Stephenson Dominant as Bats Trounce Indians, 10-2
Published on May 23, 2018 under International League (IL1)
Louisville Bats News Release
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The Louisville Bats (14-28) dominated the Indianapolis Indians (23-20) Wednesday at Victory Field, winning by a 10-2 score. For the Bats, it's their most runs scored in a game and largest margin of victory this season.
Based on how Louisville's season gone to this point, it should come as no surprise that the Bats earned the 10-2 win in come-from-behind fashion, trailing 1-0 after Indianapolis third baseman Max Moroff hit a leadoff home run off Bats starting pitcher, right-hander Robert Stephenson (4-4, 3.59). Stephenson quickly overcame the home run, and it was all Louisville from that point on.
Stephenson got the win, pitching 6.0 innings and giving up one earned run on two hits, walking two and striking out nine in his third consecutive win. He's the first Louisville pitcher to win three straight starts since fellow right-hander Rookie Davis accomplished the feat last season, and Stephenson's last three wins have also accounted for the team's last three wins.
Louisville's offense got started in the top of the second inning on a game-tying solo home run by D.J. Peterson, off Indianapolis starting pitcher, right-hander Austin Coley (1-3, 9.64), who got the loss. The Bats scored their second run on a throwing error on a pickoff attempt by Coley, taking a 2-1 lead.
The Bats scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth, all with two outs. Phillip Ervin doubled, Blake Trahan singled in two and Stephenson helped his own cause with an RBI single of his own to make it a 6-1 Bats lead.
The rest of the game could be referred to as the "Josh VanMeter show", with the Indiana native supplying an RBI single in the seventh, and breaking the game open with a three-run home run in the top of the ninth to give the Bats a 10-2 lead, the game's final score.
The 10 runs are the most Louisville has scored in a game all season and the most since they scored 13 against the Rochester Red Wings on August 20 last season in a 13-6 win. Recent Major League call-up Brandon Dixon hit three home runs in that game. The Bats' eight-run lead in today's game is also their biggest lead at any point in 2018, and the biggest since that same game last season against Rochester.
The Bats will look to tie the series against the Indians in their final game of a 10-game road trip tomorrow at 11:05 a.m. Right-hander Zach Neal (2-1, 6.52) will toe the rubber for Louisville, with Indianapolis throwing right-hander Tyler Eppler (3-2, 3.60).
Louisville returns home to Louisville Slugger Field on Friday, May 25 to begin its longest homestand of the season, 10 games starting with a four-game series against the Durham Bulls.
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