IL1 Louisville Bats

Pinch-Hit Homers Propel Bats to Win

Published on May 8, 2013 under International League (IL1)
Louisville Bats News Release


ALLENTOWN, Pa. - A pair of pinch-hit home runs led the Louisville Bats (15-17) to a 6-4 victory over the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (14-17) on Tuesday night at Coca-Cola Park.

In a back and forth affair, the bats of Nevin Ashley and Ray Chang powered the Bats to victory with pinch-hit long balls in back-to-back innings, ending a brief two-game losing skid.

In the bottom of the second, Lehigh Valley scored first with a pair of runs that stemmed from missed opportunities defensively for Louisville. After a Ryan Hanigan throwing error allowed Leandro Castro to advance to third after stealing second, a Steve Susdorf groundout gave the Pigs a 1-0 lead. Humberto Quintero followed up with a solo shot to left field that made the Lehigh Valley lead 2-0.

The Bats fired back in the fourth inning. A leadoff walk from Felix Perez and a Hanigan single set the table for Denis Phipps, who ripped his second double of the game to left field and scored Perez. Hanigan would come in to score on an Armando Galarraga groundout that nearly found the outfield, tying the game 2-2.

Another Louisville error proved to be costly in the bottom of the fourth. After Galarraga threw away a possible inning-ending double play opportunity, Susdorf singled for his third RBI of the evening to score Darin Ruf and Castro to take the lead back for the IronPigs at 4-2.

Ashley pulled the Bats back even in the sixth with his first home run of the season that scored Emmanuel Burriss and made the score 4-4. Ashley was pinch-hitting for Galarraga (ND, 1-1), who finished his night on the mound with five strikeouts and allowed four runs (two earned) on five hits and three walks in five innings.

IronPigs starting pitcher B.J. Rosenberg (ND, 0-3), a University of Louisville alumnus, finished his night after six innings in which he struck out four and allowed four earned runs on seven hits and five walks.

Chang's pinch-hit home run came off of IronPigs reliever J.C. Ramirez (L, 0-1) in the seventh and gave the Bats their first lead of the ballgame, 5-4.

In the eighth, the blazing speed of Billy Hamilton helped him score from first base on a Neftali Soto single to right and give the Bats an insurance run to make the lead 6-4.

A host of bullpen arms came on in relief to secure the victory for Louisville. Nick Christiani (W, 3-2) came first in the sixth inning and tossed a scoreless frame before giving way to Jose Arredondo (H, 5) and Yohan Pino (S, 1) who closed out the game. The save for Pino was just the fourth of his career.

Also of note, Ryan Hanigan's start at catcher was the first in his rehab assignment from the Cincinnati Reds. He went 1-2 with a walk and a run scored before leaving the game as scheduled in the sixth.

RHP Greg Reynolds (2-0, 3.06) is scheduled to take the ball for the Bats tomorrow against IronPigs RHP Tyler Cloyd (1-3, 5.40). The matchup will be game three of the four-game set in Allentown and first pitch at Coca-Cola Park is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

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International League Stories from May 8, 2013


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