IL1 Louisville Bats

Game Notes: Syracuse Mets (17-13) at Louisville Bats (13-18)

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


Game 32, Home 15

Syracuse Mets (17-13) at Louisville Bats (13-18)

RHP Lucas Sims (1-0, 5.33) vs. RHP Chris Mazza (0-0, 4.50)

7:00 PM | Tuesday, May 7, 2019 | Louisville Slugger Field

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

HOME OPENER: The Louisville Bats welcome the Syracuse Mets to Louisville Slugger Field for the first time, with the newly minted Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets joining the International League in 2019. Louisville is coming off a winning road trip in which they won as many games (4) as they have in 14 home games this season, looking to improve upon their league-worst 4 home wins and home record. Right-hander Lucas Sims gets the ball for the Bats in the series opener.

AGAINST SYRACUSE:Louisville and Syracuse meet for the first of 2 series this season, with the three-game series at Syracuse taking place next week. It's the first time Louisville will face a newly-named club since facing the Gwinnett Stripers last season. In 2018, the Bats went 5-2 against the Syracuse Chiefs, including a 4-game sweep at Syracuse from July 19-22.

VANMETER NAMED IL PLAYER OF THE MONTH: Louisville infielder Josh VanMeter was named the International League Player of the Month, the first Bat to win the monthly award since Scott Schebler in July 2016. He finished the opening month of the season with a .358 batting average (34-for-95), leading the International league in games played (26), hits (34), runs (24) home runs (11), RBI (28), total bases (24), slugging percentage (.758). His 11 homers are tied for the most in a calendar month in Bats history with Juan Francisco, who hit 11 in July 2010. VanMeter's contract was selected by the Reds on May 5, and he made his Major League debut that same day.

IN FRONT OF THE EIGHT BALL: The Bats earned their second shutout win of the season on Sunday against the Indianapolis Indians, and their first since April 10 at Columbus. Each of the Bats' 2 comeback wins this season has come in an 8-0 victory. Louisville is one of 5 IL clubs without a shutout loss this season.

TRANSACTIONS: The Bats added outfielder Narciso Crook to their roster today, and released Kyle Wren. The 23-year-old Crook is batting .228 (13-for-57) in 20 games with Class AA Chattanooga, and will make his Triple-A debut when first appearing in a Bats uniform. Wren filled primarily a bench role with the Bats this season, batting .220 (11-for-50) with 13 starts and reaching base in 3 of 5 pinch-hitting appearances.

DESPAIGN-YAY: Right-hander and Opening Day starter for the Bats, Odrisamer Despaigne, was brilliant in his start against the Indians on Sunday, twirling 7.0 shutout innings which tied Keury Mella for the longest outing by a Bats pitcher this season. He also became the first Bat to throw 100 pitches in an outing this season, tossing 60 strikes on 101 pitches. He did it all, registering an RBI single and coming around to score, the first run and RBI for a Louisville pitcher this season.

BEAM ME UP SCOTTY: Scott Schebler made his 2019 Bats debut on Sunday, slapping hits in his first 2 at-bats in his first game back with Louisville on a non-rehab assignment since 2016. His first hit of the afternoon was his 100th career hit in a Bats uniform, and he wound up 2-for-5 on the day.

TEBOW TIME: Former Heisman Trophy winner and University of Florida football star Tim Tebow comes to Louisville Slugger Field as a member of the Syracuse Mets. Tebow, who was a 1st round draft pick in the 2010 NFL draft, has batted just .130 (10-for-77) in 23 games this season, and holds a .230 career average (193-for-840) with 94 runs, 44 doubles, 3 triples, 14 home runs, 98 RBI, 79 walks and 281 walks in 252 career baseball games.

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International League Stories from May 7, 2019


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