen bases as a team on Wednesday, the most stolen bases Louisville's every allowed in Bats history. The Louisville Redbirds twice allowed 7 stolen bases in a game, once on July 1, 1983 vs. Iowa and most recently on August 27, 1991 vs. Buffalo. Clippers center fielder Orlando Mercado stole 4 bases himself, a feat that was only accomplished 3 times in the Major Leagues last season.
THE BEST COMPETITION: After today, the Bats' opponent in 14 of their first 15 games (and every possible game) this season will have been 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).
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