IL1 Louisville Bats

Game Notes: Louisville Bats (0-3) at Toledo Mud Hens (3-0)

Published on April 7, 2019 under International League (IL1)
Louisville Bats News Release


Game 4, Away 4

Louisville Bats (0-3) at Toledo Mud Hens (3-0)

1:05 PM | Sunday, April 7, 2019 | Fifth Third Field

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

TODAY'S GAME: The Louisville Bats and Toledo Mud Hens meet in the series finale Sunday afternoon with the Bats hoping to avoid the four-game sweep to begin their 2019 season. Louisville has not been swept in an opening series since 2006, when they dropped 3 of 3 games to the now-defunct Ottawa Lynx at Lynx Stadium. LOU started off 0-4 that season, but ended up with a 75-68 record.

AGAINST TOLEDO: With Toledo winning 3 straight games to begin the 2019 campaign, Louisville holds the all-time series by just one game now, owning a 210-209 record. There has not been a series sweep since Toledo took 3 of 3 at Louisville from August 1-3, 2017, and there has not been a four-game series sweep since August 31-Sept. 3, 2015, when the Mud Hens took 4 of 4 vs. the Bats at Fifth Third Field.

HOMERLESS: Louisville's offense has not hit a home run in the first 3 games of the season for the first time since 2008. That year, the Bats managed a 2-2 record despite not hitting a home run in the first 4 games of the season. In the fifth game of that year, top prospect at the time Jay Bruce clubbed a solo home run for the Bats' first long ball of the season in a 9-2 win.

- Coming into play on Sunday, the Bats are the only International League club without a home run. On the mound, LOU is one of just 4 teams to allow either one or fewer home runs so far this season, along with Gwinnett (1), Indianapolis (1) and Toledo (0).

PATIENTLY WAITING: While the Bats have only produced 9 runs through the first 3 games of the season, they have drawn 20 walks as a team, which ranks second in the International League to only Columbus' 26 free passes. LOU has drawn at least 6 walks in each of its 3 games (7,7,6), something the Bats did not do during the entire 2018 season. Sherman Johnson and Blake Trahan, who both have 4 walks apiece, are tied for third-most in the IL.

PUNCHOUTS: Louisville batters struck out 15 times, bringing their season total to a league-most 36 strikeouts through 3 games this season. Last year, Louisville finished with the fifth-most strikeouts (1,157) as an offense, and have not finished a season leading the league in strikeouts since at least 2004.

HIGH QUALITY STUFF: Right-hander Keury Mella went 6.0 innings on Saturday, getting the loss despite tossing the first quality start for a Louisville starter this season. Last year, the Bats went 36-12 (.750) in 48 quality starts. Last night was also the first time this series that either starting pitcher factored into the win/loss decision.

REED KEEPS IT GOING: Since allowing 6 earned runs and walking 6 in Thursday's opener, Louisville's bullpen has been excellent over the team's last 2 contests. Left-hander Cody Reed tossed 2.0 innings of scoreless ball on Saturday, giving Louisville's bullpen 7.0 straight innings without surrendering an earned run in its last 2 games.

YOUNGSTER: Today's probable starter, right-hander Vladimir Gutierrez, is set to become the third player to make his Triple-A debut for the Bats this season, joining outfielder Aristides Aquino and catcher Chris Okey. The 23-year-old Gutierrez (born Sept. 18, 1995) is the youngest player on the Bats' active roster, and is currently the second-youngest to don a Bats uniform, with only catcher Valentin Martinez (born Sept. 21, 1996), who appeared in 8 games with the Bats last season, being younger.

Check out the Louisville Bats Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



International League Stories from April 7, 2019


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central