IL1 Louisville Bats

Game Notes: Louisville Bats (0-2) at Toledo Mud Hens (2-0)

Published on April 6, 2019 under International League (IL1)
Louisville Bats News Release


Game 3, Away 3

Louisville Bats (0-2) at Toledo Mud Hens (2-0)

5:05 PM | Saturday, April 6, 2019 | Fifth Third Field

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

TONIGHT'S GAME: The Louisville Bats and Toledo Mud Hens meet in the third game of a four-game series Saturday night at Fifth Third Field. After Friday's 4-3 loss in extra innings, the Bats have lost back-to-back games to begin a season for the first time since 2016, and will look to avoid losing 3 straight games to start a season for the first time since 2006, when the Bats started 0-4 against Ottawa and Syracuse. Right-hander Keury Mella takes the mound for Louisville, set to make his seventh career start in a Bats uniform.

AGAINST TOLEDO: The Bats and Hens are scheduled to meet 22 more times this season. In 2018, the clubs met 25 times, with the Hens taking a 14-11 advantage. The Bats went just 4-8 at Louisville Slugger Field against their IL West Division rivals, while going 7-6 against the Hens at Fifth Third Field. With Toledo winning 2 straight to begin the 2019 campaign, the Bats are in danger of having the all-time series tied at 210 games apiece if the Mud Hens complete a four-game sweep.

PLAYING THE 'LONG GAME': The Bats' 11-inning loss to the Mud Hens on Friday already matches their longest game (by innings) since the International League implemented new extra inning rules where each team starts with a runner on second base, which began in 2018. Louisville's only 11-inning game last season came on May 31, winning by a 5-4 score over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders at Louisville Slugger Field on a Blake Trahan walk-off single.

- Despite playing 11 innings, last night's game (3 hours, 36 minutes) still did not last as long as Thursday night's opener, a 10-5 Mud Hens win in nine innings that went 3 hours, 39 minutes.

BULLPEN BOUNCE BACK:After Opening Day, which saw Louisville relief pitching give up 6 earned runs and walk 6 batters in 3.0 innings of work, the Bats' bullpen came up huge in Friday night's ballgame. Relievers Jesus Reyes, Ian Krol, Sal Romano, Anthony Bass and Jimmy Herget combined for just one unearned run, which occurred in the bottom of the 11th in part due to the new extra inning rules, in 7.2 innings of work, walking one and striking out 7. Reyes, Romano and Bass each put together multi-inning performances.

WE'VE GOT TO HOLD TO WHAT WE'VE GOT: Louisville briefly held a 1-0 in last night's ballgame, after Brian O'Grady's sacrifice fly gave the Bats a lead in the top of the first. Louisville has led in both contests to begin the season, including a 4-0 lead in Thursday's opener before ultimately falling 10-5. Last season, LOU was a league-worst 42-27 (.609) when scoring first, with only Indianapolis' 31 losses in that scenario ranking more than Louisville's.

MEET THE TEAM: Of the 25 players that made up Louisville's Opening Day roster, over half (13) appeared in a game for Louisville last season... 7 pitchers: Jimmy Herget, Jose Lopez, KeuryMella, Cody Reed, Jesus Reyes, Sims and Jackson Stephens; 4 infielders: Brian O'Grady, Taylor Sparks, Blake Trahan and Josh VanMeter; and a pair of outfielders: Ervin and Nick Longhi RHP Sal Romano also donned the Louisville uniform in 2017, but spent the entire 2018 season in Cincinnati.

-Sixteen (16) players bring MLB experience to the Bats, while three (3) will make their Triple-A debuts when first appearing for Louisville this year, with Aquino going 1-for-5 with a double and run scored in his debut in Thursday's opener at Toledo, C Chris Okey going 0-for-4 with a strikeout on Friday, and RHP Vladimir Gutierrez set to join them when he makes a start on Sunday afternoon.

-Of the 16 players with MLB experience, 9 have played for the Reds: Mella, Reed, Reyes, Romano, Sims, Stephens, Trahan, Aquino and Ervin, with all of them playing only for the Reds, with the exception of Sims (ATL).

-Eight (8) total players, including Sims, have played for MLB teams other than CIN: Anthony Bass (SD-HOU-TEX-CHC), Matt Bowman (STL), OdrisamerDespaigne (SD-BAL-MIA-LAA), Ian Krol (WSN-DET-ATL-LAA), Juan Graterol (LAA-MIN), Christian Colon (KC-MIA) and Sherman Johnson (LAA).

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International League Stories from April 6, 2019


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