Game Notes: Indianapolis Indians (22-18) at Louisville Bats (18-25)
Published on May 21, 2019 under International League (IL1)
Louisville Bats News Release
Game 44, Home 21
Indianapolis Indians (22-18) at Louisville Bats (18-25)
RHP Keury Mella (2-3, 4.95) vs. RHP Mitch Keller (4-0, 3.83)
7:00 PM | Tuesday, May 21, 2019 | Louisville Slugger Field
LISTEN: Nick Curran & Jim Kelch, 790 KRD; iHeartRadio.com; iHeart app
WELCOME HOME: The Bats return to Louisville Slugger Field for a seven-game homestand, and welcome the Indianapolis Indians and Toledo Mud Hens for the first time in 2019. Louisville ended the recent road trip to Syracuse and Buffalo on a high note, winning 7-3 on Sunday before enjoying an off day. The Bats clubbed 5 home runs on Sunday, tying a season-high, with Brian O'Grady tallying 3 himself and becoming just the seventh player in Louisville franchise history to hit 3 in a game.
AGAINST INDIANAPOLIS: Louisville welcomes IL West Division foe Indianapolis to town for a three-game set, the third series between the clubs this season and the first in Louisville. In 2018, the clubs actually did not meet at all until May 7-10 at LSF, and met for the first time at Victory Field one year ago today, on May 21. So far this season, Louisville is 4-3 against Indy and today's pitching matchup, right-handers Keury Mella and Mitch Keller, will duel for the third time this season.
TRANSACTIONS: The Bats might not have played on Monday, but they were still active. The team's closer Anthony Bass opted out of his contract with the Reds and signed with the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday, leaving the International League as the circuit's leader in saves (9), games pitched (19) and games finished (16).
- Louisville also activated LHP Cody Reed and IF Josh VanMeter, who were both optioned by Cincinnati. Reed has made 2 apps out of the Reds' bullpen in 2 stints with the club, while VanMeter returns to the Bats after making his big league debut on May 5 and batting .143 (2-for-14) in 8 games with the Reds.
- In a Louisville uniform this season, VanMeter is batting .336 (37-for-110) with 13 home runs and 31 RBI, leading the IL in several offensive categories at the time of his contract selection. The infielder took home the league's Player of the Month Award for April, and set Bats records with 11 homers in April and 8 RBI in a game on April 29 at Toledo.
MORE MOVES: Louisville lost IF Luis Gonzalez, who was transferred to the injured list after sustaining a left shoulder sprain in the first inning of Saturday's clash with the Bisons. LOU also lost LHP Juan Martinez, who was transferred to Class AA Chattanooga without making an appearance for the Bats.
O'G3: First baseman Brian O'Grady put his name in the Louisville history books in Sunday's 7-3 win over Buffalo, hitting 3 home runs to become just the seventh player in franchise (since 1982) history to hit 3+ HR in a game, and the fourth in Reds affiliation (since 2000) history to do it. He joins VanMeter as Bats to accomplish the feat this season, with JVM doing it on April 29 at Toledo. O'Grady's historic day made it Louisville's eighth multi-HR performance of the season, the most they've had as a team since the 2010 season, when they had 10.
THE PUNISHER: Outfielder Aristides Aquino had a monster showing on Sunday, reaching base 5 times with a 4-for-4 game, drawing a walk, hitting a home run and stealing a base. In 2 games since returning from the injured list, Aquino is batting .750 (6-for-8) and has raised his batting average from .286 to .351.
CINCO DE FLY-O: The Bats hit 5 home runs as a team in Sunday's win, doing it for the third time this season. LOU also clubbed 5 homers on April 26 vs. Norfolk and April 29 at Toledo. Interestingly, LOU only hit 5+ homers in a game on 2 occasions over the previous 9 seasons (2010-18) combined, on July 20, 2010 at Charlotte and June 27, 2018 at Columbus.
PINPOINT CONTROL: Right-hander Lucas Sims put up another brilliant outing on Sunday, tossing his team-leading fourth quality start while extending his league-leading strikeout total to 63. Over the past 5 games, LOU starters have not walked a batter in 4 of them, with a 13-to-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
200 RUNS: With 199 runs as a team going into play Tuesday, LOU's next run will be its 200th as a club this season. Last season, the Bats did not score their 200th run until June 8, when Blake Trahan scored on a Dilson Herrera double at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. That came in the Bats' 57th game of the year.
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