Game Notes: Louisville Bats (17-23) at Buffalo Bisons (14-22)
May 17, 2019 - International League (IL1)
Louisville Bats News Release
Game 41, Away 21
Louisville Bats (17-23) at Buffalo Bisons (14-22)
RHP Jose Lopez (2-2, 5.29) vs. RHP Sean Reid-Foley (0-2, 8.13)
7:05 PM | Friday, May 17, 2019 | Sahlen Field
LISTEN: Nick Curran, 790 KRD; iHeartRadio.com; iHeart app
NEW YORK STATE OF MIND: The Bats stay in the Empire State for a three-game series against the Buffalo Bisons, Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. The Bats just wrapped up a three-game set at Syracuse, dropping 2 of 3 games to the Mets for the second time this season and finishing the 2019 schedule against them with a 2-4 record. Tonight, right-hander Jose Lopez gets the ball for Louisville as they try to go above .500 in series openers this year, currently 6-6.
AGAINST BUFFALO: The Bats and Bisons are scheduled to meet a total of 6 times this season, 3 at each club's home ballpark. Last season, Louisville did not play a single game at Sahlen Field (then named Coca-Cola Field) due to inclement weather from April 16-18. There were 2 cancellations and one postponement, with the game being made up at Louisville Slugger Field with the Bats as the "road" team in game two of a doubleheader on July 24. The Bats last placed a game at Buffalo on July 30, 2017.
DESPAIGNE OPTS OUT: Starting pitcher Odrisamer Despaigne opted out of his contract with the Reds on Thursday, with the right-hander being released. In 8 starts this season, the Bats' Opening Day starter went 3-2 with a 3.92 ERA (18er/41.1ip) with 40 hits allowed, 16 walks and 40 strikeouts. Despaigne's 3 quality starts are tied for the team lead with Lucas Sims, and his 3 wins are tied for most with Jackson Stephens. The 32-year-old won his last 2 starts with Louisville, the only Bats pitcher this season to record a win in back-to-back outings.
- With Despaigne's departure, he joins outfielders Courtney Hawkins and Kyle Wren as Louisville players released this season. Despaigne is also just the third pitcher from LOU's Opening Day roster to leave the 25-man roster at all this season, with relievers Matt Bowman and Cody Reed briefly leaving due to being recalled by Cincinnati.
UNPLUGGED THE POWER CORD: Nick Longhi hit a solo home run in the ninth inning of Thursday's 12-3 loss at Syracuse, his fourth of the season. It was the Bats' third home run as a team over their last 10 games, after clubbing 36 homers through the first 30 games of the season. The drastic drop in home runs can be partly attributed to the Reds' selection of Josh VanMeter, who led the International League with 13 homers at the time of his promotion to the big leagues after the Bats had played their 30th game.
LOW FIVE: The Mets hit 5 home runs last night, including 2 sets of back-to-back homers, a homer from an ex-Louisville Bat (Dilson Herrera), and a three-run shot from the opposing starting pitcher (Hector Santiago). The 5 homers surrendered were the most Louisville's given up in a game this season, and the most since allowing 5 at Charlotte on August 16, 2018.
NINE IS NOT SO FINE: The Bats' nine-run loss on Thursday was the team's worst loss of the season by run differential, supplanting the 11-4 loss on April 25 vs. Durham as the team's largest loss this season. The 12 runs given up were the second-most Louisville's given up in a game, to only April 26's 16-14 loss vs. Durham in the highest scoring game in Louisville Slugger Field history. Before last night, the Bats actually hadn't suffered a loss by 8+ runs since June 22, 2018 vs. Norfolk (16-1 loss). On the contrary, Louisville has won games this season by 8-0, 15-4 and 8-0 scores.
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