Game Notes: Louisville Bats (33-55) at Columbus Clippers (54-33)
July 7, 2019 - International League (IL1)
Louisville Bats News Release
Game 89, Away 45
Louisville Bats (33-55) at Columbus Clippers (54-33)
RHP Sal Romano (2-7, 5.44) vs. RHP Aaron Civale (2-0, 2.04)
2:05 PM | Sunday, July 7, 2019 | Huntington Park
LISTEN: Nick Curran, 790 KRD; iHeartRadio.com; TuneIn
FINAL GAME BEFORE THE BREAK:Louisville heads into the final game before the 2019 Triple-A All-Star break with one more against Columbus before resuming the season with a four-game series at home vs. Toledo to begin the second half. Today at Huntington Park, Sal Romano will look to lead the Bats to a series tie, set to make his second start of the season after dazzling in his first outing with 4.0 hitless innings on July 1 vs. Indianapolis.
AGAINST COLUMBUS:The Clippers took a 7-6 advantage through the clubs' first 13 matchups this season, with the Bats still narrowly outscoring the Clip Show 69-65. Louisville's dropped back-to-back games against Columbus, off the heels of both a three-game winning streak overall and a three-game win streak against Columbus.
TRANSACTIONS:Left-hander Wandy Peralta joins Louisville on Major League rehab assignment, spending time on the 10-day injured list due to a right hip flexor strain. He will become the fifth player on MLB rehab assignment to join Louisville this season, joining IF Alex Blandino, IF Scooter Gennett, RHP Robert Stephenson and current teammate LHP Alex Wood. Peralta was actually optioned to Louisville on May 28, but never appeared in a game before being recalled to Cincinnati on May 31.
THE LONG BALL:Louisville has hit multiple home runs in each of the first 3 games of the series at Columbus, with Christian Colon (7) and Aristides Aquino (20) both going deep in the fourth inning on Saturday night.
- Aquino joins teammate Brian O'Grady (21) as the first pair of Bats with 20+ home runs in a season since Brandon Larson (25) and Kevin Witt (24) achieved the feat in 2002.
- With 103 homers through 88 games, LOU is on pace to finish with approximately 164 home runs, which would set a new Bats record (160 HR in 2010), and nearly break the all-time franchise record (166 HR in 1999).
ALL-STARS:Three Bats were named to the 2019 IL All-Star team: OF Aristides Aquino, RHP Lucas Sims and IF Josh VanMeter. Aquino will be the lone representative on the team, with Sims and VanMeter not making the trip. Louisville's now had 3 midseason All-Stars in back-to-back seasons, with RHP Kevin Quackenbush, RHP Tanner Rainey and OF Mason Williams making it in 2018.
- It's the first time LOU's had multiple position players making the All-Star team since 2014 (IF Ruben Gotay, OF Felix Perez), while Sims is the first starting pitcher to make it since RHP Greg Reynolds in 2013.
WILL IT BREAK BEFORE THE BREAK?:The International League totaled 1,555 home runs as a league in 2018, with teams averaging approximately 0.80 home runs per game. With one day of action before the 2019 All-Star break, there have already been 1,531 home runs hit across the league, coming out to about 1.24 team home runs per game.
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